Earth Day 2022: What you need to know and how to help

Friday is Earth Day 2022, and more than 1 billion people across the globe are expected to celebrate with environmentally friendly events.

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But what exactly is Earth Day? Here’s what you need to know:

1. When did Earth Day start?

The first Earth Day celebration took place 52 years ago, in 1970, after a devastating oil spill in America brought environmental issues to the forefront of public consciousness. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, 22 million people across the country came out in support of environmental reform.

“That day left a permanent impact on the politics of America,” Gaylord Nelson wrote in the April 1980 edition of the EPA Journal. “It forcibly thrust the issue of environmental quality and resources conservation into the political dialogue of the nation.

“It showed political and opinion leadership of the country that the people cared, that they were ready for political action, that the politicians had better get ready, too. In short, Earth Day launched the environmental decade with a bang.”

Since then, celebrations have only grown. This year, organizers estimate that more than 1 billion people in 192 countries will participate in events. The day is celebrated each year on April 22.

2. Is there a theme for Earth Day 2022?

Each year, Earth Day organizers assign a theme for the year’s activism efforts. This year’s theme, “Invest in Our Planet,” focuses on inspiring governments, businesses and citizens to combat climate change.

The campaign’s goal “is to push aside the barriers erected by the ancient, dirty fossil fuel economy and their co-conspirators – old technologies of centuries past – and redirect attention to creating a 21st century economy that brings back the health of our planet, protects our species and provides opportunities for all,” EarthDay.org, which partners with tens of thousands of organizations in 192 countries to organize Earth Day events, said on its website.

In a statement, Kathleen Rogers, president of EarthDay.org, encouraged everyone to “enter into one partnership for the planet.”

“Unlike other historic economic revolutions, this time there are two additional imperatives: The first is to save ourselves from the climate crisis, and the second is to build new green economies in every country so that everyone can share in the benefits from this green revolution,” the statement read. “This will only be done if we invest in our planet’s future together.”

Last year’s Earth Day theme was “Restore Our Earth,” which focused on “natural processes, emerging green technologies and innovative thinking that can restore the world’s ecosystems,” according to EarthDay.org.

3. How are people celebrating?

Thousands of community cleanups are scheduled in major cities around the world as part of the Great Global Cleanup, EarthDay.org reported.

“The Great Global Cleanup is a worldwide campaign to remove billions of pieces of trash from neighborhoods, beaches, rivers, lakes, trails and parks — reducing waste and plastic pollution, improving habitats and preventing harm to wildlife and humans,” the organization’s website said. “This program aims to continue cleanups every day of the year for a brighter, greener and cleaner planet.”

Interested in volunteering? Learn more here.

EarthDay.org also is hosting the Earth Day Climate Action Summit, dubbed “Nature in the Race to Zero.”

“We need to reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by midcentury to keep the global temperature below 1.5 degrees Celsius [34.7 degrees Fahrenheit],” the event’s description reads. “Join us to learn about some key solutions that will help us deliver the greenhouse gas reductions needed by 2030 to meet the Paris Agreement.”

>> Click here to watch the livestream

4. What are businesses doing?

Google marked Earth Day 2022 with a doodle addressing climate change.

“Using real time-lapse imagery from Google Earth Timelapse and other sources, the doodle shows the impact of climate change across four different locales around our planet,” the company wrote. “Stay tuned throughout the day to view these scenes, each remaining on the homepage for several hours at a time.”

The featured locations include Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, Sermersooq in Greenland, the Great Barrier Reef in Australia and the Harz Forests in Germany, the company said.

Meanwhile, Apple pledged to “donate $1 to World Wildlife Fund for each purchase made with Apple Pay on apple.com, in the Apple Store app or at an Apple Store” through Friday.

The company added that it is using more recycled materials in its products.

“For the first time, the company introduced certified recycled gold, and more than doubled the use of recycled tungsten, rare earth elements and cobalt,” Apple said in a news release Tuesday. “Nearly 20% of all material used in Apple products in 2021 was recycled, the highest-ever use of recycled content.”

5. How can I get involved?

There are multiple ways to get into the Earth Day spirit, even if you just take one “simple act of green.” Here are some suggestions from EarthDay.org:

• Carry reusable eating utensils instead of using plastic ones.
• Carry a reusable bag instead of using plastic grocery bags.
• Have a plant-based meal.
• Participate in a local cleanup.
• Opt for sustainable fashion instead of fast fashion.
• Register to vote.

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Photos: Earth Day 2022 events, demonstrations around the world Young protesters carry placards as they take part in a Climate Strike march towards Thailands Ministry of Natural Resource and Development to mark Earth Day in Bangkok on April 22, 2022. (JACK TAYLOR/AFP via Getty Images)

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