Earth Day is not any normal holiday.  Celebrated in 192 countries annually, Earth Day is a day meant for celebrating our Earth and demonstrating support for environmental protection.

This movement is now coordinated globally by the Earth Day Network, which was founded in 1993. With over 230 partners, including NASA, WWF, Peta and PBS, the EDN is the main source of all the organized celebrations that go on today.

The first Earth Day was celebrated on April 22, 1970 and is still celebrated on that day each year. The possibilities of contributing to Earth Day are endless. Here are a few:

1. Avoid driving your car, which is one of the greatest sources of pollution.
2. Skip a bath, a daily shower isn’t a matter of health but a matter of comfort.
3. Unplug, avoid charging your cellphones and laptops. And turn off the TV!
4. Eat vegan or vegetarian.
5. Turn off your lights. Open curtains/blinds or light candles.
6. Go outside!
7. Plant a tree.
8. Clean up garbage around your community.
9. Write an article about Earth Day to make others aware of the benefits.

Indiana holds their own Earth Day festival at White River State Park annually. It’s held on April 26 from 11 am to 4 pm.  The website describes the festival as, “A free outdoor, family-oriented festival promoting environmental awareness, conservation of natural resources and sustainable living, with more than 130 exhibits, live music, children’s crafts and entertainment, a display of alternative fuel vehicles, food vendors and more.”

If you are interested in volunteering for the festival, you can go to this website to fill out a form: http://www.earthdayindiana.org/volunteer.html