Earth Day events in the Seattle-Tacoma metro area include conservation, recycling, and other activities designed to educate us on the benefits of protecting our natural resources through mindful living.
Many events are free, but many require that you register in advance. We might also include events that have a small fee of $15 or less. Click on the links for more information or to sign up.
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Earth Day conservation events in the Seattle-Tacoma metro area – iStockPhotos.com
About Earth Day
Founded in 1970 as a day of education about environmental issues, Earth Day is now a globally celebrated holiday that is sometimes extended into Earth Week, a full seven days of events focused on green awareness.
In 1962, Rachel Carson’s bestselling book “Silent Spring” raised the specter of the dangerous effects of pesticides on America’s countryside. Until that time, protecting the planet’s natural resources was not part of the national political agenda. Factories pumped pollutants into the air, lakes and rivers with few legal consequences. Big, gas-guzzling cars were considered a sign of prosperity.
Throughout the 1960s, Senator Gaylord Nelson, a Democrat from Wisconsin, developed the idea for Earth Day after being inspired by the anti-Vietnam War “teach-ins” that were taking place on college campuses around the United States. He envisioned a large-scale, grassroots environmental demonstration raise awareness about environmental issues and transforming public attitudes.
In the fall of 1969, Nelson announced the Earth Day concept at a conference in Seattle and invited the entire nation to get involved.
The first Earth Day on April 22, 1970, activated 20 million Americans from all walks of life and is widely credited with launching the modern environmental movement. In the 1970s, a number of important pieces of environmental legislation were passed, among them the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, and Endangered Species Act. Today, more than 1 billion people participate in Earth Day activities each year, making it the largest civic observance in the world.
For more info, see:
- www.earthday.org
- www.epa.gov/laws-regulations
- www.epa.gov/earthday
- www.history.com/topics/holidays/earth-day
2021 Earth Day Events in Seattle and Washington State
- April 17, 2021. Dawn to dusk. Free Entrance Days in National Parks, First Day of National Park Week. Event is FREE.
- April 22, 2021. Dawn to dusk. Washington State Parks Free Days. The Discover Pass will not be required to visit state parks on Earth Day (Apr 22). Event is FREE.
- April 22-25, 2021. Earth Day in Sammamish. Join the City of Sammamish and Sammamish Stewards for an Earth Day Celebration. They will be offering variety of activities and events from Thursday to Sunday, April 22-25, 2021.
- April 24, 2021. Metro Parks Tacoma Appreciation Day. Participants are needed to spruce up Tacoma parks by trimming limbs, grooming grounds, combing beaches, and maintaining restoration areas. Each person counts! Come together to lend a hand to keep parks beautiful, our community strong and connected, and being a good steward of the earth.
Find more events in our calendar below.
