The world first saw Earth Day on April 22, 1970 in San Francisco and it was only one year later that the United Nations declared Earth Day to be an international holiday. Earth Day is held each year on April 22 and in 2009, April 22 was designated by the UN as International Mother Earth Day. Its purpose is to increase awareness and appreciation of the Earth and its natural environments and to promote the preservation of our planet. Numerous organizations and communities of Long Island are celebrating Earth Day with special events to do their part of brining awareness to the conservation of Earth and our natural resources along with Earth’s wildlife and their natural habitats.

1.    Earthstock: A Celebration of Earth Day 2012
April 16 – April 20
Stony Brook University
100 Nichols Road, Stony Brook - (631) 632-6748

2.    2012 Long Island Earth Summit
April 17, 11:30am-5pm
Brookhaven National Lab, Berkner Hall
2 Center Street, Princeton Avenue, Upton – (631) 344-8000

3.    Town of Islip 22nd Annual Earth Day Celebration
April 21, 11am-4pm (Rain Date: April 22)
Gillette Park
Sayville – (631) 224-5650

4.    2012 3rd Annual Eco-Carnival
April 21, 10am-4pm
Seatuck Environmental Association
500 South Bay Avenue, Islip – (631) 581-6908

5.    Earth Day Celebration
April 22, 11am-4pm
Quogue Wildlife Refuge
3 Old Country Road, Quogue – (631) 653-4771

6.    Friends of Connetquot Library Earth Day Family Walk
April 22, 11am-12:30pm
Connetquot River State Park Preserve
Bohemia - (631) 667-6710

7.    East Islip Historical Society Celebrates Earth Day at Heckscher State Park
April 28 & 29, 10am-4pm
Heckscher State Park
Heckscher Parkway, East Islip – (631) 581-1023

8.    Arbor Day Festival
April 28 & 29, 10am-5pm (Rain or shine)
Planting Fields Arboretum
Planting Fields Road, Oyster Bay – (516) 922-9200

9.    Tree Party in Celebration of Arbor Day
April 29, 11am-3pm (Rain or Shine)
Bates House (in Frank Melville Memorial Park)
1 Bates Road, Setauket