Mother Earth, it's your day! On April 22, the entire world will be participating in celebrations and events honoring the Earth. In 1970 when the nation was still in tumult but “consciousness” was at an all time high, U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson started Earth Day. Earth Day was founded to bring attention to the various environmental ills that the Earth was being exposed to - pesticides, nuclear plant meltdowns, oil spills, industrial air pollution, and more. The first Earth Day was a political and social phenomena to say the least- with nearly 20 million politicians and concerned citizens, from a wide variety of ideological and social backgrounds- putting aside differences to provide support for the Earth Day effort.
The Environmental Protection Agency and laws such as the Clean Air, Water and Endangered Species Act, came into being as a direct result of the success of the event. The torch of environmental consciousness had been lit, and would continue to be passed on year after year. Earth Day reached global proportions in 2000, when the digital revolution, assisted environmental groups from all over the world in getting together to sponsor and participate in the day set aside to bring about awareness regarding the various environmental concerns facing the Earth.
Earth Day 2009
Earth Day 2009 is sparking major celebrations in cities such as San Diego (bit.ly/4mZP67), Washington D.C. (bit.ly/tEp5w), New York (bit.ly/13psRX), Denver (bit.ly/SRnvq), Atlanta (bit.ly/SRnvq), and more. Earth Day 2009, is also serving as the setting off event for the new Green Generation campaign. The Green Generation campaign advocates for a carbon free future based on renewable energy to bring an end to reliance on coal and oil; for individual commitment to green living; providing “green economy” employment to assist in the eradication of poverty; and to implement environmental education at a global level. Every day, the planet shows signs of wearying from the constant abuse heaped upon it by people that are so concerned with living for today, they take no thought for what effects it will have on tomorrow. Now, more than ever, it is essential that as a world we make fundamental changes in our energy sources and the environmental decisions that are having such a profound impact upon the Earth.
Get Involved
It's not too late to sign up to donate time and/or funds to an Earth Day celebration near you. Individuals that can’t make it to an Earth Day event can participate by committing to living a sustainable friendly lifestyle by making green choices in consumption of energy and water, recycling, and eating local organic foods. Also, getting children involved in Earth Day activities both at home and away from home is a great way to ensure that that the torch lit in 1970 continues to burn brightly for generations to come.
To find more information about how to support Earth Day activities in your area click here:
http://www.earthday.net/search/location.
To learn more about the Earth 2009: The Green Generation click here:
http://www.earthday.net/earthday2009
Here are Cool Earth Day activities for the entire family:
http://holidays.kaboose.com/earth-day/
Earth Day 2009 
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