April 22, 2020 is the 50th anniversary of Earth Day. The event started in 1970 when millions of Americans took to the streets and college campuses to protest for environmental issues, launching the modern eco movement. The nonprofit Earth Day Network, which oversees and helps organize Earth Day events across the world, also grew from that day.
This year's 50th Earth Day was slated to be a large celebration and a time for many to speak up and speak out about current and pressing climate concerns. While in person protests and activism have been put on hold because of the coronavirus pandemic, Earth Day is going digital with 24 hours of action and live programming featuring celebrities, activists and even Pope Francis, who himself has suggested the current pandemic may be nature's response to humans ignoring the ecological disasters unfolding around us.
“This unprecedented time has stopped us all in our tracks,” said Kathleen Rogers, president of Earth Day Network, in a press release. “As each of us ensures that those around us are safe and well, it is in a momentous opportunity to examine our individual and collective relationship with the natural world and how our activities impact the planet. The way forward is hopeful, and we have an opportunity to forever change how we interact with the environment in our own backyard and our community at large.”
Earth Day 2020 programming includes 24 different ways individuals can help the planet — one action revealed each hour at @earthdaynetwork— plus 15 hours of Earth Day Live programming at earthday.org with appearances by tons of celebrities, musicians, leaders, scientists, advocates and more.
Programming takes place 9 a.m. to a 11 p.m. ET and includes messages, lessons or more by:
- Ed Begley, Jr., Actor, Environmentalist, Global Advisory Committee Member
- Zdeno Chara, Captain of the Boston Bruins
- Sylvia Earle, World-renowned Marine Biologist and National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence
- Zac Efron, Actor and Global Advisory Committee Member
- Patricia Espinosa, UN Climate Change Executive Secretary
- Christiana Figueres, Former Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change
- Jerome Foster II, White House Climate Striker and Founder of OneMillionOfUs
- Al Gore, Former Vice President, Global Environmental Advocate, and Award-winning Filmmaker
- Denis Hayes, Organizer of the first Earth Day, Board Chair Emeritus of Earth Day Network and President, CEO, The Bullitt Foundation
- Alex Honnold, Free Climber and star of Oscar-Winning Documentary, Free Solo
- Van Jones, News Commentator
- Ashok Sridharan, President of ICLEI—Local Governments for Sustainability and Mayor of UN City Bonn
- Licypriya Kangujam, Youth Climate Activist and Founder of The Child Movement
- Anil Kapoor, Award-winning Actor, Producer, and Global Advisory Committee Member
- Ricky Kej, Grammy-Winning Musician and Global Advisory Committee Member
- John Kerry, 68th Secretary of State, Global Advisory Committee Member, Founder of World War Zero
- Thomas Lovejoy, Senior Fellow at the United Nations Foundation and Professor of Environmental Science and Policy, George Mason University.
- Bill McKibben, Founder of 350.org
- His Serene Highness Prince Albert II of Monaco, Global Advisory Committee Member
- Paul Nicklen, National Geographic Filmmaker, Photographer and Marine Biologist
- Kyra Sedgwick, Actress, Producer, Director, and Global Advisory Committee Member
- Alexandria Villaseñor, Founder and Executive Director of Earth Uprising
- Rev. Lennox Yearwood Jr., President and CEO of the Hip Hop Caucus and Global Advisory Committee Member
- His Holiness Pope Francis
- Steve Ballmer, USAFacts Founder and Former Microsoft CEO
- Hayden Begley, Co-Host
- Dave Beran, Michelin Star Chef
- Aloe Blacc, Musician
- Andrea Boccelli, Award-winning Singer and Songwriter
- Governor Mauricio Vila Dosal, Governor of the State of Yucatán
- Joseph Gordon-Levitt (TBC)
- Michael Franti, Musician
- Mrs. Maria Elena Freire, Head of Environmental Education, State of Sao Paulo, Brazil
- Kathy Freston, Chef
- Stefania Giannini, Assistant Director, General for Education, UNESCO
- Mr. Bernardo Goytacaces, Secretary of Education of the State of Rio de Janeiro
- Natalie Isaacs, Founder and CEO of 1 Million Women
- Lisa Jackson, VP of Environment, Policy and Social Initiatives, Apple and Global Advisory Committee Member
- Valerie Jarrett, Former Senior Advisor to U.S. President Barack Obama
- Jack Johnson, Musician
- Maya Lin, Architect and Global Advisory Committee Member
- Josh Lucas, Actor
- Edward Markey, Senator from Massachusetts
- Ziggy Marley, Musician
- Dave Matthews, Musician
- Arizona Muse, Model
- Jason Mraz, Musician
- Nahko, Musician
- Vanessa Nakate, Founder of Youth for Future Africa and the Rise Up Movement
- Diana Nyad, Long Distance Swimmer
- Ambassador Javier Paulinich, General Secretary of SELA, Latin American and Caribbean Economic System
- Mr. Gabriel Quijandria, Vice Minister of Environment of Peru
- Ingmar Rentzhog, Founder of ‘We Don’t Have Time’
- Najib Saab, Secretary General, Arab Forum for Environment and Development (AFED)
- Kaddu Kiwe Sebunya, President of African Wildlife Foundation and Global Advisory Committee Member
- Cody Simpson, Actor
- Ashok Sridharan, President of ICLEI—Local Governments for Sustainability and Mayor of Bonn
- Yana Abu Taleb, Co-Director of EcoPeace Middle East
- Minister Victor Manuel Toledo, Minister for the Environment of Mexico
- Elizabeth Warren, Senator from Massachusetts
- Roger Waters, Musician
- Mayor Jorge Munoz Wells, Mayor of the City of Lima
- Christine Todd Whitman, Former Governor of NJ and Global Advisory Committee Member
- Jason Wrobel, Chef
For more info, visit earthday.org/earth-day-live.
