Activities related to Earth Day:

History of Earth Day In the spring of 1970, Senator Gaylord Nelson created Earth Day. In December, Congress authorized the creation of a new federal agency to tackle environmental issues, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Ideas for students Find an array of environmental and science-based lesson plans, activities, and ideas below from EPA, other federal agencies, and external organizations.

The Great Pacific Garbage Patch The Great Pacific Garbage Patch, also known as the Pacific trash vortex, spans waters from the West Coast of North America to Japan. The patch is actually comprised of the Western Garbage Patch, located near Japan, and the Eastern Garbage Patch, located between the U.S. states of Hawaii and California.

Interactive on the rainforest- Layers of the Stratas - click on the eyes

EPA Game Page Explore Recycle City to see how its people reduce waste, use less energy, and save money by doing simple things at home, at work, and in their neighborhoods.

Excellent photo gallery from the 1970s Tens of thousands of photos that serve the public as a visual baseline for comparing how our environment looked then with how it looks now and in the future.

Indoor Air Quality House Tour- Get a quick glimpse of some of the most important ways to protect the air in your home by touring the Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) House. Room-by-room, you'll learn about the key pollutants and how to address them. Interactive Tour of Demo House

Ecological Footprint Calculator (interactive) A cool interactive site that allows you to walk through your day to see how you are affecting the world around you.