MUNDANE MYSTERIES: Why do we celebrate Earth Day on April 22?

Growing plant in human hands over green background

MUNDANE MYSTERIES: Why do we celebrate Earth Day on April 22?

Happy Earth Day! I hope you’re recycling or planting a tree later to celebrate.

I always thought we had Earth Day on April 22nd because it’s Spring and the weather is nice enough to plant something or go outside and do earth-y things. But that’s not the reason at all actually.

Back when the first Earth Day happened over 50 years ago in 1970 (which by the way I definitely thought it had been around long before that) they set the day as April 22 because it fell between spring break and final exams for colleges. Their reasoning behind that strategy was hoping it would make it more likely for all the college students and young people to participate in Earth Day activities. Smart idea!

 

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