“Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of strength that will ensure as long as life lasts. There is something infinitely healing in the repeated refrains of nature – the assurance that dawn comes after night, and spring after winter,” said author Rachel Carson in her novel Silent Spring.

Published in 1962, Silent Spring addressed the numerous detrimental side effects that accompany the excessive use of pesticides on the environment. While it did not get a lot of attention at first, it eventually became a prominent inspiration for the environmental movement.

Carson’s novel combined with Senator Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin’s advocacy for increasing ecological awareness and inserting environmental policies into politics, launching the environmental movement.

On April 22, 1970, thousands of people got together to protest the impact of industrialization that had taken place the past 150 years. This day was considered the birth of the environmental movement, and it is now celebrated as Earth Day. In July 1970, the Environmental Protection Agency was established, and, with it, a newfound determination to protect the earth.

On Earth Day, mother nature is praised for her beauty, and the numerous things that harm her are brought to the public’s attention. About one billion people worldwide actively celebrate Earth Day by participating in activities such as marching, signing petitions, planting trees, cleaning up their towns and roads, and everything in between.

So, how does one get involved in Earth Day? Well, there are a few things you can do; being informed on the current, most prominent environmental strains would be a good start. From there, you can take action.

Some people decide to cut meat out of their diet that day. Studies have shown that the production of meat contributes to the increase in greenhouse gases in our atmosphere, as well as the pollution in lakes and rivers due to runoff. In addition, large plots of land have to be cleared and copious amounts of water must be used in order to sustain healthy livestock.

Others pay more attention to how much energy they use throughout the day. You could turn the lights off every time you leave the room, or switch off or unplug appliances once you’re done using them. This not only lessens water and air pollution that results from fossil fuel production, but it also lowers your electricity bill. You could also try carpooling, or taking the bus for the day–it would have the same positive affect.

After practicing these environmentally conscious actions for one day, you can begin to implement them into your daily routine.

Recycling and composting are other ways you could get involved.

Recently, Earth Day Network (EDN), the organization that runs Earth Day, has made it their priority to inform people about how plastics can harm the environment and encourage them to veer away from using things made of single-use plastics. So, saving your plastics bags or using recyclable bags would also be something you can do to participate in this great holiday. The recent push to reduce the use of plastic straws is yet another way to get involved.

These are only a few of the many things that one can do to fully experience Earth Day. EDN has organized a website called www.earthday.org, where anyone can directly get involved in efforts to preserve nature and raise awareness. There, you can take an Earth Day quiz to make sure that you know what you need to do to protect this earth and all it has to offer.