Today’s Earth Day! Did you know that the first Earth Day was in 1970? Or that it’s always on April 22nd? If you didn’t know that, you certainly aren’t the only one!

According to earthday.org, “The idea for a national day to focus on the environment came to Earth Day founder Gaylord Nelson, then a U.S. Senator from Wisconsin, after witnessing the ravages of the 1969 massive oil spill in Santa Barbara, California. Inspired by the student anti-war movement, he realized that if he could infuse that energy with an emerging public consciousness about air and water pollution, it would force environmental protection onto the national political agenda. Senator Nelson announced the idea for a “national teach-in on the environment” to the national media; persuaded Pete McCloskey, a conservation-minded Republican Congressman, to serve as his co-chair; and recruited Denis Hayes from Harvard as national coordinator. Hayes built a national staff of 85 to promote events across the land. April 22, falling between Spring Break and Final Exams, was selected as the date.”

Earthday.org‘s article goes on to say that on that 1st Earth Day in 1970, 20 million people in America rallied across the country to show their support for the health and sustainability of all areas of our environment.

Today, in celebration and support of Earth Day, both our Cripple Creek & Florissant Ace Hardware stores will be giving away bags containing five assorted packages of vegetable and flower seeds with any purchase. ***Please note: While supplies last.*** 

Happy Earth Day!