Episode from Witness History (BBC Sounds) - Earth Day

Air date: April 20, 2018. 9 minutes. Web page for episode.

On April the 22 1970, 20 million Americans came out on to the streets to demonstrate for a healthy, sustainable environment in the first so-called Earth Day. Mass rallies were held to highlight concerns about pollution and the destruction of America's natural heritage. Some see it as the birth of the modern environmental movement. Farhana Haider spoke to Denis Hayes, the organiser of that first Earth Day.

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Episode from Living on Earth - Earth Day 35

Air date: week of April 22, 2005. 13 minutes. Web page for episode with audio, Web page for audio only

Published back when the world celebrated the 35th anniversary of the first Earth Day, Living on Earth looks back at the political and cultural landscape that set the stage for the birth of the environmental movement. From the LOE archives, this is a report from Terry FitzPatrick.

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Episode from NPR - 43 Years Of Earth Day: What's Changed Since 1970

Air date: April 22, 2013. 8 minutes. Web page for episode, or listen to the embedded player below.

Back in its 43rd year, Earth Day had become an international day dedicated to promoting environmental awareness and action. Lester Brown, president of the Earth Policy Institute, explained what changed, as concern about climate change and green energy came to the forefront of the movement.

Episode from the Institute of Conservation Leadership - Earth Day 2016 with Dan Chu and Dianne Russell

Air date: April 21, 2016. 20 minutes. Web page for episode, or listen to the embedded player below.

The Institute for Conservation Leadership podcast features long-form interviews and conversations with leaders in the field. Hosted by Kurt Thompson, the Institutes's director of business and marketing, this episode features a conversation about Earth Day with the Sierra Club's Dan Chu and ICL's president Dianne Russell.

Episode from Earth911 Podcast - Earth Day Past And Future

Air date: April 22, 2019. 53 minutes. Web page for episode, or listen to the embedded player below.

From 2019 - The Earth911 team sits down to talk about the history of Earth Day, the actions each of us can take to support endangered species, reduce our carbon footprints, and improve recycling outcomes across the world. Earth Day 2019 is focused on preserving and educating people about the extinction of species.

Evelyn Fielding-Lopez, Sarah Lozanova, and Mitch Ratcliffe also discuss the evolution of pesticides and the use of natural alternatives that control pests. A great place to start is in your own garden, planting native species to attract birds and monarch butterflies. Are large wind and solar farms a potential location to rebuild pollinator species? They also look back at some of the most inspiring stories on Earth911 in 2018/2019, including the story of Health In Harmony’s revolutionary approach to preventing illegal logging in Borneo, the Healthy Climate Alliance’s efforts to kickstart direct air capture of CO2, and the importance of international treaties to prevent illegal transportation of endangered species as traditional medicine and souvenirs.

Episode from Science Focus Podcast (BBC) - Sir David Attenborough: How can we save our planet?

Air date: September 20, 2019. 35 minutes. Web page for episode. Or listen to the embedded player below.

BBC speaks to Sir David Attenborough, naturalist and host of the new Netflix show Our Planet, and two of the show’s producers about the essential changes we need to make to save our home.

Questions for discussion

[1] Which episode on this list was your favorite episode? Explain.

[2] After hearing about the original purpose of Earth Day, is this mission still relevant? Or does the mission need to be updated?

[3] In the final episode, Sir Richard Attenborough shares ideas for how to save the planet. What are your ideas? What ideas could you act upon?

[4] What should be the theme of Earth Day 2021?