By Marissa Lafferty
Earth Day was conceived by Senator Gaylord Nelson in response to the 1969 Santa Barbara oil spill and growing pollution concerns, along with being influenced by the book “Silent Spring” which was published in 1962 and talked about environment harm caused by pesticides and other factors. Nelson modeled it on Vietnam‑era student protests to engage young people in environmental activism. The inaugural event on April 22, 1970, drew 20 million participants nationwide which was roughly 10 percent of Americans at the time. This directly led to the establishment of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and environmental legislations like the Clean Water Act and the Clean Air Act. Today, Earth Day is a global movement that over 1 billion people in more than 190 countries participate on and around every April 22. In the early 2000s, Earth Day organizers began to publish annual themes, each of which is catered towards an environmental challenge, from “Be Kind to the Earth” (2007) to “Green Cities” (2014). This year’s theme is “Our Power, Our Planet” which calls for people to unite around renewable energy so that by 2030 clean electricity will be tripled.
This week surrounding Earth Day, SUNY Niagara is hosting a series of on‑campus events to get everyone involved. On Monday, April 21 there will be a Planetarium Show on Exoplanets in room E241 from 12-12:50PM which will also have a Kahoot about exoplanets as well. On Tuesday, from 1–3PM there will be free milkweed starter plants in the Learning Commons. Monarch butterflies need milkweed to survive and due to habitat loss, pesticide use, and climate change, their numbers have dropped to the point of making them endangered. There will also be a reuseable giveaway where you can pick up reusable SUNY Niagara cutlery, straws, and grocery bags and learn even more about Earth Day. Later Tuesday, there will be a worms in dirt snack and rock painting in the Student Housing at 6PM. Thursday, the Animation Club will be providing pizza and drinks while watching Wall-E in room E140 at 5:30PM, which is open to all students (and staff). And last but not least, Saturday the Outdoor Adventure Club will be having a hike at 10AM in Whirlpool State Park, which is open to all.
But you shouldn’t care about keeping the Earth clean only on and around the International holiday. So here are some easy ways to keep the Earth looking nice all year round. Picking up litter is a great way to help the environment. litter can clog waterways, and harm the wildlife. By picking up trash you find on the ground you can help prevent that. And if you don’t want to shove someone else’s trash in your pocket until you find the closest garbage can, than you can carry around a paper (or plastic) bag with you.
Recycling is a great way to help the environment. It diverts materials like paper, plastic, and metal away from landfills, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and conserving resources. This is a pretty easy thing to do that doesn’t take that much time and is likely more appealing than picking up litter.
Now composting is likely more for the gardeners, but even if you don’t garden this is a great thing to do. Composting organic waste cuts methane emissions from landfills and produces nutrient‑rich soil amendments. By composing you can also lower your food waste. Composters can be quite a bit of money, but you can make a really small and simple one out of a 2-liter pop bottle or look online to create a bigger one.
Fast fashion is a plague on the environment. Fast fashion accounts for roughly 10 percent of global carbon emissions and is the second‑largest industrial water consumer. 202,825 pounds (92 million tons)of textile waste is made each year. Every year the average American throws out around 81.3 pounds (37kg) of clothes every year. You can prevent this by buying used clothes from thrift stores (it’s cheaper too) and donate clothes, buying less and shopping more conscientiously and learn skills on how to keep clothes lasting longer.
By understanding Earth Day’s roots, embracing its annual themes, and adopting simple habits, we can all contribute to a healthier, more resilient planet today and every day after.
Spring 2026 
Leave a comment