Earth Day is an annual event observed on April 22^nd to show support for environmental protection. In 1969 at a UNESCO Conference in California, peace activist John McConnell proposed observing a day to honor the Earth. One month later United States Senator Gaylord Nelson sanctioned the idea to hold a nationwide environmental education teach-in day on April 22, 1970, and Earth Day was born! Earth Day gave a voice to the growing public consciousness about the state of our planet. 2025 marks the 55th anniversary of Earth Day.

While Earth Day was primarily observed in the United States during the 1970’s and 1980’s, in the 1990’s one of the original coordinators took it international and organized events in 141 nations. It is now recognized globally by at least one billion people in over 192 countries.

Earth Day is widely recognized as the largest secular observance in the world. Each year there are Earth Day activities and events scheduled at the local, national, and global levels. To get involved, consider making a donation to a CharityWatch Top-Rated Environment & Climate Change charity

American Forests creates healthy and resilient forests, from cities to wilderness, that deliver essential benefits for climate, people, water and wildlife.

Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) works to safeguard the Earth: Its people, its plants and animals, and the natural systems on which all life depends.

Rainforest Alliance works to conserve biodiversity and ensure sustainable livelihoods by transforming land-use practices, business practices and consumer behavior.

ATTENTION: The charities listed in this alert were Top-Rated by CharityWatch at the time of its publication. CharityWatch updates our ratings throughout the year. To see if a particular charity is currently Top-Rated, please click on its name, below.

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