Earth Day's 40th Anniversary
April 22, 2010
Today marks a momentous occasion: the 40th anniversary of Earth Day. Launched in 1970 by Senator Gaylord Nelson, the event encourages communities to get involved in protecting the environment.
Earth Day aligns with the Department of Energy's (DOE's) own mission to provide clean, renewable energy for all. DOE's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) invests in clean energy technologies that work to protect the environment and reduce dependence on foreign oil.
Technological advances are key to ensure a sustainable future. But the path to a clean energy economy requires individual participation.
President Obama says, "As we continue to tackle our environmental challenges, it's clear that change won't come from Washington alone. It will come from Americans across the country who take steps in their own homes and their own communities to make that change happen."
Take Earth Day as an opportunity to begin making small changes to benefit the environment. It can be as simple as using reusable bags, taking the stairs or biking to work.
EERE's Earth Day Web site includes a lot of other money- and energy-saving tips and information, including:
- An interactive animation that lets you discover what you can do to save energy and money in your home, learn how energy is being used more efficiently in communities, and see the different sources of energy being used across the country
- Ways to use solar, wind, and geothermal technologies in your home
- Inexpensive strategies for saving energy and money through the warm spring and summer months
- Ways the federal government is improving its energy efficiency while reducing the threat of climate change, sustaining the clean energy economy, and encouraging innovation in new technology.
It's time to take action. Learn what you can do, in your home or office, in your vehicle, alone, or with your community. Making smart, "green" energy choices is something we can all do.
