Earth Day 2026: The 55th Anniversary and a Burning Reality for WNC

WNC -- April 19, 2026: Wednesday, April 22, marks Earth Day 2026. This year is the 55th Anniversary of the movement that began in 1970. To understand why we call it the 55th, you have to look at 1970 as "Year Zero"—the day of birth. The first anniversary didn't occur until 1971, which brings us to this major milestone today.What began as a "teach-in" involving 20 million Americans has evolved into a global movement of over 1 billion people. However, for 55 years, Earth Day has often been treate