For the past 50 years, Earth Day has been celebrated by billions of people around the globe, annually every April 22, to join together in promoting awareness for the health of our environment. Serious concerns about our changing environment being studied and addressed today by prominent scientists, politicians, and young climate change activists are causing many people to adapt to more environmentally friendly ways of living — every day, not just on April 22 every year.

People are reminded to start composting, recycling, repurposing, carpooling, thrifting, and metal straws, among other efforts.

The idea for Earth Day was originally born in 1969, when a US Senator named Gaylord Nelson, witnessed the effects of a massive oil spill in Santa Barbara, CA. He called to action all Americans to take a stand for the environment in 1970, and thousands of colleges and universities across the United States organized protests for a healthy, sustainable Earth. This included air pollution from factories and freeways, as well as the loss of habitats for animals and animal extinction. Because of these national rallies, the first Earth Day helped create the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the Clean Air, Clean Water, and Endangered Species acts into law.