On April 22, 1970, 20 million Americans took to the streets, parks, and auditoriums to demonstrate for a healthy, sustainable environment. Denis Hayes, the national coordinator, and his youthful staff organized massive coast-to-coast rallies. Thousands of colleges and universities organized protests against the deterioration of the environment. Groups that had been fighting against oil spills, polluting factories and power plants, raw sewage, toxic dumps, pesticides, freeways, the loss of wilderness, and the extinction of wildlife suddenly realized they shared common values.

Here are some Earth Days links on what you can do to help the environment and animals:

Earth Day Network

See a movie. From the directors of "Planet Earth", "Earth" tells the remarkable tale of a herd of elephants, a clan of polar bears, and a pod of humpback whales. One tree will be planted for each person who sees the film in its first week.

Go local with tips from the Humane Society of the United States. Celebrate Earth Day every day, right in your own backyard. Every day you interact with the ecosystem, whether in your yard, neighborhood, or larger community, and you can nurture these spaces and the animals that live in them without ever leaving home.

Adopt a Wildlife Rehab and Education Animal Ambassador. You can play a major role in the rescue, raising and/or rehabilitation of injured or orphaned wildlife. WR&E has the facilities and expertise to give orphaned or injured Texas native wildlife the hands-on, specialized care they need and a second chance at life free in the wild.

Get kids involved! Pennies for the Planet is a nationwide campaign that taps into the amazing power of kids to help critical conservation projects.