Shoutout to planet Earth for keeping us all grounded. Let’s celebrate.

Monday, April 22 marks Earth Day — an annual holiday that is celebrated by more than a billion people across 190+ countries.

This year’s theme is “Planet vs. Plastics,” and it calls for commitment to end plastics, and reducing all plastics by 60% by 2040. Some of the goals include:

Raising awareness of the health risks of plastics
Phasing out all single-use plastics
Ending plastic pollution
Ending fast fashion

Ready to get your hands dirty and volunteer with a local environmental organization? Look no further.

Lowcountry Earth Week is a week-long celebration that offers volunteer opportunities, nature activities, seminars, workshops, and festivals and lasts until Sunday, April 28.

Events

Monday, April 22

Learn to compost home food scraps | 12-1 p.m. | Free
Care for Gadsden Creek Clean-up | 3-4:30 p.m. | Free
IOP Litter Sweep | 5:30-7 p.m. | Free

Tuesday, April 23

Oyster shell/trash sorting | 1-3 p.m. | Free
"Common Ground" screening + Panel discussion | 5:30-8 p.m. | Free

Wednesday, April 24

Mount Pleasant Waterworks Community Plant Tour | 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. | Free
Painting at the Angel Oak | 10 a.m.-12 p.m. | Free

Explore 20+ events from 50 local organizations.

The week will end with a family-friendly Earth Week celebration and exhibition at Holy City Brewing on Sunday, April 28, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Gif via GIPHY

Additionally, here are a few must-know facts about the history of Earth Day:

Senator Gaylord Nelson spearheaded the creation of Earth Day after witnessing an oil spill in Santa Barbara, CA. Under his leadership, the first Earth Day was in 1970.
The first Earth Day sparked an outpouring of environmental activism, and less than six months later, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the US Environmental Protection Agency were formed.
Earth Day went global in 1990.