In the beginning
There’s a bit of a discrepancy over just who is the founder of Earth Day and when the day should be celebrated. John McConnell, now 89, came up with the name “Earth Day.” He originally called for Earth Day to be celebrated on the first day of spring in the northern hemisphere and fall in the southern hemisphere… the vernal equinox, “when light and darkness are of equal length worldwide.” (Wrap your brain around that one.) He insists that this is the real Earth Day.

This date was chosen because of its symbolism; according to McConnell, “This is the moment when night and day are equal throughout the earth—reminding us of Earth’s beautiful systems of balance, which humanity has partially upset and must restore.” At the moment this first occurred to McConnell, California shook with an Earth tremor. To him, this was an “omen of confirmation,” and the day was set.

However, the event is more commonly recognized as April 22. In January of 1970, the Environmental Teach-In had a one-time event scheduled that day and called it “Earth Day.” Gaylord Nelson, former governor and senator of Wisconsin, and Denis Hayes, a prominent student leader at the time, are said to be the co-founders of the event itself. Nelson called for the third week of April to be Earth Week, and maybe because the weather conditions were better for outdoor activities and the date didn’t coincide with finals or spring break, April 22 has stuck as the celebrated day.

The first Earth Day was held on March 21, 1971, with the ringing of the United Nations Peace Bell by UN Secretary U Thant. Mayor George Christopher of San Francisco (the city of St. Francis, saint of ecology) issued the first proclamation.