The necessity of taking care of the planet upon which we live becomes more imperative each day. We hear of changes in weather patterns; increased pollution; problems caused by overpopulation, and shortages of food, water, and the basic necessities of life. In response to those concerns, Earth Day was established in 1970.
Table of Contents
Our Earth Day Trivia article challenges your knowledge of the reasons for the observance and the people and places involved in the celebration. Additionally, we have included questions about our planet to see how much you know about the environment in which we live.
We begin with Earth Day Trivia for Adults, with questions covering the span of years since Earth Day’s inception and some environmental events adults should be familiar with. Next, we have Earth Day Trivia for Students emphasizing those facts students should learn in school about our planet and the celebration of Earth Day. Our Earth Day Trivia for Kids features the kinds of facts and questions younger children learn at an early age. Finally, we have Earth Day Trivia Questions presented in the form of a quiz with the questions and answers listed separately to challenge your knowledge.
Earth Day Trivia for Adults
In this section, we have concentrated on facts about Earth Day you have probably gleaned since its establishment in 1970 – people, places, organizations, and environmental facts. See how many you remember, then share it with your family and friends. This list is also great for an adult Earth Day Trivia game.
- What was the reason Earth Day’s date was chosen?
- What day is Equinox Earth Day?
- How many countries celebrate Earth Day?
- What country had 100,000 commuters ride bikes to protest air pollution and carbon emissions in 2012?
- Where was the American nuclear disaster that resulted from a partial reactor meltdown in 1979?
- The oil spill that occurred in 2010 and caused massive environmental damage in the Gulf of Mexico is called what?
- What is the name of the US President who established the EPA and also passed the National Environmental Education Act, the Occupational Safety and Health Act, and the Clean Air Act in 1970?
- What is the name of the U.S. President who joined Gaylord Nelson for a multi-state conservation-themed tour?
- What is the name of the 1968 book that warned of the dangers of overpopulation?
- Who was the famous poet who attended the first Earth Day event in Philadelphia?
- What is the international agreement aimed at combating climate change called?
- Which American President signed the Paris Agreement?
- What is the name of the President who honored Gaylord Nelson with the Presidential Medal of Freedom?
- What is the name of the organization formed to protect marine species and habitats?
- In 2009, the United Nations gave what official name to Earth Day?
- Why was leaded gas introduced in 1923?
- Congressmen with poor environmental records were referred to as what in 1970?
- What is the name of the bestselling book that warned of the effects of pesticides?
- What country has the highest electric car use per capita?
- Which two countries produce the most greenhouse gas emissions?
- Which two Hollywood actors spoke at Union Square in New York City on the first Earth Day?
- What is the name of the person who took Earth Day international?
- Which American President worked as a national park ranger?
- What plastic item should always be cut before disposal to prevent animals from becoming entangled?
- What is the name of the famous photographer known for his pictures of Yosemite National Park?
- What common household material did the US EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) in 1996 issue regulations requiring that home buyers and renters be informed of the presence of lead in?
Earth Day Trivia for Students
Students need to know about the earth to protect it. Therefore, our Earth Day Trivia for Students includes several geographic questions and facts one learns in school. Even if you are not a student, you may wish to give these trivia questions a try. If you have kids, compete with them to see who knows the most Earth Day trivia.
- Which United States national park has the Hoh Rain Forest?
- The main goal of the Stockholm Convention of 2001 was to reduce what chemical substances known to bioaccumulate posing a risk to human health?
- What and where is the largest rainforest in the world?
- What is the name of the layer in the Earth’s stratosphere responsible for absorbing most of the ultraviolet radiation reaching the earth from the sun?
- What is the primary cause of the hole in the ozone layer?
- What is the longest continental mountain range in the world?
- Which river in the United States is the longest?
- What group of items causes the most litter?
- The Jane Goodall Institute is a conservation organization dedicated to protecting what?
- What mountain is the highest in the world?
- What is the name of the highest mountain peak in North America?
- What is the name of the largest glacier in the world?
- What is the name of the largest patch of garbage in the ocean?
- What name was given to the nuclear power plant explosion that occurred in 1986 in Ukraine?
- What is the name of earth’s largest coral reef system?
- What is the name of the earth’s largest desert?
- What is the major cause of global warming?
- Who is considered the founder of Earth Day?
- How long can it take a Styrofoam cup to decompose?
- What term is used to describe the loss of species and habitats due to human activities?
- What term is used to describe the process by which trees convert carbon dioxide into oxygen?
- Which US state has the most national parks?
- What is the name of the Swedish environmental activist who worked to address the problem of climate change at a very young age?
- In which US state is Yellowstone National Park located?
- In 1969, what American river caught fire prompting multiple pollution control measures?
