Monday marks the 49th annual Earth Day – a global event to celebrate Mother Nature and put environmental issues in the spotlight.About a billion people worldwide mark it each year by signing petitions, writing to MPs, planting trees or cleaning up their neighborhoods. United States Senator Gaylord Nelson came up with the idea for Earth Day after seeing the devastation caused by the 1969 Santa Barbara oil spill, which killed more than 3500 birds off the coast of California.The first Earth Day, on April 22, 1970, was marked by 22 million Americans who marched to protest against damage done to the environment.That event led to the creation of the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the passing of a raft of environmental legislation.
In the years since, Earth Day has spread worldwide and is now celebrated in more than 190 countries worldwide. Marlborough's Jasmine Mooiman…
