On April 22, 2010, the Earth will be the spotlight of people all over the world as we celebrate Earth Day 2010. Earth Day, which was founded by Senator Gaylord Nelson after he took a trip to Santa Barbara to witness an oil spill, began as an environmental teach-in held on April 22, 1970 (making this the 40th Earth Day), and is celebrated by more than 175 countries around the world as people observe how we can help the planet out.

The first Earth Day was focused strictly on the United States before going international in 1990 thanks to a gentleman by the name of Dennis Hayes, who was the national coordinator of the event at the time. Hayes, who joined in the organization by taking a trip to Washington, D.C. to meet Nelson after reading an article the Senator had written about the oil spill he witnessed, later made efforts to spread word over Earth Day to other countries. And now thanks in large part to the efforts of these two men, the annual event has led millions all over the planet to become more aware of the actions they take and the impact they can have on the Earth.

If you’re interested in how you can make an effort to help Earth out, start by doing little things such as taking a short shower (a five-minute shower takes 10-25 gallons of water) versus a bath (which can use about 70 gallons of water), buying a washing machine that conserves water and turn off the lights when you leave a room. Be sure to search for other ways to help conserve our Earth and enjoy this year’s Earth Day 2010.