Energy & Climate
Women understand the power of protest
Kathleen Rogers, president of EARTHDAY.ORG, reveals how collective action can change the world.
8 March 2025
This article first appeared in our Earth Day 2025 issue of My Green Pod Magazine, published 22 April. Click here to subscribe to our digital edition and get each issue delivered straight to your inbox
22 April 2025 marks the 55th anniversary of Earth Day, a day that has sparked environmental activism across the globe and continues to serve as a reminder of the power we have when we come together.
What began in 1970 as a single day of protest in the US has grown into a worldwide movement; one that proves we can shift the course of history in favour of our planet.
Now, more than ever, we need to unify to do just that.
To understand the magnitude of Earth Day today, we must look back at its origins.
In the 1960s and early 1970s, environmental issues were quickly gaining traction in the media; from horrifying oil spills to toxic waste dumps, Americans were starting to see the environmental cost of industrial growth.
People were beginning to wake up to the idea that our natural world wasn’t limitless but fragile and in need of protection.
The catalyst for the first Earth Day was Senator Gaylord Nelson from Wisconsin, who saw the potential of harnessing the energy of college students to rally the public around environmental issues.
He enlisted Denis Hayes, a young activist at the time, to take the reins of organising a nationwide event.
Hayes, with his unwavering vision, had bigger ideas than just a campus movement; he wanted a mass mobilisation of Americans across the country, from all walks of life.
Incidentally Denis Hayes would later establish an NGO to grow the movement, and that is the organisation we know today as EARTHDAY.ORG.
Choosing 22 April 1970 – a Wednesday between spring break and final exams – was no accident.
The timing was ideal for student participation, but Earth Day quickly became more than a college protest.
20 million Americans, ranging from urban residents to farmers, from students to CEOs, took to the streets.
The sheer scale of the protest, at a time when communication was limited to word of mouth and landline telephones, putting up posters and engaging with print media and television, was unprecedented.
One of the most remarkable moments of the day occurred in New York City, where well over 5,000 people spontaneously flooded into Central Park, forming a sea of green signs and banners that read ‘Save Our Earth’.
It wasn’t just a political statement; it was a deeply felt, collective plea for the planet.
‘One of my strongest memories from that first Earth Day was seeing Mayor John Lindsay of New York – a Republican environmentalist, back when that wasn’t an oxymoron – closing Fifth Ave to cars’, remembers Denis Hayes. ‘An estimated 1,000,000 people packed 40 city blocks. It dwarfed the anti-war rallies and civil rights marches. Yet it was just one of a dozen Earth Day events in New York City alone.’
On that first Earth Day, thousands of teach-ins were held across the country, too – at colleges, high schools and even in community centres.
People came together to learn about what was happening to the planet and what needed to happen to protect it.
This new environmental movement was for everyone, and it became clear that change was on the horizon.
The impact of that first Earth Day was immediate and profound.
By the end of 1970, President Richard Nixon had established the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), signalling the federal government’s recognition that environmental issues needed serious attention.
It’s hard to believe now that it was President Nixon who acted to protect the environment. But the movement didn’t stop there.
The Clean Air Act and the Occupational Safety and Health Act were passed that year, and the Clean Water Act followed shortly after.
Earth Day was a call to action that demanded accountability from corporations and governments alike.
It was clear that the status quo of unchecked industrial growth and pollution was no longer acceptable to Americans.
In the years that followed, Earth Day grew. By the time the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments were passed, which targeted acid rain and urban smog, the global impact of Earth Day was undeniable.
It served as an inspiration for environmental movements around the world, setting the stage for the international climate agreements that would follow.
Perhaps one of Earth Day’s most powerful moments came in 2016 when Earth Day was chosen as the day to officially open the Paris Climate Agreement for signatures.
It was a testament to how far the movement had come – from a small, student-led protest to a defining force in global climate diplomacy.
Earth Day’s roots in ‘teach-ins’ continue today; EARTHDAY.ORG advocates globally for climate education to be included in every school curriculum.
By advocating for the inclusion of climate change education in schools worldwide, Earth Day has positioned itself as a champion for the green economy.
This is about preparing the next generation not only to fight the climate crisis but to thrive in a world that increasingly demands sustainability.
More than 95% of US schools and over a billion people globally now observe Earth Day, making it a powerful platform to advocate for the universal teaching of climate science and environmental stewardship.
The importance of this educational shift cannot be overstated; as we face the challenges of climate change, it is the students of today who will become the policymakers, business leaders and advocates of tomorrow.
The theme for Earth Day 2025 is Our Power, Our Planet, a rallying cry for a sustainable, renewable energy future.
For decades we’ve been told that fossil fuels are the only viable energy sources to power our world. That myth is being shattered before our eyes.
Renewable energy – from solar and wind to geothermal, hydroelectric and tidal – has already proven itself as both environmentally friendly and economically viable.
In fact, solar energy alone is set to become the largest source of electricity generation globally by the 2030s. The future of energy is clean, and it’s happening now.
Our Power, Our Planet will focus on campaigning to triple global electricity generation from renewable sources by 2030, advancing the transition from fossil fuels to clean energy and creating millions of new jobs in the process.
This is not just about protecting our planet – it’s about creating sustainable economies for all people.
It will happen at the sub-national and corporate level as local leaders and mayors champion a transition to renewable energy in their own communities.
Our new campaign, EARTH ACTION DAY, invites community leaders around the world to get involved.
Working with ICLEI and C40, we hope to inspire many cities, towns and villages all over the world to make the switch and leave fossil fuels behind.
Alongside energy efforts, Earth Day’s Canopy Project has been actively addressing deforestation and helping to restore ecosystems through reforestation.
In countries like Mexico, Uganda and Bangladesh, millions of trees have been planted to restore vital habitats and combat the climate crisis.
Tree planting protects biodiversity, stabilises local climates and improves the lives of people around the world.
These efforts are a direct response to the growing threat of deforestation, which continues to devastate the environment in countless ways.
‘When we invest in trees we are investing in both people and the planet’, said Kathleen Rogers, president of EARTHDAY.ORG. ‘Next time you think ‘how can I make a difference?’, consider planting a tree or gifting another community with one. Every tree truly does make a difference.’
As we mark the 55th anniversary of Earth Day, we are reminded of how far we’ve come and how much further we need to go.
The fight for our planet’s future is far from over, but the groundwork has been laid.
From policy changes and climate education to renewable energy and tree planting, Earth Day continues to be a powerful vehicle for environmental change.
EARTHDAY.ORG is committed to continuing the work that Gaylord Nelson and Denis Hayes started but this year, we need your energy, your ideas and your passion more than ever before.
Kathleen Rogers, president of EARTHDAY.ORG, reveals how collective action can change the world.
Tom Cosgrove, chief creative and content officer at EARTHDAY.ORG, contemplates the good, the bad and the ugly ahead of COP29.
EARTHDAY.ORG’s Aidan Charron reveals why our pets ‘are in peril from plastics – just like us’.
Lee Franklin, college campus coordinator at EARTHDAY.ORG, explains why youth-led movements are inspiring hope for the future.
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