The first Earth Day on April 22, 1970, activated 20 million Americans from all walks of life and is widely credited with launching the modern environmental movement. The passage of the landmark Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, Endangered Species Act and many other groundbreaking environmental laws soon followed. More than 1 billion people now participate in Earth Day activities each year, making it the largest civic observance in the world.Typical ways of observing Earth Day include planting trees, picking up roadside trash, conducting various programs for recycling and conservation, and using recyclable containers for snacks and lunches. Some people are encouraged to sign petitions to governments, calling for stronger or immediate action to stop global warming and to reverse environmental destruction. Television stations frequently air programs dealing with environmental issues on this day. There are many ways in which you can get involved, and it can be done locally and on any level that works for you. Whether you are passionate on the issues and want to spearhead a movement for global change, or if you just choose to look around and pick up the trash you see as you are walking into the grocery store. You can volunteer at your children’s school and help clean up the school grounds, organize a carpool, or you can organize a crew from your workplace to set out at lunch time and clean up litter from the block that you’re on. Every bit matters, no matter how large or small. If you’re wanting to get involved on a larger scale, or just want more information, earthday.org is chock full of resources. You can sign petitions, donate, take a quiz to determine your carbon footprint, learn ways to reduce that carbon footprint, and so much more. We are all together on this beautiful planet and the need to take care of it is something we can all agree on and something we can all help to do in some way. What things do you do to help celebrate Earth Day? Share your ideas with us here or on our Facebook page!