Since it was first celebrated on April 22, 1970 as a U.S. holiday, and in the 1990s onward embraced as a global movement, Earth Day has focused on both celebration and protest. This year’s events include the “We Shall Breathe” Hip Hop Caucus, a Global Youth Summit, and a focus on conservation. The first Earth Day moved from an educational focus to a protest organized by Dennis Hayes and U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson, which garnered the support of an estimated 20 million participants world-wide.
Although not created for Earth Day, the following works of art both celebrate and offer glimpses of the sublime and sobering realities of this third rock from the sun.
