Thursday, April 22nd, 2021—Happy Earth Day, Atoms! Did you know today marks the 50th celebration of Earth Day and this year's theme is 'Restore our Earth.' Below are some fun facts about Earth Day.
- Around 1 billion people take part in Earth Day activities around the world every year.
- April 22 was chosen as the date for Earth Day because it fell between Spring Break and final exams, and organizers wanted to maximize student involvement.
- Gaylord Nelson, a senator from Wisconsin, founded Earth Day in 1970 to raise public consciousness about environmental concerns such as pollution, oil spills and vanishing wildlife.
- Twenty million Americans, or about 10 percent of the country’s population at the time, took part in events and demonstrations on the first Earth Day.