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Written by Ben Hall
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Tuesday, 22 April 2008 |
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Why do we celebrate Earth Day? According to Wikipedia, in 1969, at a conference in Seattle, Washington, U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson (pictured) announced that in the spring of 1970 there would be a nationwide grassroots demonstration designed to thrust the environment onto the national agenda.
On April 22, 20 million Americans took to the streets, parks, and auditoriums to demonstrate for a healthy, sustainable environment, marking the birth of the modern environmental movement.
Today, the Earth Day international network comprises over 17,000 organizations in 174 countries, coordinating millions of community development and environmental protection activities throughout the year. Earth Day is the only event celebrated simultaneously around the globe by people of all backgrounds, faiths and nationalities. More than a half billion people participate in Earth Day Network campaigns every year.
So, time to celebrate – the Earth’s still here so it’s not too late to change how we treat it.
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