MAIN Holidays & Observances Earth Day 2023

Earth Day will be celebrated by millions in the US, Canada, and around the world on Monday, April 22, 2024 - marking the 54th anniversary of the very first Earth Day celebrated in 1970.

Earth Day 2024

Although the specific theme for Earth Day 2024 is yet to be announced, it's almost sure to include an urgent need to address the dire effects of climate change on the environment and the planet's endangered species.

Previous themes such as "Climate Action," and "Invest in Our Planet," have all emphasized the importance of protecting the planet from the adverse impacts of human activity.

Meanwhile, US communities coast-to-coast will mark the day with free events and volunteer opportunities for a full-scale Earth Day Weekend 2024.

And be sure to keep it here for more news and updates as they are announced in early 2024.

Earth Day activity ideas

Just up ahead, check out helpful ways to protect the environment at home, on urban rooftops, or your own backyard using the concepts of "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle":

• Take a weekend morning to scour the neighborhood for discarded plastics, cans, and bottles for a personal cleanup project that will help the entire community. If you live in a coastal area, this is especially important in helping to protect ocean wildlife.

Earth Day 2023 continued the call to consumers to help support eco-conscious brands and products,
as well holding corporations accountable for mitigatimg the effects of climate change.

• Perform a household energy audit. Focus on electronic devices like laptops that are left on 24/7 (which accounts for 5-10% of residential energy use per year!) Turn these devices off when not in use and you can save an average $100 on your electric bill annually. Around the house, replace old bulbs with longer-lasting, more energy-efficient ones.

• Haven't take the plunge into solar energy just yet? Begin with solar-powered porch or entryway lights you can easily install yourself. For even more energy savings, look for solar-powered motion-sensor lights that are only activated when you approach an entryway.

• In the backyard, choose a good location (away from the growing area) for a compost pile. Start recycling coffee grounds, egg shells, and scraps of food to decompose and to ultimately enrich your garden for the upcoming growing season.

• Enlist the kids to help build a bird feeder for the backyard or patio -- by using a plastic bottle and filling it with bird feed. NOTE: You can also make a nature-made feed bowl out of half an orange peel. Fill it with seed and place on an outdoor table or windowsill.

DID YOU KNOW? Earth Day fun facts

• Exceeding all expectations, 20 million Americans participated in the first Earth Day observance in 1970. Celebrations effectively stopped traffic in New York City when 20,000 people packed Union Square to see Hollywood actor Paul Newman and hear a speech by New York City Mayor John Lindsay, who arrived on an electric bus.

Google Doodles for Earth Day.

• John McConnell was the creator of the first Earth Day Flag. His design was inspired when he saw the first picture of the Earth, later dubbed "The Blue Marble", printed in Life magazine.

• Throughout the 1970's, Earth Day observances eventually led to the creation of the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the passage of the Clean Air, Clean Water, and Endangered Species Acts.

• Today, Earth Day is the largest secular holiday in the world, with more than 500 million people taking part in 174 countries around the world.

• Google has celebrated Earth day with animated doodles on its home page since 2001.

Quotes for Earth Day

"We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children." -- Native American Proverb

"What is the use of a house if you haven't got a tolerable planet to put it on? -- Henry David Thoreau

"Suburbia is where the developer bulldozes out the trees, then names the streets after them." — Bill Vaughan

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtfully committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has." -- Margaret Mead

"Until a man duplicates a blade of grass, Nature can laugh at his so-called scientific knowledge. Remedies from chemicals will never stand in favorable comparison with the products of Nature." -- Thomas Alva Edison

All about Earth Day

The idea behind the Earth Day originated with the early 1960's hippie era. That's when Earth Day bloomed into a grass roots movement that resulted in the first official U.S. observance of Earth Day celebrated in 1970.

Today, many cities extend Earth Day celebrations for an entire week to increase awareness of recycling and better energy efficient communities.

Come April, major cities in the US and Canada honor Earth Day from coast to coast by hosting civic ceremonies and interactive programs to get everyone involved.

2024 Earth Day Events & Activities

More about Earth Day around the Web:

Earth Day Network - The whole earth catalog of regional sites around the globe with the latest news, listings of events, feature stories, online quizzes, factoids, feature stories, teaching resources.

Planet Pals - Kid-friendly community with fun facts, activities, and resources for learning more about planet Earth, recycling & conservation, and lots of links to Earth Day information around the Web.

Earth Day - Wikipedia - A good overview on the history of American environmental concerns, the origins of the celebration plus links to more on international events.