On Monday, the international community will celebrate the 54th anniversary of Earth Day with events around the world.
The first Earth Day took place on April 22, 1970. A U.S. Senator from Wisconsin named Gaylord Nelson sparked a massive demonstration. He called on students and communities to fight for the environment and combat environmental degradation with the same energy and enthusiasm shown during the Vietnam War demonstrations.
An estimated 30 million people showed up and demonstrated to celebrate and voice concerns about clean air, land and water. In December 1970, Congress authorized the creation of the U.S. EPA. Senator Nelson is often credited with creating Earth Day to bring environmental issues to the national agenda.
Earth Day celebrations usually have a theme. For 2024 the theme is ‘Planet versus Plastic’. Many events will take place around the world in more than 193 counties, and of course in the Bay Area.
EARTH DAY EVENTS IN THE BAY AREA
San Francisco: Earth Day San Francisco (Sun. April 21)
Santa Clara County: Santa Clara County Parks (April 19 – 27)
East Bay Parks: Earth Day with the Park District (Sat. April 20)
Marin County: Earth Day Marin (Sun. April 21)
Napa: Earth Day Napa 2024 (Sat. April 20)
Contra Costa County: Multiple Earth Day events
Belmont: Earth Day celebration in the city of Belmont (Sat. April 20)
More information about Earth Day and its history can be found at EarthDay.org. The site includes an interactive map where users can find Earth Day events in their area. The EPA website also has a section on Earth Day.
