At the first Earth Day on April 22, 1970, crowds gathered throughout the country to celebrate the earth and learn about ecology. The events varied, but, in the spirit of the times, the celebrations raised consciousness about environmental problems and spurred many to change their habits to use more “natural” products in everything from fabrics to gardening.
The enthusiasm of ordinary people made the first Earth Day a success, but it was obvious that individual action would not be enough. The Environmental Protection Agency was created later that year, along with similar agencies in the states. Laws to protect our air and water were strengthened.
It is still nice to celebrate Earth Day, but we now realize that the earth has an even more daunting problem: climate change.
Read more at the Centre Daily Times.