Heard of EARTH DAY?

We find out how this annual event is trying to help our planet

- RAE RITCHIE

You may not have heard about it, but Earth Day is a big event around the world, with as many as a billion people involved each year. It takes place on 22 April annually. But what is it?

Earth Day's origins

Earth Day started in the USA back in 1970. American politician Gaylord Nelson took inspiration from the era's student anti-war protests to create a special day dedicated to supporting the environment. More than 50 years later, this mission has spread around the world.

This year's focus

The theme for this year's event is Planet vs Plastics, and the aim is to secure a 60% reduction in all plastic production by 2040.