You have to say this about 2020: It hasn’t been boring. But even as our global focus has been on a virus, climate change continues to take a toll on our planet. The need for increased environmental protection remains a constant. Climate change is the focus of Earth Day 2020, to be held on April 22nd, and all of April is Earth Month. Our celebrations of Earth Day might look a little different this year than they have in years past, but there are still things that all of us can do to mark the occasion and prove our commitment to protecting the only Earth we have.
Earth Day 2020: A Half-Century Milestone
The first Earth Day was held on April 22, 1970, the brainchild of environmentalist Wisconsin senator Gaylord Nelson. He proposed the event as a means to increase public demonstration around environmental issues, with the goal of forcing the government to take more action around environmental protection. His plan worked. Twenty million people (10 percent of the American population at the time!) participated in public rallies and marches. That December, as a direct response to the Earth Day campaign, Congress authorized the establishment of the Environmental Protection Agency. The Clean Water Act and Endangered Species Act were also passed in connection with Earth Day efforts.
(Fun fact: Earth Day celebrations happen all around the globe, but not always on April 22nd. The United Nations observes Earth Day on the vernal equinox in March, and many other countries and communities celebrate the occasion then as well.)
This year marks the 50th annual Earth Day. The official theme is “climate action.” Earth Day organizers are urging participants to take steps to reduce their carbon footprints, learn more about climate change and make more sustainable choices around shopping, travel and food consumption.
How You Can Participate
Businesses and individuals can take any number of actions, big and small, to observe Earth Day 2020. Of course, the uncertainty around COVID-19 makes it hard to predict how “normal” the world will look by April 22nd, and how prepared citizens will be to participate in the celebrations. This year, it may even be necessary to delay some Earth Day observations until later in spring.
In any case, your company can take several steps to show its commitment to environmental protection and climate action, whether on April 22 or beyond.
- Designate a company “day of action.” For some companies, this means asking employees to participate in a group volunteer activity such as cleaning up a local park. There’s a lot of room for variation here, and how (and when) you take action depends on your specific workplace. Maybe your company will mark Earth Day by planting a dozen new trees outside your building this summer and swapping out plastic utensils for reusable versions in the break room. EarthDay.org has resources for anyone looking for more ideas.
- Make a donation. This is something your company can make happen on Earth Day itself, no matter what’s going on in the world. Donate money to a local environmental nonprofit or a group fighting climate change. Depending on your industry, there may be creative ways you can use your goods and/or services to support local environmental efforts. If your town organizes Earth Day activities, could you be a sponsor? Earth Day is the perfect time to identify those opportunities – and because you can share these updates on your social media channels, making donations also communicates to your client base that your company is environmentally conscious and committed to supporting its community.
- Assess your own in-house practices. It’s one thing to talk-the-talk about supporting climate action, but would your employees say you’re walking the walk? This Earth Day, could you look for ways to lessen your company’s environmental impact? This could include anything from minor tweaks, like switching out old light bulbs for energy-efficient versions, to major shifts, like changing your telecommuting policies to permanently allow employees to work from home instead of commuting.
- Improve your recycling procedures. Are you sending recyclable materials to landfills, and contributing to the creation of greenhouse gases, because you’re not sure how to deal with these materials? Miller Recycling can help any company design and continually execute a recycling program that makes sense for your business.
This year, you might not have the bandwidth to put together a full slate of Earth Day activities – but renewing your commitment to responsible recycling practices is a great starting point.
Miller Recycling is here to help your business make its recycling process easy, efficient and environmentally responsible. We’ll even do a site visit to evaluate your needs. This Earth Day, reach out to Miller Recycling with any questions.