How did Earth Day come to be?

The idea for a national day to focus on the environment came to Earth Day founder Gaylord Nelson, then a U.S. Senator from Wisconsin, after witnessing the ravages of the 1969 massive oil spill in Santa Barbara, California. read more

At a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization conference in San Francisco in 1969, environmental activist John McConnell introduced the concept of Earth Day. He proposed a day where people would raise awareness for ways to preserve Earth's natural resources and protect its species, as well as celebrate the beauty of the planet. read more

More than 2,000 colleges and universities switched from their ongoing anti-war protests to join in pro-Earth celebrations. Even Congress recessed for the day. Earth Day was credited with putting environmental issues on the political map and launching the environmental movement in the United States. In 1990, Earth Day became a global event. read more