In September 1969, United States Senator Gaylord Nelson from Wisconsin worked to bring national awareness of environmental issues. He called for Americans to come together the following spring for a day dedicated to environmental education. His idea was met with great enthusiasm. It has been speculated that spring was chosen for the event to coincide with spring break in schools and universities so that students could participate fully.1
On April 22, 1970, Americans marched and demonstrated in the streets for a healthy, sustainable environment in massive rallies across the US. It was estimated 20 million people, from 10,000 elementary and high schools, 2,000 colleges, and over 1,000 communities participated that day.2 Earth Day was born and has taken place every year since.
By 1990, Earth Day was an event celebrated by more than 140 countries around the globe, mobilizing more than 200 million people. This paved the way for the 1992 United Nations Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro. After 10 years, Earth Day 2000 focused on climate change and clean energy. Approximately 5,000 environmental groups and 184 countries participated, reaching hundreds of millions of people.3
The theme of Earth Day 2022 is “Invest in Our Planet.” The goal is to “redirect attention to create a 21st century economy that brings back the healing and health of our planet, to protect all of our species, including our own and to provide opportunities for everyone on the planet.” 4
The goal is also “to engage one billion people, including governments, institutions and people, to act individually and together.”5
Devoted to the planning, organizing and coordinating of events annually, earthday.org’s mission is to diversify, educate and activate the environmental movement worldwide. For Earth Day 2022, they state, “We need to act (boldly), innovate (broadly), and implement (equitably). It’s going to take all of us. All in. Businesses, governments, and citizens — everyone accounted for, and everyone accountable. A partnership for the planet. Everyone fears change but now is the time for the unstoppable courage to preserve and protect our health, our families, our livelihoods—together, we must Invest in Our Planet.”6
We can all invest in our planet by adjusting our lifestyles. Check earthday.org for ways to participate—you can join local cleanup crews that are part of The Great Global Cleanup®, a worldwide campaign to remove billions of pieces of trash from neighborhoods, beaches, rivers, lakes, trails, and parks—or plant a tree through the Canopy Project. Every little bit counts. It can be as simple as brushing your teeth without keeping the faucet running, taking shorter showers, eating less meat, taking up plogging or shopping with reusable bags. In its lifetime, one reusable bag can prevent the use of 600 plastic bags.7
Remember to take advantage of our special PiMag® Water Packs through April 30, 2022. PiMag® products not only help filter out bacteria and alkalize water but also help eliminate the use of plastic water bottles, which produce tons of trash to pollute both land and ocean. The special PiMag® Water Packs give you two items with one at the regular price and the second at 50% off. You will benefit personally as well as be part of the environmental solution that planet Earth needs.
4, 5, 6 https://www.earthday.org/earth-day-2022/
7 https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/celebrations/article/earth-day_Day
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