Celebrate Earth Day on a Pathway

The theme for this year’s Earth Day is “Our Power, Our Planet.” It is a reminder that we are not powerless. We can make meaningful decisions through daily actions, both individually and collectively. Over time, these actions can become environmental habits. They can be as simple as picking up litter on a pathway or hosting a conversation about a local environmental challenge. 

We hope you enjoy Earth Day on April 22. Whether you participate in a community event or gaze at the sunset after wandering along a Berkeley path. 

In the meantime, here are a few fun facts! 

Earth Day was founded in 1970 by U.S. Senator Nelson Gaylord of Wisconsin. “Our goal is not just an environment of clean air and water and scenic beauty. The objective is an environment of decency, quality, and mutual respect for all human beings and all living creatures,” he said. Nelson believed a grassroots campaign with environmental teach-ins would be effective in building a political environmental agenda. April 22 was chosen because it fell between spring break and final exams, ensuring maximum participation from college students. 

More than 20 million people participated in the first Earth Day. Many posters featured NASA’s Earthrise image. 

Americans had grown concerned about environmental catastrophes, such as the Santa Barbara oil spill and Cuyahoga River Fire. Rachel Carson’s “Silent Spring” highlighted the damaging effects of pesticides. 

The massive turnout led to political action. The Environmental Protection Agency was created, and an environmental decade began with the passage of several laws, including the Endangered Species Act and amendments strengthening the National Environmental Policy Act and the Clean Air and Clean Water Act. 

Earth Day is now celebrated globally, with more than a billion participating in environmental stewardship, educational awareness, and sustainability efforts.