Earth Day started back on April 22nd 1970. Gaylord Nelson, a Democratic Senator from the state of Wisconsin created Earth Day as a way to show people holding political offices that the general population was concerned about the environment as a whole. That first year it was proposed more than twenty million American’s came together to participate in what was at the time a grass roots effort for environmental awareness.
The prior passing of the National Environmental Policy Act being signed into law on January 1st 1970 paved the way for Earth Day to show support and encouragement to our law makers that the general population was paying attention to environmental issues. Since 1970 the some of the following laws have been created from this grass roots effort: Clean Air Act, Water Quality Improvement Act, Resource and Recovery Act, Toxic Substances Control Act, Federal Environmental Pesticide Control Act, Endangered Species Act and many others.
To see a list of environmental policies that have been enacted since 1970 click here.
Want to find out about the air quality in your area? Visit AIRNow an interactive site that will show you the air quality of where you are now.
To find Earth Day events and celebrations in your area click here.