Celebrating Environmental Stewardship for Earth Day 2025

Earth Day was first celebrated on April 22, 1970, marking the beginning of the modern environmental movement. Sparked by growing public concern over pollution, oil spills, and the impact of industrial development on natural ecosystems, the inaugural Earth Day united 20 million Americans across political and social lines in a powerful demonstration for environmental reform. Spearheaded by U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin and organized by activist Denis Hayes, the event led to the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency and the passage of landmark legislation such as the Clean Air Act and the Clean Water Act. Since then, Earth Day has grown into a global movement, observed by over a billion people in more than 190 countries each year, reminding us of our collective responsibility to protect and preserve the planet we all share.

At RCE Greater Atlanta, environmental sustainability is a core tenet of our mission. Earth Day allows us to applaud all of our member organization’s efforts towards creating a safe and healthy environment, as well as recognize the work still to be done in environmental stewardship. Read more to find a detailed list of the events our member institutions are putting on, and please join us in celebrating our planet all throughout the month of April!