Earth Day began on April 22, 1970.  In the United States, over 20 million people participated, and they have kept the day alive ever since.

The current environmental movement was probably the most notable product of Earth Day.  Many environmental laws were also passed or revised as a result of Earth Day, and the Environmental Protection Agency was created.

Wisconsin Senator Gaylord Nelson created the idea for Earth Day.  In 1969, he proposed starting a program of teach-ins on the environment, similar to those done in protest of the Vietnam War.

The program took off after Senator Nelson gained the support of Denis Hayes, who organized the first ever Earth Day and began the teach-ins.

In 1990, the 20^th anniversary of Earth Day, worldwide participation drew support from 200 million people in 140 countries.

Now, people participate in a variety of environmentally-friendly activities to celebrate Earth Day.  People plant trees and plants, clean up their town or city, learn about environmental topics, and recycle cans and bottles.  Other action is taken to make everyone more aware of the many problems that currently threaten the environment.

The highly successful anniversary event was also organized by Mr. Hayes.  On that occasion, he raised large amounts of money and support internationally, and was able to produce the spectacular event as a result.