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Earth Day: Celebrating Our Planet on April 22 Earth Day, celebrated annually on April 22, is a day dedicated to raising awareness about the environment and promoting conservation and sustainability. But why do we celebrate Earth Day on April 22? The origins of this date are rooted in both practicality and symbolism. The Origins of Earth Day The first Earth Day was suggested by Wisconsin Senator Gaylord Nelson and San Francisco activist John McConnell in 1970. They needed a date that would allow for activists attending college to be free to participate. April 22 fell between spring break and final exams for most universities, making it a practical choice for the inaugural Earth Day. The Significance of April 22 While the choice of April 22 was partly a matter of logistics, the date also holds deeper significance. Earth Day was inspired in part by Arbor Day, a tree-planting event that was organized by Nebraska newspaper publisher Julius Sterling Morton in 1872. Arbor Day was initially se