In 1969, Wisconsin Senator Gaylord Nelson proposed to hold environmental protection speeches at the universities of America. Soon, Denis Hayes, a student of Harvard Law School, proposed to extend this act to large-scale community environmental protection activities throughout America and selected April 22, 1970 as the first "Earth Day."

On that day, more than 20 million Americans, including members of congress and people from all walks of life, participated in the massive environmental protection activity. People across the country shouted the environmental protection slogans and held parades, gatherings, speeches, and publicity activities in the streets and on the campuses. Subsequently, the influence gradually expanded and soon went beyond the border of the United States.

Such activities won the support of many countries around the world and finally developed into the worldwide environmental protection movement. April 22 gradually became the "Earth Day" of the world. Varieties of community environmental protection activities will be held around the world on the Earth Day each year.