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In the fall of 1969, Gaylord Nelson, a Democratic senator from Wisconsin, called for a grassroots protest against environmental degradation, modelled on campus "teach-ins" against the war in Vietnam.

The idea quickly spread to schools and cities across the United States. On April 22, 1970, an estimated 20 million Americans took part in marches and rallies to speak out against pollution, pesticide use and vanishing species.

The huge public response pushed ecological issues into the political spotlight; Earth Day was credited with the creation, less than a year later, of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and a slew of later legislation such as the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act and the Endangered Species Act.

In Canada, the first Earth Day went virtually unnoticed but the political and public impact quickly spilled over the border. In 1972, the federal Department of the Environment was created.

The 1970 organizers thought Earth Day would be a one-time event, but it grew steadily year by year. By the mid-1980s, activities were organized not only by schools and environmental groups but also by community and social agencies, churches and businesses. Teachers routinely used the day to highlight eco issues, with a special emphasis on the "3Rs" — reduce, reuse, recycle.

In 1990, the first International Earth Day saw at least 200 million people take part in events in more than 140 countries. Many credit that global event with sparking momentum for the landmark 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro. There, 160 heads of state signed a historic agreement to stabilize greenhouse-gas emissions at 1990 levels by 2000.

In Canada and many other parts of the world, Earth Day has now expanded to an Earth Week. Millions of citizens turn out for rallies, tree plantings, cleanups of parks and waterways, recycling fairs, nature walks and festivals.