What is Earth Day and why is it celebrated on April 22?

Earth Day is marked across the globe on April 22 to support environmental conservation efforts. It was first celebrated across US college campuses in 1970 — months after a massive oil spill in Santa Barbara. The movement has since mobilised more than a billion individuals in over 192 countries. The annual event is being marked on Monday with the global theme ‘Planet vs. Plastics’.

In 2016 the United Nations selected April 22 as the date for the Paris Accord — typically considered the significant agreement to be signed in the history of the climate and environmental movement. Leaders from 196 nations came together on April 22 that year to adopt a legally binding treaty against global warming. Countries are expected to try and limit global warming to 1.5°C under the Accord while greenhouse gas emissions must peak before 2025 at the latest and decline 43% by 2030. 

How did Earth Day first originate?

Earth Day originated in the US a few months after a massive oil spill off the California coast. US Senator Gaylord Nelson had sought to “infuse the energy of student anti-war protests with an emerging public consciousness about air and water pollution” during this time. He recruited activist Denis Hayes to organize campus teach-ins and scale the idea to a broader public. The duo chose April 22 as the date — then a weekday falling between Spring Break and Final Exams — to maximize student participation.

According to the earthday.org website, Hayes eventually built a national staff of 85 to promote events across the land. They also changed the name of the event to Earth Day to garner greater visibility. 

What is the theme?

“Planet vs. Plastics unites students, parents, businesses, governments, churches, unions, individuals, and NGOs in an unwavering commitment to call for the end of plastics for the sake of human and planetary health, demanding a 60% reduction in the production of plastics by 2040 and an ultimate goal of building a plastic-free future for generations to come,” reads an excerpt from the official Earth Day website.