Earth Day 2011

Today is Earth Day.  Earth Day is a day to build knowledge and appreciation for the Earth's environment. It was founded in 1970 by U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson. He chose the date of April 22 in order to utilize student participation on college campuses. Senator Nelson believed that he could use the student’s energy towards the anti-war movement to inspire another movement to protect the environment. Today, Earth Day is celebrated in many countries around the world.

The Earth Day Network was founded by the organizers of the first Earth Day in 1970. It was created to promote year-round participation to protect the environment. Ron Cobb created the Earth Day symbol in 1969. It is a combination of the letters "E" and "O" which stand for the words "Environment" and "Organism," respectively.

Celebrate the earth's environment by planting a tree, cleaning up beaches or shorelines, or volunteering to do an activity that will help preserve the environment. We only have one planet; we have to protect it!

How will you celebrate Earth Day 2011? Here are some activities for kids that includeng games, art projects, crafts and other Earth Day ideas. You can also find plenty of grownup information about Earth Day activities and events.

Earth Day Facts

Earth Day and Kids

Earth Day 2011 Activities

Earth Day Around the World and at Home