Inspired by a newly-burgeoning environmental movement and fueled by public outrage over a massive oil spill in California, the first Earth Day was celebrated in 1970. Public awareness about the damaging effects of pesticides had also grown in the previous decade, thanks to Rachel Carson’s bestselling book, Silent Spring. Earth Day brought together disparate groups who had been focused individually on combating polluting factories, wildlife extinction, recycling, emissions from leaded gasoline, and chemical dumping in rivers and oceans. United around a common cause–protecting the planet–Earth Day led directly to the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency at the end of 1970.
In the decades since, Earth Day has grown into a worldwide phenomenon, marked by over a billion people, with nearly every country represented. The dangers of climate change have taken center stage over the past 10 years, as global leaders have acknowledged the urgent need for action against this very real threat, and social media has enabled the message to spread, inspiring a younger generation of activists to embrace the challenge.
Here are some fun (and meaningful) ways to celebrate Earth Day!
✅ Feed the birds: make your own recycled feeder with a plastic water bottle and wooden spoon. Learn how here: https://loom.ly/W6Ts86k
✅ Go car-free: see if you can go a day without driving. Walk or bike to the store or to visit local friends. It’s great exercise AND good for the environment!
✅ Purchase a yearly pass to a state park and make a point of spending more time enjoying the outdoors. Find a list of parks here: https://loom.ly/HB94Yok
✅ Instead of throwing out veggie scraps, repurpose them to make your own vegetable stock and use it as the base for a delicious soup. Find a recipe here: https://loom.ly/CbJvkTw
Bonus Tip! A great way to celebrate Earth Day is to join us at one of our Beach Clean-Ups this season. The first one is this Saturday at Peirce Island in Portsmouth. Find out more about the beach clean ups we have scheduled this year here: 2023 Beach Clean-Up Schedule
