EARTH DAY

Earth Day is the largest, most celebrated environmental event worldwide. On Earth Day, we remember to appreciate nature and learn ways to protect our environment. UN (International organization) celebrates an Earth Day each year on the March 20, a tradition which was founded by peace activist John McConnell in 1969.'
The idea of Earth Day evolved over a period of seven years starting in 1962. In 1962 a marine biologist named Rachel Carson published Silent Spring. The title referred to a future without birds and described in plain language devastating long-term effects of highly toxic pesticides and other chemical agents then commonly used in American agriculture, industry and day-to-day life.
In 1963, former Senator Gaylord Nelson began to worry about our planet. Senator Nelson knew that our world was getting dirty and that many of our plants and animals were dying. He wondered why more people weren't trying to solve these problems. He talked to other lawmakers and to the President. They decided that the President would go around the country and tell people about these concerns.
Earth Day ecology flag.
According to Flags of the World, the Ecology Flag was created by cartoonist Ron Cobb, published on November 7, 1969, in the Los Angeles Free Press, then placed in the public domain. The symbol is a combination of the letters "E" and "O" taken from the words "Environment" and "Organism," respectively. The flag is patterned after the United States' flag, with thirteen alternating-green-and-whites stripes. Its canton is green with a yellow theta. Later flags used either a theta, because of its historic use as a warning symbol[47] Petrus de Dacia in a document from 1291 relates the idea that theta was used to brand criminals as empty ciphers, and the branding rod was affixed to the crossbar spanning the circle,[48] or the peace symbol. Theta would later become associated with Earth Day.
Earth Day Activities

Recycling is when an object can be shredded, melted or otherwise processed and then turned into new raw material -- for instance, aluminum cans can be melted down to make more cans, glass can make more glass, cardboard and paper make more cardboard and paper, plastic bags and containers can be turned into other plastic products. This takes some energy (very little for aluminum), but it is a good choice.
Save energy
Turn off appliances and lights when you leave the room.
Use the microwave to cook small meals. (It uses less power than an oven.)
Purchase "Green Power" for your home's electricity. (Contact your power supplier to see where and if it is available.)
Have leaky air conditioning and refrigeration systems repaired.
Use a programmable thermostat to save on heating and cooling costs when you're not home.
Insulate your home, water heater and pipes.
Keep in mind that every trip adds to air pollution. Learn more at It All Adds Up to Cleaner Air.
Replace incandescent light bulbs with ENERGY STAR qualified Compact Fluorescent Light bulbs (CFL). If every household on the Earth replaced one light bulb with a CFL, it would prevent enough pollution to equal removing one million cars from the road.
Use less water
Don't let the water run while shaving or brushing teeth.
Take short showers instead of tub baths.
Keep drinking water in the refrigerator instead of letting the faucet run until the water is cool.
Scrape, rather than rinse, dishes before loading into the dishwasher; wash only full loads.
Wash only full loads of laundry or use the appropriate water level or load size selection on the washing machine.
Buy high-efficient plumbing fixtures & appliances.
Repair all leaks (a leaky toilet can waste 200 gallons a day).
Water the lawn or garden during the coolest part of the day (early morning is best).
Water plants differently according to what they need. Check with your local extension service or nurseries for advice.
Set sprinklers to water the lawn or garden only – not the street or sidewalk.
Use soaker hoses or trickle irrigation systems for trees and shrubs.
Keep your yard healthy - dethatch, use mulch, etc.
Sweep outside instead of using a hose.
Learn how to plant trees, build a pond, compost, and more from the Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service

Reusing is when you find a use for an existing item - like decorating a bag and using it as a gift bag instead of buying wrapping paper; putting leftovers into a clean container from some other food; turning a used box into storage; decorating a can to hold pencils; saving packing peanuts and boxes and using them the next time you need to ship something or give a gift.

It is important to 'reuse' items wisely -- reusing packing peanuts to pack an item is by far the best way to use them. Recycling them, if it is available, would be the next best thing. Turning them into an art project would be the least effective, and eventually they will end up in the landfill. Now many of us love art projects, and would be using materials to make crafts anyway, and so using an item that would otherwise be discarded may still be a sensible choice, it depends on the project.

Giving things in good condition that you no longer need to charity is another good way to reuse things like outgrown clothing or toys. Reusing is often the best way to save resources. This is something to consider year-round, not just around the winter holidays.

Plant a tree: volunteer to work for your city or send an Earth Day