Celebrate Earth Day with these tips that can help protect our planet

Summit One Vanderbilt celebrates their first Earth Day with sunrise event

Summit One Vanderbilt is celebrating their very first Earth Day by kicking off their sunrise event. 

April 22 is Earth Day, which was started in 1970 by the late Gaylord Nelson, a governor of Wisconsin and a U.S. Senator.

"It may be hard to imagine that before 1970, a factory could spew black clouds of toxic smoke into the air or dump tons of toxic waste into a nearby stream, and that was perfectly legal," said a statement from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

It was that year that Congress authorized the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency, a federal agency that would address future environmental issues.

HOW WEATHER AND POLITICS DECIDED THE DATE OF THE FIRST EARTH DAY

4/22/1970-New York, NY- Fifth Avenue, reminiscent of some European promenade, is filled with thousands of people just after the fashionable street was closed to motor traffic at noon on Earth Day. Conceived as a national teach-in, patterned after the Vietnam teach-ins held on hundreds of campuses in the Spring of 1965, Earth Day is a nation-wide demonstration of concern for the planet and all forms of life--not only man--who live on it.

(Bettmann / Getty Images)

There are many ways to have an impact on your local environment, such as picking up trash while on a run or taking a shorter shower to save water. 

Since the start of Earth Day, people have become more aware of how some actions have negative consequences for the environment.

Here are simple ways to help preserve Earth

• Bike or walk rather than use a vehicle.
• Choose an energy-efficient vehicle.
• Carpool or take public transportation.

WHICH STATES ARE THE GREENEST? REPORT RANKS MOST ECO-FRIENDLY PLACES IN US

ELIZABETH, NJ - APRIL 19: An electric car recharges its battery at an Electrify America hyper-fast charging station on April 19, 2025, in Elizabeth, New Jersey.

( Gary Hershorn / Getty Images)

• Give clothes a second life by donating or buying used.
• Turn off the water while brushing your teeth or shaving.
• Get an appreciation of nature by visiting a national park.

CHERRY BLOSSOMS IN NATION’S CAPITAL REACH PEAK BLOOM

No reservation is required to enter Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks.

(Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks  / FOX Weather)

7 WAYS TO CONSERVE WATER AT HOME DURING A DROUGHT

• Use reusable water bottles instead of single-use plastic ones.
• Raise the cutting height of your lawn mower during the summer months to keep grass roots shaded and cooler, reducing weed growth and the need for watering.
• Choose biodegradable poop bags for the next dog walk.

A dehydrated runner stops to drink water amid the heat.

(Adobe Stock Image / FOX Weather)