Embassy of the United States

Earth Day

April 22, 2008 ♦ What is Earth Day? Washington -- Earth Day, April 22, is the annual U.S. celebration of the environment and a time for Americans to assess the work still needed to protect the natural gifts of our planet. Earth Day has no central organizing force behind it, though several nongovernmental organizations work to keep track of the thousands of local events in schools and parks that mark the day. It affirms that environmental awareness is part of the country's consciousness and that the idea of protecting the environment -- once the province of a few conservationists -- has moved from the extreme to the mainstream of American thought. more ♦ President Bush Discusses Climate Change President George W. Bush Rose Garden April 17, 2008 THE PRESIDENT: Thank you. Welcome. Thank you all for coming. I particularly want to thank members of my Cabinet for joining me here today in the Rose Garden. Tomorrow represents -- representatives of the world's major economies will gather in Paris to discuss climate change. Here in Washington, the debate about climate change is intensifying. Today, I'll share some views on this important issue to advance discussions both at home and abroad.   more [Caption] President George W. Bush speaks on climate change during remarks from the Rose Garden Wednesday, April 16, 2008, at the White House. - Technology-based Policy on Climate Change Urged by Bush (America.gov, April 16, 2008) - [Fact Sheet] Taking Additional Action To Confront Climate Change: Bush announces plan to stop increase in U.S. greenhouse gas  emissions (The White House, April 16, 2008) ♦ U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: Celebrate Earth Day On April 22, 1970, 20 million people across America celebrated the first Earth Day. It was a time when cities were buried under their own smog and polluted rivers caught fire. Now Earth Day is  celebrated annually around the globe. Through the combined efforts of the U.S. government, grassroots organizations, and citizens like you, what started as a day of national environmental recognition has evolved into a world-wide campaign to protect our global environment.     - Earth Day History ♦ Earth Day.gov: Portal for U.S. Government Events & Information   - Take Action At Home    - Take Action In Your Classroom   - Take Action At Work   - Volunteer ♦ [e-Journal] The Greening of U.S. Corporations, March 2008 ♦ Asia-Pacific Partnership on Clean Development & Climate The Asia-Pacific Partnership on Clean Development and Climate is an innovative new effort to accelerate the development and deployment of clean energy technologies. • APP Fact Sheet - English Version • APP Fact Sheet - Korean Version • http://www.state.gov/g/oes/climate/app/ ♦ Fact Sheet: U.S. Actions to Address: Energy Security, Clean Development, and Climate Change  (Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs, March 31, 2008)         ♦ UNITED NATIONS ENVIRONMENT PROGRAMME (UNEP) - The UNEP YEAR BOOK 2008 (UNEP, February 2008) - PLANT FOR THE PLANET: THE BILLION TREE CAMPAIGN  (UNEP 2008)     ♦ Environment/Energy and Climate (America.gov) ♦ Earth Day (America.gov) ♦ Earth Day Photo Gallery (America.gov) Earth Day, April 22, is an annual celebration of the environment and a time to assess the work still needed to protect the natural gifts of our planet. Earth Day has no central organizing force behind it. Thousands of local events around the world mark the event. The photographs in this gallery show the growth of Earth Day from its beginnings as an "Environmental Teach-In" in the United States in 1970, to the annual global commemoration of the natural world.