Celebrate Earth Day (April 22) with this interactive quiz about our planet, climate, wildlife, and sustainability. Earth Day began in 1970 when U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson launched a national environmental teach-in to raise awareness about pollution and conservation.

Test your knowledge with these 30 Google-style Earth Day questions.

🌎 Round 1 – Earth Day Basics

1. On which date is Earth Day celebrated each year?

A. April 12
B. April 22
C. May 1
D. June 5

✅ Answer: B – April 22

Explanation:
Earth Day is celebrated on April 22 every year. The date was chosen in 1970 to encourage maximum student participation in environmental activities.

2. In what year was the first Earth Day celebrated?

A. 1950
B. 1965
C. 1970
D. 1985

✅ Answer: C – 1970

Explanation:
The first Earth Day took place on April 22, 1970, when around 20 million Americans joined protests and events advocating environmental protection.

3. Who founded Earth Day?

A. Al Gore
B. Gaylord Nelson
C. Greta Thunberg
D. David Attenborough

✅ Answer: B – Gaylord Nelson

Explanation:
U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson created Earth Day after witnessing the environmental damage caused by the 1969 Santa Barbara oil spill.

4. Approximately how many people participate in Earth Day globally?

A. 100 million
B. 500 million
C. 1 billion
D. 2 billion

✅ Answer: C – 1 billion

Explanation:
Earth Day now involves more than one billion people worldwide, making it the largest civic event focused on environmental awareness.

5. What is the main goal of Earth Day?

A. Economic development
B. Environmental awareness
C. Space exploration
D. Tourism

✅ Answer: B – Environmental awareness

Explanation:
Earth Day aims to raise awareness about environmental issues, including pollution, climate change, deforestation, and biodiversity loss.

🌱 Round 2 – Planet Earth Facts

6. About how much of Earth’s surface is covered by water?

A. 50%
B. 60%
C. 71%
D. 85%

✅ Answer: C – 71%

Explanation:
Approximately 71% of Earth’s surface is covered by water, mostly in the oceans. Only about 29% is land.

7. Which layer of Earth’s atmosphere contains most weather?

A. Troposphere
B. Mesosphere
C. Stratosphere
D. Thermosphere

✅ Answer: A – Troposphere

Explanation:
The troposphere is the lowest layer of Earth’s atmosphere where clouds, storms, and weather occur.

8. What gas do trees absorb from the atmosphere?

A. Nitrogen
B. Oxygen
C. Carbon dioxide
D. Hydrogen

✅ Answer: C – Carbon dioxide

Explanation:
Trees absorb carbon dioxide during photosynthesis and release oxygen, helping regulate Earth’s climate.

9. Which rainforest is often called the “lungs of the Earth”?

A. Congo Rainforest
B. Amazon Rainforest
C. Daintree Rainforest
D. Sundarbans

✅ Answer: B – Amazon Rainforest

Explanation:
The Amazon Rainforest is the largest rainforest on Earth and plays a major role in global oxygen production and carbon storage.

10. What are the “3 Rs” of sustainability?

✅ Answer: Reduce – Reuse – Recycle

Explanation:
These principles help reduce waste and conserve resources by minimizing consumption and promoting recycling.

🌿 Round 3 – Climate & Sustainability

11. Which international agreement aims to limit global warming?

✅ Answer: Paris Climate Agreement

Explanation:
The Paris Agreement (2015) aims to limit global warming to below 2°C, ideally 1.5°C, compared to pre-industrial levels.

12. What type of energy comes from sunlight?

✅ Answer: Solar energy

Explanation:
Solar panels convert sunlight into electricity, making it one of the cleanest renewable energy sources.

13. Which gas contributes most to climate change?

✅ Answer: Carbon dioxide (CO₂)

Explanation:
CO₂ is released by burning fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and natural gas.

14. What is the term for the total greenhouse gases caused by a person or activity?

✅ Answer: Carbon footprint

Explanation:
A carbon footprint measures the total greenhouse gas emissions caused directly or indirectly by individuals or organizations.

15. Which renewable energy source uses moving air to generate electricity?

✅ Answer: Wind energy

Explanation:
Wind turbines convert the kinetic energy of wind into electricity without producing greenhouse gases.

🐨 Round 4 – Country-Specific Environmental Knowledge

16. Which U.S. agency was created shortly after the first Earth Day?

✅ Answer: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

Explanation:
The EPA was established in 1970 to regulate pollution and protect human health and the environment.

17. Which Canadian province has the largest forest area?

✅ Answer: Quebec

Explanation:
Quebec has vast boreal forests that play an important role in carbon storage and wildlife habitats.

18. The Great Smog of 1952 occurred in which UK city?

✅ Answer: London

Explanation:
The Great Smog of London caused thousands of deaths and led to the Clean Air Act of 1956.

19. What famous coral reef is located in Australia?

✅ Answer: The Great Barrier Reef

Explanation:
The Great Barrier Reef is the world’s largest coral reef system and is visible from space.

20. Which freshwater lake is the largest by surface area?

✅ Answer: Lake Superior

Explanation:
Lake Superior, located between the USA and Canada, is the largest freshwater lake in the world by surface area.

🌍 Round 5 – Advanced Earth Day Trivia

21. Which environmental book sparked the modern environmental movement?

✅ Answer: Silent Spring (Rachel Carson)

Explanation:
Published in 1962, the book exposed the harmful effects of pesticides such as DDT.

22. Approximately what percentage of plastic waste is recycled globally?

✅ Answer: About 9%

Explanation:
Most plastic waste ends up in landfills, incinerators, or oceans.

23. Which ocean is the deepest?

✅ Answer: Pacific Ocean

Explanation:
The Pacific Ocean contains the Mariana Trench, the deepest point on Earth.

24. What is the largest hot desert on Earth?

✅ Answer: Sahara Desert

Explanation:
The Sahara covers about 9.2 million square kilometers across North Africa.

25. Which famous NASA photo of Earth helped inspire environmental awareness?

✅ Answer: Earthrise

Explanation:
The Earthrise photograph, taken by Apollo 8 astronauts in 1968, showed Earth rising above the Moon’s horizon.

🧠 Quiz Score Results