ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) - The state Department of Environmental Conservation is commemorating the 44th Anniversary of Earth Day with a weeklong series of events around the state.
The activities include hikes, wildlife watching, tree-planting and educational exhibits.
Earth Day was founded by Wisconsin Sen. Gaylord Nelson in 1970 after he toured the devastation of the 1969 massive oil spill in Santa Barbara, California. On April 22, 1970, demonstrations by an estimated 20 million Americans advocated for a healthy, sustainable environment.
DEC and the Environmental Protection Agency were created the same year as Earth Day, and the Clean Air Act was enacted. The Clean Water Act and Endangered Species Act followed in 1972 and 1973.
More information about Earth Day is on the DEC website (https://bit.ly/PkNvNN ).
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