Earth Day is celebrated around the world. Learn how it evolved

The idea for Earth Day came after a massive oil spill in Santa Barbara, California in 1969. Former U.S. Sen. Gaylord Nelson wanted to raise pollution awareness, so he created Earth Day.

News 12 Staff

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Apr 20, 2020, 9:44 AM

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Updated 1,751 days ago

Earth Day is celebrated around the world to raise awareness of environmental issues and inspire appreciation for the planet.

More than 192 countries now observe Earth Day.

The idea for Earth Day came after a massive oil spill in Santa Barbara, California in 1969. Former U.S. Sen. Gaylord Nelson wanted to raise pollution awareness, so he created Earth Day.

Sen. Nelson chose April 22 because it falls between spring break and final exams on the school calendar.

On April 22, 1970, 20 million Americans demonstrated for a healthy sustainable environment.

The first Earth Day eventually led to:

The creation of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency;
The passage of the Clean Air Act;
The passage of the Clean Water Act;
The passage of the Endangered Species Act.

But in those 50 years, our population has doubled. Global population in 1970 was 3.7 billion. In 2020, it is 7.8 billion.

According to Global Carbon Project we're now emitting 2.4 times more CO2, and we are making 15 times more plastic.

But the movement to be more earth-friendly has had major positive impacts.

Our cars are now cleaner.

In 1987, the world banned CFC - the ozone-depleting emissions, so the ozone layer has begun to stabilize and recover.

And now reusable bags, refillable water bottles, and recycling are all part of many people's daily lives as they celebrate the earth every day.

How much do you know about Earth Day? Take our quiz below:

Pop Quiz - Mind Game Monday: Earth Day