This incredible video shows how the Earth has changed since the first Earth Day, and there’s good and bad news

It may seem bleak when we think about all the damage humans have done to the planet, but it’s not all bad news. Sure, we’ve done some real harm, but we’ve also come a long way in the ways and campaigns in which we try to save our planet. The Earth has really changed in the last few decades, and we have to acknowledge these changes if we’re going to help the cause.

Luckily, The American Natural History Museum in New York has put together a short video to highlight how the Earth has changed since the very first Earth day in 1970. There’s definitely some bad news in the how our planet has suffered, but there is also a lot of really encouraging news.

The video takes a look about at the last 47 years, and how different things look now versus back then.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xClCgciaSYM?feature=oembed

The ANHM is doing their part to educate Americans about the effects of our existence on the planet. The video highlights the growing population of our planet and the temperature fluctuations we’re experiencing as a result of the melting ice caps.

But before you get discouraged, the video offers some really good news.

Modern cars and trucks are 99% cleaner than they were on the first Earth Day. The US has banned the destructive use of pesticides such as DDT, and bald eagles have returned from the brink of extinction.

So, while we still have a long way to go to repair the damage humans have inflicted on the planet, it looks like we’re definitely on the right track.

Organizations like the ANHM work to keep our Earth clean and protected everyday, and you can join the fight as well.

Don't let science go extinct! #EarthDay pic.twitter.com/LaDk04T7b9

— American Museum of Natural History (@AMNH) April 22, 2017

You can support the American Natural History Museum, even if you don’t live in New York City. Visit their website to find out how you can contribute in your area or donate to their causes. We all live on the Earth — so let’s take care of it.