Earth
Day - April 22
Earth Day, celebrated every year on April 22, is a day to promote environmental citizenship, celebrate environmental progress and promote action to protect the planet.
Founded by Wisconsin Senator Gaylord Nelson, Earth Day was first celebrated on April 22, 1970. American Heritage Magazine called the first Earth Day "one of the most remarkable happenings in the history of democracy." Earth Day was an instant success, drawing 20 million participants the first year. Senator Nelson started Earth Day because he was troubled that the environment was not an issue in the politics of the country. He believed strongly that education is the key to changing people's attitudes about the environment, and he devoted much of his energy to that challenge. He died in 2005 at the age of 89.
Earth Day provides an opportunity to start new projects or revitalize existing projects to help protect the environment. Some ideas:
- Start recycling at home, school, church or work
- Conserve and protect local water
- Reduce and prevent outdoor air pollution
- Reduce and prevent indoor air pollution
- Conserve energy in your home
- Build and maintain green with the Green Idea Book (pdf)
- Eat local, eat organic
- Use alternative transportation such as the bus, carpooling, walking or biking
- Volunteer to help the local environment
- Sign up for E-News, MARC’s electronic environmental newsletter
- Visit TreeHugger.com to get informed, interact and take more action
2010 Events
Earth Day events are planned throughout the region, and many of these events are listed here. For more information about events in your community, contact your local city, school, place of worship or neighborhood organization.
| Date | Time | Event | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4/2 | 10 a.m.–noon | Jackson County Trash Bash & Kid’s Poster Contest | Independence Events Center Independence, Mo. |
| 4/3 | 9:30 a.m.– 2:30 p.m. |
Eat Local! Expo 2010 | Roger T. Sermon Community Center Independence, Mo. |
| 4/10 | 8 a.m.–3 p.m. | Get Your Green On | City Market, Kansas City, Mo. |
| 4/10-11/6 | varies | Electronics Recycling Events | varies |
| 4/11 | 10 a.m. | EarthWalk 2010 | Theis Park, Kansas City, Mo. |
| 4/11 | 9 a.m.–3 p.m. | Green Day Festival | Theis Park, Kansas City, Mo. |
| 4/17 | 10 a.m.–3 p.m. | Earth Fair 9 | Shawnee Mission East High School, Prairie Village, Kan. |
| 4/22 | 11 a.m.–1 p.m. | Green The Core | Power & Light District, Kansas City, Mo. |
| 4/22 | 9 a.m.–6 p.m. | Olathe Celebrates Earth Day | Corporate Ridge Office Park, Olathe, Kan. |
| 4/22–5/22 | varies | Blue River Watershed Association's KC Clean Streams stream clean-up | KC metro area |
| 4/24 | 10 a.m.–4 p.m. | Green Day Festival | Lakeside Nature Center, Kansas City, Mo. |
| 4/24 | 9 a.m.–4 p.m. | Habitat for Humanity ReStore Earth Day sale | Kansas City, Mo. |
| 4/27 | 4 p.m. | Entries due for KCATA's Every Day is Earth Day Poster and Poetry Competition | |
| 5/1 | 8 a.m.–2 p.m. | Green Day Festival | Wyandotte High School, Kansas City, Kan. |
| 5/9 | 1:30 p.m. | Pirates of Pollution puppet show | Theis Park, Kansas City, Mo. |
| 5/26 | 10 a.m.–3 p.m. | Going Green! 2010 | Johnson County Community College, Overland Park, Kan. |
MARC Environmental Programs participates in a number of local events to promote cleaner air, cleaner water and less waste. For more information, contact Matt Riggs at mriggs@marc.org or 816/474-8326.
Earth Day Network
Founded by the organizers of the first Earth Day in 1970, Earth Day Network promotes environmental citizenship and year round progressive action worldwide.
