Earth Day began in 1970 and is celebrated annually on April 22nd. This global event raises awareness about environmental issues and encourages action to protect our planet, with the goal of inspiring people to take care of the Earth and its natural resources. These illustrated books from our collection explain the origins of Earth Day and the history of the environmental movement in the United States.
After a devastating oil spill off the coast of Santa Barbara in 1969 that harmed wildlife and habitats, local citizens, including school children, joined clean up crews to try to help. They picked up debris, rescued seabirds covered in oil, and collected oil in bottles to send to politicians in Washington. Those small actions led to more people across the country taking actions to help the environment. Twenty million people celebrated the first Earth Day on April 22, 1970. Black Beach explains how children helped draw attention to environmental issues and includes practical ways to protect our environment.
