Earth Day in 2025 Feels like we are in 70's, Kinda
Well not completely but hear me out!
Hey there friends, Happy Earth Day!
Hope you have found some sort of way to honor the Earth today! Beach Cleans Ups, Park Clean ups, or even just taking some time to learn about Earths health is a great way to spend the day.
Especially since lots of Earth Day “events” were held over the weekend, but no worries. If you missed one, you can watch a documentary tonight, or do something extra nice for the Earth this upcoming weekend!
I’ve always been on the Earth Day Everyday mindset so!
Today I wanted to share a special post. Y’all know that all of my art is inspired by nature, and I’m a big advocate for protecting our Earth, and learning how to lessen the conditions of the Climate Crisis so….
With everything going on in 2025 globally, Earth Day hits different this year.
It doesn’t feel as unifying, or as hopeful compared to Earth Days in years pasts so yesterday I took a deep dive into the history of Earth Day.
Honestly, I learned a lot, and I think reading all about the origin of Earth Day in 2025 couldn’t be more relevant.
So in case you are also interested in learning about how and why Earth Day started I thought I would share that here.
(If you already get my Studio Notes emails, then you had this next part in your Inbox first thing this morning! I decided to share it here too as I think this is a great thing to talk about publicly. Also if you want to get Studio Notes emails (for free) you can here!)
Did you know that Earth Day is always held on April 22nd, and has been yearly since the 70's? That being said it all really started in 1969.
In 1969 there was a massive Oil Spill off of Santa Barbara and that kind of became the tipping point.
People were noticing changes within our environments, and the ill impacts humans were making on our environment and climate.
These things were specifically noticed by Senator Gaylord Nelson, a junior senator from Wisconsin at the time and he decided something needed to be done.
"Inspired by the student anti-war movement, Senator Nelson wanted to infuse the energy of student anti-war protests with an emerging public consciousness about air and water pollution" (https://www.earthday.org/history/)
He decided to help organize Teach Ins on college campuses across the US, and recruited Denis Hayes, a young activist, to help him.
"Hayes built a national staff of 85 to promote events across the land and the effort soon broadened to include a wide range of organizations, faith groups, and others. They changed the name to Earth Day, which immediately sparked national media attention, and caught on across the country. Earth Day inspired 20 million Americans — at the time, 10% of the total population of the United States — to take to the streets, parks and auditoriums to demonstrate against the impacts of 150 years of industrial development which had left a growing legacy of serious human health impacts." ( https://www.earthday.org/history/ )
Guys, 10% if the total population, let that sink in!
The first official Earth Day was held in 1970, and it was about everything!
Oil spills, polluting factories and power plants, raw sewage, toxic dumps, pesticides, freeways, the loss of wilderness and the extinction of wildlife were all hot topics on Earth Day. Sounds a lil familiar right?
The First Earth Day actually lead to the United States creating the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency), and this led to so many great things.
Like the Clean Air Act, and the Clean Water Act and so much more.
In the 80's the White House actually held an Earth Day event to celebrate all of the great progress that had been made since the first Earth Day. For example in this time frame the Endangered Species Act, and Marine Mammal Protection Act were passed.
As years went on, this became a global thing, and eventually it lead us to the current day Paris Agreement where 175 Nations decided they would work together to mitigate Climate Change. (not 175 anymore😣)
When you look at the big picture of things since the first Earth Day, we’ve made so much progress.
We’ve learned a lot and know more about our environment than ever before. Are things perfect? No. But Progress has been made and we’ve been learning more everyday.
That being said though it’s starting to feel like we are going backwards.
Scientists who’ve been learning about our weather, our changing climate and ultimately trying to help and keep us all safe are having their jobs cut. Our very few ocean spaces that are protected are in jeopardy. Our public lands/protected forests are being put in harms way, and the list goes on.
We are seeing the EPA roll back regulations, changes being made to acts such as the Endangered Species act and the list continues.
It feels as if all of the things that were being fought for in the 70’s, that became the sole reason Earth Day was created are being reversed and its concerning. Very concerning.
I was looking at photos from the first Earth Day in 1970, and seeing signs say "Science is Useful" from the 70's after coming off a weekend where people all of the US were having to hold similar signs... again.
Just feels backwards doesn’t it?
Scientists of all kinds have all been echoing the same messages.
Our climate is changing at a faster rate than ever before.
We are seeing the direct impacts from this too, it's not something that we may see in the future… We are seeing it, and feeling it now.
Extreme weather of all sorts, smaller ice sheets year over year, 100 year storms happening way more frequently making them no longer 100 year storms, stronger seasons, changing seasons, and so on.
All of those smaller things like the Endangered Species Act, Marine Mammal Protection Act, Clean Air Act, and many more impact our Climate. The health of our Earth.
So yeah celebrating Earth Day in 2025 feels different.
I do believe we can help things, I still have hope (most days).
I do think a lot of progress has been made, but we need to keep expanding on it.
Acting faster, and listening to scientists. I always think about the documentary by Dr. Sylvia Earle called Mission Blue (Its on Netflix if you want to watch it today).
Its over 10 years old, and she talked about actual solutions to protecting our ocean which in turn impacts every ones’ life. Yet while we have actual solutions, some just don’t want to take action on them.
So it’s one of those rock and a hard place situations, and we just need to keep on looking at the big picture, and keep advocating what’s best for all of us.
All of this to say, Earth Day in 2025 feels different. I think a lot of us are hopeful, but also very aware of the current situation. Its hard, and I get it.
So if this Earth Day also feels extra heavy to you, take a break. Get out in nature, and remember what it’s all about. 💚
🌏🌊🐚
Sea You Later!
~Sarah