Time until :
0
Days0
Hours0
Minutes0
SecondsWhat is Earth Day?
Earth Day is observed every April 22 to mobilise environmental action worldwide. Founded by US Senator Gaylord Nelson in 1970 and now coordinated by EarthDay.org, it is the largest secular civic observance on the planet — an estimated 1 billion participants across 190+ countries each year.
Table of Contents
Why April 22?
Senator Gaylord Nelson (D-Wisconsin) chose April 22, 1970 because it was a Wednesday positioned between US college spring break and final exams — specifically picked to maximise student turnout for the inaugural teach-in. The date has no astronomical significance; it is the inheritance of a logistical choice that worked.
The United Nations later added International Mother Earth Day on the same date via General Assembly Resolution 63/278 in 2009, partly to give the observance formal UN status.
Upcoming dates
Earth Day falls on April 22 every year. The next five occurrences:
| Year | Date | Day of week |
|---|---|---|
| 2027 | April 22, 2027 | Thursday |
| 2028 | April 22, 2028 | Saturday |
| 2029 | April 22, 2029 | Sunday |
| 2030 | April 22, 2030 | Monday |
| 2031 | April 22, 2031 | Tuesday |
A short history
- 1969 — The Santa Barbara oil spill (January) galvanises US public concern about pollution. Senator Gaylord Nelson, inspired by anti-war teach-ins, proposes a nationwide environmental teach-in.
- April 22, 1970 — First Earth Day. An estimated 20 million Americans participate. Within the same year, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is created and the Clean Air, Clean Water and Endangered Species Acts pass.
- 1990 — Earth Day goes global. Denis Hayes coordinates the 20th anniversary, drawing 200 million participants in 141 countries.
- 2009 — UN General Assembly Resolution 63/278 designates April 22 as International Mother Earth Day.
- 2016 — The Paris Agreement on climate change is opened for signature on Earth Day, April 22, 2016.
- 2020 — 50th anniversary. Most events move online due to COVID-19; EarthDay.org claims over 1 billion digital participants.
Annual theme and observance
EarthDay.org sets an annual campaign theme. Recent themes:
- 2024: Planet vs. Plastics — called for a 60% reduction in plastic production by 2040.
- 2023: Invest in Our Planet.
- 2022: Invest in Our Planet.
- 2021: Restore Our Earth.
- 2020: Climate Action — the 50th anniversary theme.
Common ways to mark the day include tree planting, community clean-ups, citizen-science events, divestment campaigns, and the Great Global Cleanup coordinated by EarthDay.org.
Sources & references
- EarthDay.org — the organisation that grew out of the original 1970 campaign.
- UN — International Mother Earth Day.
- US EPA — Origins of the EPA — documents the role of the first Earth Day in catalysing US environmental law.
FAQs
Earth Day was founded by US Senator Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin, who organised the first Earth Day on April 22, 1970, as a nationwide environmental teach-in. The campaign was coordinated by Denis Hayes, a 25-year-old Harvard graduate student Nelson hired as national coordinator. Nelson received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1995 for his role in founding it.
Senator Nelson chose April 22, 1970 because it fell on a weekday between US spring break and final exams — maximising college-campus participation. The date also sits within spring in the Northern Hemisphere, a season associated with environmental renewal. It has been held on April 22 every year since.
They overlap but are not identical. "Earth Day" is the original 1970 campaign now run by EarthDay.org (formerly Earth Day Network). The UN added International Mother Earth Day on April 22 in 2009 via Resolution 63/278. Many countries use the terms interchangeably.
EarthDay.org estimates over 1 billion people across more than 190 countries participate annually, making it the largest secular civic observance in the world. The first Earth Day in 1970 drew an estimated 20 million Americans — roughly 10% of the US population at the time.
Themes are set annually by EarthDay.org. Recent themes include Planet vs. Plastics (2024), Invest in Our Planet (2022–2023) and Restore Our Earth (2021). The current theme is published at earthday.org.
No. Earth Day is not a federal public holiday in the US or anywhere else. Schools, government offices and businesses remain open. Many schools run Earth Day projects, and some states designate it a day of environmental observance.