6 Interesting Facts about Earth’s Day that you should know:

1, Our planet was named for the Old English word for “dry land” (eorthe). This is interesting because the surface of the planet is not a “dry land” as more than 70 percent of the planet’s surface is an ocean. Sometimes I think our planet should get a new name! :)

2, Earth Day is celebrated on April 22nd of the year to allow us an opportunity to think about protecting the environment.

What many people don’t know is that the inspiration for Earth Day came from the Ocean!

In 1969 an underwater pipeline carrying oil split off the coast of California, spilling more than 3 million gallons of oil into the ocean over the course of ten days. It was the biggest spill in United States’ history at that point in time.

Thousands of seabirds, dolphins, sea lions, and elephant seals were killed. Countless fishes were also killed.

The environmental disaster was broadcasted to the whole world, with everyone shocked by the live images they were watching.

The disaster that occurred in the ocean made people become focused on environmental issues for, at least, a single day. That’s when Earth Day was born. The first Earth Day was in 1970.

3, Earth Day went global in 1990. Twenty years after it was born, a demonstration mobilized more than 200 million people in 141 countries, and it gave major attention to recycling, and energy use, among other environmental issues.

4. Nowadays, about 1 billion people recognize Earth Day each year. Social Media has been very important to communicate with people and increase awareness.

5. Canada has 20% of the world’s total freshwater.

6. Vancouver has one of the purest waters in the world. You can drink straight from the tap. Not only will you help your health by drinking water of more quality than most bottled water you find at supermarkets, but also, you will help the planet as there are no plastic bottles needed!

Our director, Cecilia Teixeira, shot this movie during one of her private tours around the Canadian Rocky Mountains. Come to explore Canada with us and learn more about our natural resources!