World Marks 40th Anniversary of Earth Day
South Korean environmental activists have their faces painted as characters from James Cameron＇s movie ＇Avatar＇ as they perform during a rally to mark the 40th anniversary of Earth Day in Seoul, South Korea, 22 Apr 2010
Countries around the world are marking the 40th anniversary of Earth Day with a renewed call to protecting and preserving the environment.
In the United States, the Obama administration is marking the anniversary with a week of events throughout the country. President Barack Obama is hosting an Earth Day reception with environmental leaders in Washington.
U.S. officials are participating in education programs and community service projects over the next few days. The week of events in the U.S. kicked off April 17 with an eco-village display and volunteer service projects on the National Mall in Washington, a large park area that is popular with tourists and includes national monuments and museums.
On the eve of Earth Day, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said in a video message that the world has come a long way in addressing environmental challenges, but there is still much more to do. She said the U.S. is elevating such issues in its diplomatic relationships, and is working more aggressively to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, which are blamed for global warming.
Also Wednesday, U.S. Vice President Joe Biden announced the 25 communities that were selected to share more than $450 million in stimulus funding to make their homes and businesses more energy efficient.
The first Earth Day took place in the United States on April 22, 1970, initiated by then-U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson. Events throughout the country that day attracted 20 million people, who took part in demonstrations to demand that the government take action to combat pollution.
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