Earth Day is on Thursday, April 22, 2027, and it falls on April 22 every year. It’s a day to support protecting the environment, through cleanups, tree planting, learning and action. It began in the United States in 1970 and is now marked worldwide.
When Is Earth Day?
It’s always April 22. Many schools, cities and companies run events throughout the week, often called Earth Week. Earth Day isn’t a federal holiday, so offices and schools stay open.
How Did Earth Day Start?
Wisconsin Senator Gaylord Nelson proposed it. He drew on the energy of student protest movements and on public alarm after the 1969 oil spill off Santa Barbara, California, according to EARTHDAY.ORG.
Nelson asked Republican Congressman Pete McCloskey to serve as co-chair, and he recruited young activist Denis Hayes to organize campus teach-ins. Hayes built a national staff of 85 to coordinate events across the country.
On April 22, 1970, about 20 million Americans took part. That was roughly 10% of the U.S. population at the time.
Why April 22?
Organizers chose a weekday that fell between spring break and final exams, to get as many college students involved as possible.
What Is the Purpose of the Day?
To build public support for protecting air, water, land and wildlife. The first Earth Day is widely seen as the start of the modern U.S. environmental movement.
Change came quickly. In 1970, President Richard Nixon proposed creating an Environmental Protection Agency. The EPA marks its birthday on December 2, 1970, when the Senate confirmed its first administrator, William Ruckelshaus.
The same year brought the Clean Air Act, the Occupational Safety and Health Act and the National Environmental Education Act. Congress passed the Clean Water Act two years later.
How to Celebrate Earth Day
- Join a cleanup: pick up litter at a local park, beach or riverbank with a community group.
- Plant something native: native plants feed local pollinators and need less water.
- Do a home energy check: swap in LED bulbs and unplug electronics you rarely use.
- Cut single-use plastic: pack a reusable bottle, bag and coffee cup for the week.
- Fix instead of toss: mend clothes or visit a repair café for broken electronics.
- Take transit or bike: leave the car home for one day and track the trips you replaced.
- Teach kids: start a small compost bin or sort recyclables together.
- Find a local event: EARTHDAY.ORG and many city websites list cleanups, festivals and volunteer days near you.
- Learn your recycling rules: what your curbside bin accepts varies by city, so check before you toss.
How It Went Global
In 1990, Earth Day went international, mobilizing about 200 million people in 141 countries, EARTHDAY.ORG says. By 2000, the internet helped link 5,000 environmental groups in a record 184 countries.
On April 22, 2016, leaders from 175 nations signed the Paris climate agreement. That set a record for the most countries signing an international agreement on a single day.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Earth Day a federal holiday?
No. It’s a widely observed awareness day, but government offices, schools and businesses stay open. Many schools hold activities that week.
Is Earth Day the same as Arbor Day?
No. Arbor Day focuses on planting trees and is observed nationally on the last Friday in April. Earth Day covers the whole environment.
Does Earth Day have a theme?
Yes. EARTHDAY.ORG announces a new theme each year. Check its website for the current one.