Earth Day April 22, 2016

Earth day was first celebrated in 1970, marking the birth of the modern environmental movement.  Today, over 192 countries around the world observe and celebrate this holiday on a yearly basis. Earth Day was established after a United States Senator from Wisconsin, Gaylord Nelson, witnessed the ravages of the massive1969 oil spill that took place in Santa Barbara, California.  He realized the need to instill awareness and bring public attention to environmental issues such as pollution, the extinction of wildlife, toxic dumps, and polluting factories. Senator Nelson sought to excite the youth of American and give these issues national attention. After rallies and demonstrations, the environmental movement gained the support of several politicians, city officials, and influential investors. The early 1970s marked the birth of the Earth Day holiday, the Environmental Protection Agency and the passage of the Clean Air, Clean Water, and Endangered Species Acts.

On April 22^nd – like cities all over the world – New York City will be celebrating Mother Nature and environmental awareness. Our city will have several fun and educational events taking place throughout the five boroughs. If you like performance art, you might want to head over to Union Square for some eco-friendly exhibits and live performances. If you would rather spend your day learning interesting new facts, head over to Prospect Park to interact with wild animals and chat with naturalists. If you are health conscious and want to help raise money to bring awareness to environmental issues you feel passionate about, join the Earth Day 5K run! New York City has lots of fun ways for everyone to participate and contribute to the protection of our planet.