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Earth Day is an annual event celebrated in nearly 200 countries on April 22 to demonstrate support for environmental protection. First held in 1970, it now includes a wide range of events coordinated globally by Earthday.org (formerly Earth Day Network).
 
To celebrate the 52 anniversary of Earth Day, Hudson County is hosting an “Investing in Our Planet” themed event from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Braddock Park, 91st Street, and Bergenline Avenue. Stop by for family fun including free rides and giveaways. Learn more about the Hudson County Improvement Authority and initiatives to build a cleaner, more sustainable future.
 
Earth Day was born when prominent environmentalist and United States Senator Gaylord Nelson proposed the idea to hold a nationwide environmental teach-in on April 22, 1970. He hired a young activist, Denis Hayes, to be the national coordinator. Across the United States, 20 million Americans — 10% of the U.S. population at the time — participated in the first Earth Day, many of them at schools, colleges, and universities. The event was instrumental in launching the modern environmental movement, and by the end of 1970, the United States Environmental Protection Agency had been created and various influential environmental laws had been passed, including the Clean Air Act (1970) and the Endangered Species Act (1973).
 
The first Earth Day was focused on the United States. In 1990, Denis Hayes took it international and organized events in 141 nations, where it was observed by some 200 million people. Since then, Earth Day has remained international in scope. Earth Day’s many activities include raising awareness about growing environmental concerns, especially the threat of climate change and the need for clean renewable energy sources. On Earth Day 2016, the Paris Agreement was signed by the United States, China, and 120 other countries.