- What is the name of the Soviet nuclear plant that exploded, causing what is widely considered the worst nuclear disaster in history?
- What is the theme of Earth Day 2023?
Earth Day Trivia for Kids
Schools in most countries (over 190 countries celebrate Earth Day) teach students a great deal about our environment and how to protect it. We have chosen Earth Day facts most of them have learned and are familiar with. Kids like superlatives – the most, the greatest, the least, etc. – and remember them, so we have included several.
- What percentage of the world’s water is freshwater?
- What percentage of the world’s water is saltwater?
- In what country did Earth Day originate?
- What is one of the most obvious signs of climate change?
- Why is the earth called a “Goldilocks Planet”?
- In which US state did the Exxon Valdez oil spill occur?
- What is the source of most of Earth’s breathable air?
- The melting of the Greenland ice sheet is threatening the survival of what animal?
- The highest temperature on record happened where according to the World Meteorological Organization?
- What is the coldest place on Earth?
- What is the rainiest place on earth?
- What is the largest continent in the world?
- What is the smallest continent in the world?
- What is the most polluted country in the world?
- What is the least polluted country in the world?
- What are the three “R’s” of managing waste?
- What is the name given to Earth Day by the United Nations?
- The World Wildlife Fun (WWF) uses what animal as its symbol?
- What is the largest marine mammal?
- What bird, a symbol of the United States, was removed from the endangered species list in 2007?
- What is the biggest country by land area in the world?
- What is the biggest city in the world?
- What is the leading source of energy in the United States?
- What two items are the most common trash thrown away by Americans?
- What item generates the most trash in the world?
- Google introduced their first Earth Day doodle in what year?
- What item is recycled the most?
- How many times can paper be recycled?
- About how many years does it take for a plastic bottle to decompose?
- About how much trash does one person produce a day?
- Which two materials can be recycled over and over forever?
- What is the name given to the first photograph taken from space by Apollo 17?
- What act did Congress pass in 1973 to protect animals and their ecosystems?
Earth Day Trivia Questions
Now its time to see how much you know about Earth Day. We have listed the questions and answers separately so that you can easily quiz yourself and your friends. This list is great as a party game or for trivia night at your local pub.
- About how many people participate in Earth Day every year?
- Food waste contributes what percentage to the world’s greenhouse gas emissions?
- What happened to the running water on Mars that once carved canyons and other features into its surface?
- What is the name of the 1997 global agreement to reduce greenhouse gases signed by virtually every country in the world except for the United States?
- What is the name of the country that produces the most energy in the world?
- What is the name of the international agreement which set the groundwork for phasing out chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and other substances known to deplete the ozone layer?
- What is the largest active volcano in the world?
- What is the name of the conservation organization established to protect the rainforests?
- What is the largest living reptile species?
- What is the name of the largest national park?
- What is the world’s largest source of renewable energy?
- What organization was responsible for largely funding the first Earth Day?
- What percentage of donated clothing ends up in incinerators and landfills?
- What percentage of plastic do we globally recycle?
- Where is the largest solar power plant in the world currently located?
- Where should batteries be disposed of?
- Where was the first wind turbine designed for electrical power developed?
- In 2009, where was the United Nations Climate Change Conference held?
- What is the name of the automobile pollution control technology that became universally adopted following the Clean Air Act Extension of 1970?
- In what country were 28 million trees planted for the Earth Day “Plant Trees, Not Bombs” campaign in 2011?
- Which country generates nearly 100% of its energy through geothermal and hydroelectric plants?
- Which country wastes the most food annually?
- Which former politician narrated the Oscar-winning 2006 documentary that warned about climate change called An Inconvenient Truth?
- What country is known as a global waste management and recycling leader?
- What is a commonly used item that cannot be recycled?
- Which regions have experienced the most effects of global warming so far?
- What is the name of the environmentally dam project considered to be the most destructive of all time because over 1.2 million people were displaced, 13 cities flooded, polluted factories were submersed, and it was located on top of geologic fault lines?
Becoming aware of Earth’s ecological needs was the foundation for the establishment of Earth Day. Hopefully, increasing your knowledge of Earth Day and its purpose will help you become more responsible for making sound ecological decisions. If we all do our part, we can make our planet healthier and more supportive of all life. Remember, “Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle!
Susan majored in English with a double minor in Humanities and Business at Arizona State University and earned a Master’s degree in Educational Administration from Liberty University. She taught grades four through twelve in both public and private schools. Subjects included English, U.S. and world history and geography, math, earth and physical science, Bible, information technologies, and creative writing.
Susan has been freelance writing for over ten years, during which time she has written and edited books, newspaper articles, biographies, book reviews, guidelines, neighborhood descriptions for realtors, Power Point presentations, resumes, and numerous other projects.
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