Considered the birth of the modern environmental movement, Earth Day was first celebrated on April 22, 1970. Today, the global holiday still raises awareness of the risk environmental degradation poses to humans and wildlife. Organized by the Earth Day Network, the holiday is currently the world's largest participatory environmental movement.
Earth Day was first celebrated in the United States, following bipartisan political support for the establishment of the US Environmental Protection Agency in 1970, followed a few years later by further legislative actions combating air and water pollution. In 1990, Earth Day became an international holiday and in Quebec, major Earth Day awareness and volunteer efforts for Canada were launched five years later. Since 2015, French and Canadian organizers have partnered to garner major support for Earth Day initiatives across the French speaking world.
Here’s where Earth Day will be celebrated across the globe this year and how you can take part.