Earth Day 50

Images of our world from recent years, glimpses into aspects of our environment, how it affects and sustains us, and how we affect it

Earth Day was first organized in 1970 to remember and appreciate the environment, and our responsibilities and roles within it. On April 22, 2020, we observe the 50th Earth Day, and though many improvements have been made, environmental challenges remain. In the past five decades, the population of the Earth has more than doubled—more than 75 percent of the people alive today were born after 1970—and the increased demand on our limited resources makes sustainable solutions even more important. Collected here are 31 images of our world from recent years, each a glimpse into some aspect of our environment, how it affects and sustains us, and how we affect it.