Nature lovers across the Bay Area took part in trash clean-ups and outdoor festivals Saturday to commemorate Earth Day, the 54th annual global celebration of environmental stewardship.
Gaylord Nelson, a former U.S. senator from Wisconsin, organized the first Earth Day in 1970 as a nationwide rally to raise awareness about environmental threats following a devastating oil spill in Santa Barbara. The demonstration helped spur the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency later that year. Today, Earth Day is celebrated by more than 140 countries around the world.
Nikhil Sabnis, 9, of Cupertino, passes out smoothies made with his invention, Smoothie Bike, during an Earth Day and Arbor Day Festival at Library Park Field in Cupertino, Calif., Saturday, April 22, 2023. (Shae Hammond/Bay Area News Group)
Austin Pleban, a park ranger with the city of Cupertino, shows a Pacific gopher snake to visitors at the Earth Day and Arbor Day Festival at Library Park Field in Cupertino, Calif., Saturday, April 22, 2023. (Shae Hammond/Bay Area News Group)
Austin Pleban, a park ranger with the city of Cupertino, lets people touch a Pacific gopher snake during the Earth Day and Arbor Day Festival at Library Park Field in Cupertino, Calif., Saturday, April 22, 2023. (Shae Hammond/Bay Area News Group)
Sally Einstein, 12, left, and friend Norah Silver, 13, both of Berkeley, team up to extract a bucket of the mud as dozens of volunteers collected trash along the shoreline during the Earth Day cleanup at the Shorebird Park Nature Center in Berkeley, Calif., on Saturday, April 22, 2023. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Joe Crenza, of Berkeley, shows the trash he has collected along the shoreline during the Earth Day cleanup at the Shorebird Park Nature Center in Berkeley, Calif., on Saturday, April 22, 2023. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Tracy Chan of Berkeley and dozens of volunteers pick up trash along the shoreline during the Earth Day cleanup at the Shorebird Park Nature Center in Berkeley, Calif., on Saturday, April 22, 2023. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Dozens of volunteers pick up trash along the shoreline during the Earth Day Cleanup! Meet at the Shorebird Park Nature Center in Berkeley, Calif., on Saturday, April 22, 2023. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Plants are sold during the Earth Day and Arbor Day Festival at Library Park Field in Cupertino, Calif., Saturday, April 22, 2023. (Shae Hammond/Bay Area News Group)
Sue Moore of the De Anza Lions Club,gives sunflower seeds to Sasha F., 6, of Cupertino, during the Earth Day and Arbor Day Festival at Library Park Field in Cupertino, Calif., Saturday, April 22, 2023. (Shae Hammond/Bay Area News Group)
Clarabelle Wang, 15, of Cupertino, does origami with Silicon Valley Youth Action during the Earth Day and Arbor Day Festival at Library Park Field in Cupertino, Calif., Saturday, April 22, 2023. (Shae Hammond/Bay Area News Group)
Dozens of volunteers pick up trash along the shoreline during the Earth Day cleanup at the Shorebird Park Nature Center in Berkeley, Calif., on Saturday, April 22, 2023. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Anna Fedman, left, and her son Theo Adams, 4, of Berkeley, and dozens of volunteers pick up trash along the shoreline during the Earth Day cleanup at the Shorebird Park Nature Center in Berkeley, Calif., on Saturday, April 22, 2023. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Yega Shams of Berkeley and dozens of volunteers pick up trash along the shoreline during the Earth Day cleanup at the Shorebird Park Nature Center in Berkeley, Calif., on Saturday, April 22, 2023. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
