Earth Day is celebrated every year on April 22 all throughout the world. I know that a lot of people don’t really pay much attention to Earth Day, but it does a lot of good for the environment. I see Earth Day as a little apology to our planet for all of the pollution that we have caused and a reminder to keep it in good shape. Although it is clear that Earth Day is not going to fix the pollution problem, it is still a really good start to reversing some environmental damage and preserving natural ecosystems for years to come. This is the only planet we have, so we need to take care of it.

A Little Bit of History

     In 1979, U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson planned a day to educate college students on the effects we have on the environment, and it was a huge success. The following year, 1970, college students organized the first official Earth Day, which was a huge success. Around 20 million people celebrated Earth Day that first year. Also in 1970, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Clean Air Act were put in place to control the amount of pollution released into the environment. The first Earth Day led the way for more environment protection laws, efforts, and movements that have greatly improved the state our planet is in today.

What Can We Do?

     The nice thing about Earth Day is that any effort to help has a great impact on the environment. Even something as simple as planting a tree or picking up litter on the ground can make a world of difference. It may not seem like much, but these things go a long way in helping out the environment. I know that Earth Day has already happened this year, but don’t let that stop you from checking in on your surroundings on a daily basis. Make keeping our town a clean place a priority by just setting aside a little time to pick up trash when you are at the park or in your neighborhood. It doesn’t take long, and it is much better for the environment and the people, animals, and plants who live there.

     If you want to help out but don’t know where to start, these are a few things you can do:

• Plant a tree
• Start a garden 
• Plant flowers in your backyard to help save the bees’ habitat
• Go to the park with a group of friends and pick up any litter you see
• Ride your bike or walk to school instead of driving 
• Use a refillable water bottle instead of single-use plastic ones
• reduce, reuse, recycle!