A senator from Wisconsin named Gaylord Nelson started Earth Day in 1970. In 1969, there was an oil spill off the coast of Santa Barbara, California. It killed thousands of seabirds, seals, and dolphins. Senator Nelson believed the public needed to be educated about the dangers of air and water pollution. He created a day set aside to educate people about how to protect the environment. April 22, 1970, was the first Earth Day. By 1990, Earth Day became a global event. Now people all around the world celebrate Earth Day.
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