By Kelsey McCallum
For over 50 years, April 22 has been a day to support the protection of the environment. The first Earth Day was celebrated by the United States in 1970, and was so successful at raising awareness of environmental issues that it eventually led to the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency, amongst other environmental legislation. According to EARTHDAY.ORG, a non-profit which now coordinates the event, Earth Day is the largest non-religious observance in the world, with over 1 billion people taking action each year to protect the planet.
Over the past few years, the younger generation has risen up as a major player in the environmental movement, with youth-led climate strikes grabbing attention across the globe. At the beginning of April, learning community Brainly conducted an online survey to learn more about students’ opinions and habits pertaining to Earth Day and the environment. Over 2,000 middle and high school students in the U.S. were polled.
Kelsey McCallum is an Associate Editor for TEACH Mag. She holds a BSc from the University of Guelph and a Graduate Certificate from Centennial College. She currently lives in Toronto, ON, with her partner and their cat, Banksy.
