Earth Day took place this Monday, April 22, and saw more than 1 billion people take part in over 193 countries. Earthday.org has stated that they are "unwavering in our commitment to end plastics for the sake of human and planetary health, demanding a 60% reduction in the production of ALL plastics by 2040." Some cities saw massive celebrations and volunteer efforts, while other towns hosted small get-togethers and clean up events. Earth day has come a long way from a small local celebration in Wisconsin to a recognized world holiday with a visible impact on the ways we conduct our life.
The origin of Earth Day can be traced back to a Wisconsin Senator named Gaylord Nelson, who was an ardent conservationist during his two terms. Nelson hosted teach-ins at numerous universities and eventually worked to have legislation passed to create a formal holiday. The name for the holiday, "Earth Day", came from a somewhat unexpected source; a salesman for Volkswagen is credited with creating the name for a sales campaign. So whether you can only take part in a small recycling event or help organize a large scale conservation effort, make sure you do your part to make Earth Day a success!