Hi,

I want to thank everyone who provided a story about your first Earth Day. We read every single response and were honestly overcome by them. Hearing your experiences in your words, reading about those of you who started in 1970 and remain passionate about the environment today, is beyond inspirational. We know this works.

For some, the stage for environmental activism is set in childhood — one participant was three years old at their first Earth Day event! Others are introduced in elementary and high schools, on college campuses or simply by signs in their neighborhood. The stories share a common theme of gratitude for the introduction to community activism, which started many on their path to making a difference for our world.

And Earth Day is more than April 22nd. One parent tells us, “My first Earth Day was when my daughter asked me what I was going to do to save the planet. She was only four years old at the time. That was over 30 years ago.”

Children teaching parents. Students taking action. Organizers spreading the word. Environmental activists run the spectrum of age, race and political party. We are a force brought together by a common goal, and we are more than the sum of our parts.

Our individual actions ripple out to everyone we touch — and that’s how we effect global change. Earth Day is that first commitment to the environment for so many and we are proud to be the big tent that invites everyone into the movement. 

Will you help us create more first Earth Days?

In gratitude,

Kathleen Rogers
President