Weather Words: Earth Day

Whether you look to the sky and spot a bald eagle or take a sip of fresh, clean drinking water, Earth Day 1970 is to thank. This bold move of millions of Americans to take to the streets and advocate for national change was one of the most pivotal environmental moments in American history.

Richard Nixon began signing laws into place, regulating everything from our waterways, to the air we breathe, to protecting the animals. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was established to help protect human and environmental health by enforcing important regulations. Since 1970, we have seen massive improvement in our environment and water quality.

Levels of lead in our atmosphere have declined by 98%. Vehicles are as much as 95% cleaner than they used to be. And sulfur dioxide emissions from power plants are down 90%, all because of the Clean Air Act.

While we still have a long way to go when it comes to a clean and stable environment, Earth Day has shown us that change can happen if we all do our part.

Jennifer Gray is a weather and climate writer for weather.com. She has been covering some of the world's biggest weather and climate stories for the last two decades.