We’ve all heard of Earth Day, which is celebrated every year on April 22, but other than the basic premise that it has to do with environmentalism, do we really know what it’s all about? Or what we can do to make this day different than any other? Here’s a quick breakdown.

It all started at the height of the whole hippie and flower-child movement. Protest was a big part of that era, but environmentalism? Not so much, at least initially. Rachel Carson’s bestseller, Silent Spring, brought the concept to the masses in 1962, and in 1970, Wisconsin senator Gaylord Nelson founded Earth Day. As a result, the United States Environmental Protection Agency was created, and the Clean Air, Clean Water, and Endangered Species Acts were all passed.

Here’s what you can do to commemorate the day.

Join the conversation: Check out Twitter on Tuesday afternoons at 2PM ET this month. The EPA has been hosting Twitter chats with different EPA experts who have been sharing info on climate change. Follow @EPALive and submit questions using the hashtag #ActOnClimate.

Volunteer: Clean up a local park. Attend a recycling drive. Or find an Earth Day Festival near you to see what you can do to help the effort. Can’t make it out? Join the online movement. From The Canopy Project to Environmental Education, there’s always a way to show your support.

Change the way you eat: You can pledge to do Meatless Mondays, since the meat industry makes up 20% of greenhouse-gas emissions, or simply change the way you snack. UrthBox delivers a monthly box of organic, non-GMO snacks (in your choice of classic, gluten-free, vegan, or diet options), making your transition to healthier snacks a complete no-brainer. Doing something good for you and for the environment? Win-win.

Looking to eat more healthfully? Our UrthBox Boutique is now open.

By Chrissy Makkas, Staff Writer

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