45 years: Time since the first Earth Day, in 1970. (Alexander Gerst/ESA via Getty Images)

It’s been 45 years since the first Earth Day, a moment that’s come to symbolize a movement for bettering the planet. It’s not only about how far we have left to go in terms of helping the Earth, but also how far we’ve come.

The latter may actually surprise you.

Here a look at some facts amazing facts — by the numbers — about the Earth, the movement, the issues that still plague us and many actions we already take to prevent making the situation worse.

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Sources, in order of appearance in slideshow above: Earth Day Network, U.S. Energy Information Administration, Earth Day Network, American Public Transportation Association (x3), U.S. Census Bureau, Environmental Protection Agency, National Geographic, EPA (x2), National Conference of State Legislatures, EPA (x7), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Water.org, Natural Resources Defense Council, 350.org (x2), Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, American Forests, U.S. Census Bureau/Solar Energy Industries Association, American Wind Energy Association, U.S. Energy Information Administration, Nuclear Energy Institute, EPA, NOAA’s Tsunami Warning Center, PBS, U.S. Geological Survey, EPA (x2), Center for American Progress/Washington Post, United Nations, U.S. Department of Agriculture, United Nations, Natural Resources Defense Council, EPA, NASA.

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