On the right is the 2015 Earth Day Celebration poster and on the left is the original 1970 Earth Day poster. 
McCormick sophomore Dan Li and McCormick freshman Alexander Martin of NUSolar were some of many students manning booths at the event. 
McCormick junior Rebecca Glaser, the education chair of SEED, talks with McCormick sophomore Lindsey Jones, a member of the ASG sustainability committee. 
Weinberg junior Jessie Moravek leads a group of students in tie dying shirts. Students paid $10 to tie-dye a special earth day shirt. 
Keith Woodhouse, a history professor, describes "Project Survivor," the Earth Day event organized by Northwestern Students for a Better Environment in 1970. According to Woodhouse, thousands of people were in attendance at that event. 
Students and faculty mingle in the Willens Atrium in Tech. Willens Atrium is where the first Earth Day occurred in 1970. The Earth Day Celebration included catered food, music, activities and a history of Earth Day.
More than 60 Northwestern students gathered Wednesday evening to celebrate the anniversary of the the very first Earth Day event held at Northwestern University.
"Thousands of people attended, from Evanston and Chicago and all across the Mid-West," said Northwestern history professor Keith Woodhouse in a keynote about the event.
Titled "Project Survival" by its student organizers, the gathering called attention to environmental concerns of pollution through a "teach-in" held in Tech. Northwestern students commemorated the original event with a brief presentation by Woodhouse, music, tie-dyeing and booths with information about different environmental groups on campus.
"A special shout-out goes to the Northwestern library," said Neal Blair, professor of civil and environmental engineering. "They pulled out material from the first Northwestern event, including the poster we have on display."
SESP junior Renee Wellman, an active member of Wild Roots, said she was surprised that Northwestern was one of the first schools to celebrate the holiday.
"I had no idea we had the first Earth Day," the 21-year-old said. "I think that it's exciting to be a part of such a great tradition."
Christie Wood, one of the environmental science representatives for the Weinberg Student Advisory Board, helped organize the event. She said she aimed to inform and engage Northwestern students in different sustainability efforts.
"I hope that students can learn a little bit about Earth Day," the Weinberg senior said. "It also helps foster the community of environmental groups on Northwestern's campus."