5 Surprising Facts About Earth Day"

Earth Day, celebrated annually on April 22 since 1970, honors the planet and promotes environmental action. Gaylord Nelson, inspired by the 1969 Santa Barbara oil spill, initiated Earth Day to mobilize a grassroots movement. This year's theme is "Planet vs. Plastics," advocating for a 60% reduction in plastic production by 2040 due to its environmental and health threats. Toronto has had cleanups, with new bylaws and bans on single-use plastics in Canada.