Every year on April 22nd, we celebrate the birth of the modern environmental movement by observing Earth Day. The first Earth Day was founded in 1970 by a senator from Wisconsin, Gaylord Nelson, in response to a massive oil spill in Santa Barbara, California. Although environmental activism was certainly not new by this time, Earth Day was the first event that united environmental groups and activists across the country in an attempt to raise public awareness around environmental issues.

Earth Day inspired millions of Americans to take to the streets and speak out in defense of the environment, and eventually led to the founding of the Environmental Protection Agency and the passage of key environmental laws, such as the Clean Air Act and the Clean Water Act. In 1990, Earth Day grew into a global movement, lifting environmental issues onto the world stage and setting the stage for international cooperation on environmental protection measures. Since then, Earth Day has become the largest secular observance in the world, marked by over a billion people worldwide every year.

In honor of Earth Day, this month's research guide is dedicated to resources on sustainability and environmentalism. You will find books, databases, and websites addressing a range of environmental issues, including climate change, renewable energy, air and water pollution, biodiversity, and environmental justice, to name just a few. You will also find some keyword search strategies to help you get started. Whether you're researching for a class or just want to learn something new, we hope you find something interesting and useful!

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