Earth Day: Grassroots Movement to Global Celebration

Reflecting on Our Connection to the Earth—One Garden at a Time

Every year on April 22, people across the globe come together to honor Earth Day, a day devoted to celebrating and protecting our planet. For gardeners, it’s a natural fit—after all, we’re in the dirt nearly every day, watching the seasons change and doing our part to care for the land. But Earth Day wasn’t always a given. In fact, its roots are as grassroots as they come.

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Earth Day 2025 was celebrated on Tuesday, April 22, marking 55 years of global environmental action. The theme, “Our Power, Our Planet,” encouraged people everywhere to work together toward clean energy solutions and a healthier planet. Over a billion participants across 192 countries took part in fun and meaningful activities like tree planting, community cleanups, and eco-friendly challenges to show their support for protecting the Earth.

The very first Earth Day took place in 1970, sparked by growing public awareness of environmental issues like air and water pollution. Inspired in part by the student anti-war movement and the 1969 Santa Barbara oil spill, U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin envisioned a national “teach-in” on the environment. Partnering with activist **Denis Hayes**, they mobilized an astonishing 20 million Americans—about 10% of the U.S. population at the time. It was a bipartisan, coast-to-coast event that united people of all backgrounds and helped launch the modern environmental movement.

The success of Earth Day 1970 led directly to the creation of landmark legislation including the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, and the Endangered Species Act. Over time, Earth Day evolved into a global event. By 1990, it had gone international, with events in over 140 countries. Today, more than a billion people in over 190 countries participate each year, making it the largest secular civic observance in the world.

So how do people celebrate Earth Day now? It depends where you are, but the spirit remains the same: take action, raise awareness, and reconnect with nature. Some communities organize beach or park cleanups, while others host educational workshops, plant trees, or march for climate policy. At Seacoast Gardener, we think the best way to honor the Earth is to dig right in—literally.

Gardening is one of the most meaningful ways to celebrate Earth Day, not just once a year, but all season long. When you plant a native shrub, compost your clippings, or pull invasive weeds, you’re actively improving the environment around you. You’re increasing biodiversity, supporting pollinators, and helping your soil stay healthy and carbon-rich. These small actions, multiplied across a neighborhood or town, make a powerful difference.

Earth Day also reminds us that stewardship begins at home. Whether you tend a backyard garden, manage a community green space, or just grow herbs on your windowsill, your choices matter. The healthier and more sustainable our landscapes become, the stronger our connection to this planet—and each other.

This Earth Day, take a moment to appreciate the ground beneath your feet. Plant something. Protect something. Or simply step outside and listen to the birds. And if you’re ready to make your garden a more earth-friendly place, Seacoast Gardener is here to help.

Contact us today to schedule a spring garden consultation. Together, let’s grow something good for the planet—one yard at a time.