This small blue planet is the place we all call home, and Earth Day, April 22, is our chance to both celebrate and defend it. Earth day events are often scheduled for the weekends before or after 22 April. Many communities and groups choose to organize environmental activities over the longer period of Earth Week (the week before Earth Day) or even Earth Month (the whole month of April).

Each year, Earth Day inspires a groundswell of grassroots action in communities around the world. People from Peru to India, and from Ireland to the USA take part in Earth Day events and actions which educate, spread awareness and push for tangible change. Every voice counts; every action matters. Earth Day is based on the simple philosophy that ordinary people, acting together, can achieve extraordinary things.

Sierra Club volunteers are organizing Earth Day campaigns across America. Volunteers will put up over 14,000 localized yard signs proclaiming "we can do better," by cleaning up our air and water, protecting our families from toxic pollution, and conserving the land we love.

In one city, the local government has joined with Home Depot to sponsor Earth Day. Electronics, waste tires, and hard bound books are being collected. Aluminum cans will be bought. Door prizes, cash for cans and a $1000 gift certificate to Home Depot for pledging to recycle are all activities planned. Another local group is sponsoring a dive trip to different wrecks in the area waters to remove fishing tackle and other debris.

Earth Day Network is an alliance of 5,000 groups in 184 countries working to promote a healthy environment and a peaceful, just, sustainable world. This network operates yearround, connecting environmentalists across the globe and strengthening and promoting their work.

Whether you organize an Earth Day event, take part in one, or make a personal commitment to the Earth in honor of Earth Day, you are a vital part of the Earth Day movement.

By acting in concert, all over the planet, who says we can't change the world?

Ordinary people, acting together, can achieve extraordinary things