(Photo: Earth Day)

Happy Earth Day 50

Celebrating Earth Day has become an international sensation since its founding in 1970, increasing awareness and action to protect the planet from climate change. The first Earth Day on April 22, 1970, was celebrated by 10% of the U.S. population with hundreds protesting damaging the environment.

Fast-forward 50 years, Earth Day is recognized as the world’s largest civic event and influenced the passing of the U.S. environmental laws including the Endangered Species, Clean Air, and Clear Water Acts. The passing of these U.S. laws also influenced other nations to consider enacting legislation to protect the environment in 2016 and the United Nations signed the Paris climate agreement on Earth Day.

These are unprecedented times!

We are being offered an opportunity to see animals & nature reclaiming areas from us.

The question is, are we going to take this opportunity to coexist better with animals & #nature from here on?#EarthDay2020 #EarthDay50
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— Ryan Hodgson (@Ryanintheus) April 22, 2020

This holiday might only be one day but has campaigns that work year-round to activate billions of people worldwide through their campaigns relating to the 2020 theme of climate change.

The Great Global Cleanup
The international campaign to remove billions of pieces of trash from parks, neighborhoods, trails, beaches, lakes, and rivers with the goal of reducing plastic pollution and waste to build a better habitat for humans and wildlife.

Foodprints for the Future
This campaign addresses one of the largest contributors to climate change, our current food system.

EARTHRISE
This global movement promotes millions around the world to take action to improve climate conditions on April 22, 2020.

Earth Challenge 2020
This science initiative has the mission of providing participants with tools to report the health of the environment including water quality, air quality, and species in their surroundings.

Artists for the Earth
This campaign brings together artists from around the world from every genre to express common humanity.

Check out some of the amazing campaigns above to contribute and be apart of celebrating Earth Day. They also offer easy activities that you can do close to home.