Answer:
The very first Earth day was on April 22, 1970. Earth Day 1970 was said by Rome to be very powerful. Nelson was in his fifties when he had the original idea to start the movement, but the committee that brought his idea to life was largely made up of students and civil rights organizers, as represented in this excerpt from the article:
"The young people at the time “thought they could really change the world,” Rome said. Over the decades, he saw that mindset fade. But Rome believes that a sense of urgency and empowerment is re-emerging among teenagers. In March, for instance, more than 1.4 million young people worldwide participated in the Youth Climate Strike, a climate protest spearheaded by 16-year-old Swedish activist Greta Thunberg. Kids, just as in the 1970s, are beginning to shake things up.”
The author makes a connection by comparing the enthusiasm seen on Earth Day 1970 to some of the current youth climate strikes we've had today.