Nearly 30 years ago, two men decided it was time to take notice of the earth. Today, one year before the 30th anniversary of Earth Day, they are launching Earth Day 2000.

According to an Earth Day Network news release, Denis Hayes, now the chairman of the Earth Day Network, will join with other decision-makers at UN Headquarters in New York City today to use Earth Day '99 as a platform to launch Earth Day 2000.

Earth Day 2000 is a year-long campaign that will create a global network dealing with environmental issues, including energy and global warming, according to the release.

"A year-long whirlwind of education and activism will focus on how energy is produced and used, and its impacts on human health, air, water, land use, and wildlife," according to the release.

The first Earth Day was launched by Former U.S. Sen. Gaylord Nelson and Denis Hayes on April 22, 1970 as a way to celebrate the earth and educate people on the importance of the environment, said Lisa Hannah, the director of volunteer services at the Earth Day Coalition in Cleveland. As the day has grown in size, plans for a larger celebration have taken form in Earth Day 2000.

She said the founders originally wanted to have a day set aside to celebrate the earth, bringing attention to environmental tragedies going on at the time. They wanted people to be aware of the different environmental issues and to know how they could help.

The first Earth Day brought out 20 million people nationwide, and the numbers have continued to grow since then, said James Urbati, the director of operations at the Earth Day Network.

For the 20th anniversary in 1990, the Earth Day Network held an event that involved 200 million people in 141 countries. Earth Day 2000 is expected to involve 500 million people worldwide.

Urbati said Earth Day 2000 will address energy issues, and said it is an ideal time to focus on that issue.

"The time and tide is right to make a switch from fossil fuel to renewable energy sources," he said.

While events for the upcoming anniversary are surfacing, festivities for this year's celebration are under way as well.

In Cleveland, the 10th annual Earth Fest will be held this weekend in honor of the earth, Hannah said. The fest is a way for people to come together to celebrate the earth, and is usually held the weekend before or after Earth Day.

Locally, Ohio University's Campus Greens organized a week of events in an attempt to educate the community. Today's events include a rally to show support for Dysart Woods and a mass bike ride to draw attention to alternate modes of transportation.

Hannah said more and more people are realizing the importance of the earth and getting involved with Earth Day.

"The environment is within everyone," she said. "It affects us all."