The first Earth Day was held on April 22, 1970, in response to growing threats from pollution, including a massive oil spill in Santa Barbara in 1969. An estimated 20 million Americans took part in marches, rallies and teach-ins calling for protection of the environment. This outpouring of support led to the passage of landmark legislation including the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, and the Endangered Species Act.
April 22, 2025, marks the 55th anniversary of the first Earth Day, and is observed in 192 countries. The theme of Earth Day 2025 is Our Power, Our Planet. The international Earth Day organization invites “everyone around the globe to unite behind renewable energy, and to triple the global generation of clean electricity by 2030.”
PCC will celebrate Earth Week from April 21-25, 2025. Activities include tabling fairs on each campus, films, workshops, poetry and crafts, field trips, work parties and much more. See this year’s full list of events.
The city of Portland will celebrate Earth Day on April 19th, 12:00 – 3:00 p.m. Mayor Keith Wilson, Councilor Steve Novick, and Chief Sustainability Officer Vivian Satterfield will talk about “how the city and community can come together as one to deepen our commitment to protect the planet and its people.” Earth Day – Together as One
Learn more about our Earth with these research guides developed by PCC librarians: Earth Day 2025, Birds of the Pacific Northwest, Climate Change, Cli-fi (climate fiction), Climate Anxiety, and Environmental Studies.