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One April 22 morning, people started their day as usual. Yet this was not a normal day. In Australia, people cleaned trash from a dirty beach. Students in Kenya hiked into a dying forest and planted new trees.

What is special about April 22? The answer is simple. It is Earth Day. Let’s find out how this important day started. Then we’ll explore ways people have helped the planet. Find out how you can help, too!

Fifty years ago, life was very different. Most people did not know how dirty our air and water were. People did not recycle. This worried Gaylord Nelson. He was a senator from Wisconsin.

Senator Nelson knew things needed to change. He also knew it would not be easy. He thought people might work to help Earth if they knew it was in trouble. First, he had to get their attention. So he formed a team. The team named the project Earth Day.

On April 22, 1970, Senator Nelson’s dream came true. The United States held the first Earth Day. People learned about smog and pollution. They cleaned rivers and picked up trash. They planted new trees.

Over twenty million Americans pitched in. The Senator was right. People did care about Earth.

The U. S. government got the message and got to work. It passed laws to help air, water, land, and wild animals.

How did the laws help? Since 1970, vehicles have to pass a test. Now they let out just half as many chemicals as they did before. So the air we breathe is much cleaner.

In 1960, a river in Ohio was so dirty floating trash and oil caught on fire. People called it the burning river. Today, it is cleaner. It no longer burns.

In 1973, the bald eagle, our nation’s symbol, had nearly died out. The government passed a law to protect it and other animals. The conservation work helped. Today, the bald eagle is once again flying high.

Senator Nelson met his goal. We had cleaner air and water. We protected animals. Yet Senator Nelson didn’t want people to forget these issues. So Earth Day became a yearly event.

Now Earth Day is celebrated in more than 175 countries. In China, some people worried about the 27 million plastic bags thrown away each day. So they got the government to pass laws against plastic bags.

In 2006, Russia held its first Earth Day. Some people spent the day riding bikes. This reminded people to bike more and drive less.

We now know more about helping Earth. Our job is to use what we know and get busy. You can help!

In 1970, Senator Nelson proved that one caring person could help the planet. The same is true today. Find simple ways to make a difference for planet Earth.

• Turn out lights when you leave a room. Set your computer to the sleep setting when you’re not using it. These steps will save energy.

• Save water by shutting off the faucet while you brush your teeth. Take shorter showers.

• Make sure that your school has bins for recycling. Use recycled paper. Doing so will save trees.

• Carpool or ride a bike. You can cut down on air pollution and have fun at the same time.

• Plant trees. This helps clean the air.

• Write letters to leaders. Tell them you care about the environment.

Article by Daphne Liu. Top-of-page art by Steve McCracken. "Celebrate Earth" appears on page 8 of the April 2008 issue.