Earth Hour (not to be confused with Earth Day) this year was a smashing success with over 4,000 cities and towns in 88 countries participating after its first year as a global event.

Hard on the heels of Earth Hour is Earth Day on April 22; another global event that has been around for a lot longer. Some places also celebrate Earth Week or Earth Month by organizing a series of environmental activities throughout the month of April.

The Earth Day concept was founded by Senator Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin and organized by Denis Hayes in 1970. Earth Day Network is based on the premise that all people have a moral right to a healthy, sustainable environment.

Earth Day Network has over 17,000 partners and organizations in 174 countries. Over 1 billion people participate in Earth Day activities, making it the largest secular civic event in the world.

This year's Earth Day will see the launch of the Green Generation Campaign; a two-year project that will end on the  40th anniversary of Earth Day in 2010. The special focus areas of the Green Generation Campaign will be:

- A carbon-free future based on renewable energy that will end our common dependency on fossil fuels, including coal.

- An individual’s commitment to responsible, sustainable consumption.

- Creation of a new green economy that lifts people out of poverty by creating millions of quality green jobs and transforms the global education system into a green one.

Learn more about Earth day events in your town/state/country or view resources for setting up your own Earth Day event.