Earth Day is an annual event held on April 22 every year. With the first day being celebrated in 1970, Earth Day is meant to highlight worldwide environmental issues and encourage change.

Wisconsin Senator Gaylord Nelson was the first to mention the idea of a national holiday for environmental advocacy after a major oil spill in California in 1969. Nearly 20 million Americans supported the first Earth Day, and it caught the attention of Democrats and Republicans alike.
After the first Earth Day, the US Government established the United States Environmental Protection Agency, which has implemented several environmental preservation acts like the National Environmental Education Act and the Endangered Species Act.
Earth Day became a global phenomenon in 1990 when a group of environmental advocates approached coordinator Denis Hayes about organizing a bigger campaign. That year, over 200 million people and 141 countries were supporting environmental awareness.
The theme for this year’s Earth Day, according to Earthday.org, was “Invest In Our Planet.” Their official statement regarding the theme stated, “This is the moment to change it all — the business climate, the political climate, and how we take action on climate. Now is the time for the unstoppable courage to preserve and protect our health, our families, our livelihoods… together, we must Invest In Our Planet. Because a green future is a prosperous future.”
There have been numerous events to bring awareness about environmental issues all over the world, including some local events. University of Delaware hosted a slew of events on campus such as giving people the opportunity to sign petitions, create art, and write postcards. Baltimore City also hosted a Renaissance Earth Day Event that included activities such as planting and cleaning.