Celebrate, Educate, and Make a Difference Celebrate Earth Day with Parks & Rec. This week-long event brings the Virginia Beach community together to raise awareness about environmental issues and promote sustainable practices. Immerse yourself in earth-focused activities all week long. Earth Day 1970 Earth Day was actually established on April 22, 1970, by Gaylord Nelson, a former U.S. Senator from Wisconsin. Nelson came up with the idea for a national day to focus on the environment after he witnessed the ravages of a massive oil spill in Santa Barbara, California, in 1969. Twenty million Americans - at the time, 10% of the total population of the United States - took to the streets, parks, and auditoriums to demonstrate a healthy, sustainable environment in massive coast-to-coast rallies.