Proposed by US Senator Gaylord Nelson and directed by a young activist named Denis Hayes, the first Earth Day celebrations took place on April 22, 1970 at roughly 2,000 colleges and universities, 10,000 primary and secondary schools and hundreds of communities across America.
Now here we are, half a century later, in quite a paradoxical situation. On one hand, the quarantining of the past couple months — and accompanying drop in energy usage, among other factors — has done wonders for the environment, reducing pollution and allowing animals to come out and play. On the other, many of the activities we generally partake in on Earth Day to improve our planet are canceled or severely curtailed.
In response, Earth Day is going digital with 24 hours of action, and you can get involved in a number of ways at EarthDay.org. You can also take a moment to celebrate the progress we’ve made over the years, meditate on our continuing struggles and consider new approaches that will make tomorrow better than today. That’s the idea behind the stories that follow. We’re confident they will give you hope, help you make more Earth-friendly choices with regard to products and, most importantly, inspire you during these strange days…
How 5 Outdoor Brands Are Saving the Planet (Or Trying To, Anyway)
From energy gels to wetsuits to cycling kits, these outdoor players are tackling conservation challenges in creative ways.
