By the late 1960’s, the mood in the United States was one ready for change. Peace rallies were taking place on college campuses across the country, and an increasing awareness of environmental issues was taking hold. The success of Silent Spring , Rachel Carson’s bestseller regarding how pollution, the environment and humanity were connected, had made activists sit up take notice.

In the spring of 1970, two similar but independent efforts were gaining momentum. Gaylord Nelson, a U.S. Senator who had witnessed the effects of an oil spill first hand, teamed up with a Harvard professor and a congressman to institute a “National Teach-In” initiative on college campuses. The grassroots event occurred on April 22, 1970, and to this day, most Americans celebrate Earth Day on April 22. However, just a few weeks earlier, John McConnell, an activist from San Francisco, had proposed the concept of Earth Day at the UNESCO Conference; the conference, held on the Spring Equinox, inspired many to join the cause. The idea so caught on that only three months later, the United Nations issued a proclamation – signed by 36 influential world leaders – declaring that the vernal equinox would henceforth be known as International Earth Day.

Here in Albuquerque, there are many ways for you and your children to observe Earth Week, April 20-23, 2016. Visit the BioPark’s Zoo, Aquarium, and Botanic Garden to learn more about our planet and what you can do to protect the animals and plants that inhabit the Earth. From 10 am-2 pm each day, you’ll enjoy hands-on exhibits and discovery stations at each venue.

Here at People’s Flowers, we recycle every day year-round. We compost all our green waste and flower stems. We recycle all our cardboard and paper. We also recycle vases for customers! Bring in 5 vases and we will give you free flowers!

You can also celebrate Earth Day by surrounding yourself with plants and flowers. Green plants detoxify air and bring beauty to any home or office. People’s Flowers has many green plants, flowering plants, and spring flowers to choose from – give us a call today, and you’ll be ready for whichever Earth Day you choose to observe.