Civics trivia

Published 1:30 am Wednesday, April 22, 2026

Presented by the League of Women Voters in honor of Earth Day.

1) When was the first celebration of Earth Day in the United States?

a) 1965.

b) 1970.

c) 1975.

2) Which member of Congress came up with the idea of Earth Day?

a) U.S. Rep. Gerald Ford.

b) U.S. Sen. Gaylord Nelson.

c) U.S. Sen. Edmund Muskie.

3) What book is widely credited with stimulating interest in Earth Day?

a) “Silent Spring” by Rachel Carson.

b) “The Sheep Look Up” by John Brunner.

c) “Pollution: The Air We Breathe” by Claire Jones.

Last week’s answers:

1) When was the Endangered Species Act passed in Congress? Answer: 1973.

2) What was not an aim of the Endangered Species Act? Answer: To compensate private landowners for the loss of land value resulting from habitat protection on their property.

3) How many domestic species have been listed as threatened or endangered since the Endangered Species Act was implemented? Answer: 1,732.