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WHAT IS EARTH DAY?

Ever wonder how Earth Day began? The first Earth Day was held on April 22, 1970, with the goal of raising awareness about mankind’s role in protecting our natural world. On this date, 20 million Americans ventured outdoors and protested in favor of a more eco-conscious society.

It’s hard to believe today, but at the time, many people were not aware of some serious environmental issues—from air pollution to toxic dumps to pesticides to loss of wilderness.

In 1970, Wisconsin Senator Gaylord Nelson and activist John McConnell separately asked Americans to join in the grassroots demonstration. McConnell originally chose the spring equinox (March 21, 1970) and Nelson chose April 22, which ended up becoming the official celebration date. (Given that the date of the spring equinox changes over time, it could have made things more complicated to go with that date!)

Earth Day started out as more of a political movement, though today it has become a popular day for many communities to gather together and clean up litter, plant trees, or simply reflect on the beauty of nature.

Earth Day activity ideas while self-isolating in 2020

Although this year limits how groups can participate in Earth Day 2020, there are several ways to celebrate at home or your backyard using the concepts of "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle":

• Enlist the kids to help build a bird feeder for the backyard or patio -- by using a plastic bottle and filling it with bird feed.

Be sure there is adult supervision when cutting a hole (near the bottom) to allow access to the feed. Place on a patio table outside, or tie a string around the neck of the bottle to hang from a tree.

No seed? Use bits of whole grain bread or cereals like Cheerios to fill your feeder. NOTE: You can also make a nature-made feed bowl out of half an orange peel. Fill it with seed and place on an outdoor table or windowsill.

• In the backyard, scope out a good location for a compost pile. Start recycling coffee grounds, egg shells, and scraps of food to decompose and to ultimately enrich your garden -- instead of it ending up in a local landfill. (For urban dwellers, limit food waste by checking the fridge for meat or vegetable leftovers to create a hearty homemade soup.)

• Around the house, begin a spring cleaning project by clearing out the basement or hallway closet for old clothes you will never wear again. Stack them in a box or garbage bag so they are ready to donate on the next available trip to the Salvation Army or local charity organization.

• Perform a household energy audit. Focus on things like electronic devices that are left on 24/7 -- which accounts for 5-10% of residential energy use per year! Turn them off when not in use and you can save an average $100 on your electric bill annually. While you're at it, check lamps and light fixtures to replace old bulbs with longer-lasting, more energy-efficient ones. Not ready to take the plunge into solar energy just yet? Look for solar-powered porch or entryway lights you can easily install yourself.

Earth Day 2020 calls for more climate change-conscious decisions by political leaders to reduce

the effects of global warming, as well as individual cleanups to help the environment.