How You Can Help the Planet on Earth Day

For 55 years, Earth Day has been raising awareness and advocating for the planet. This includes taking action on critically important environmental issues like clean air, oceans, wildlife, and eco-systems. In 2025, the Earth Day theme is Our Power, Our Planet with the goal of tripling clean power by 2030, according to the organization’s website.

With over 192 countries participating, Earth Day is as dedicated as day one to the strength of grassroots-people-power to be the catalyst behind saving the Earth. Many of the solutions, like renewable energy, already exist.

In the past decade, the  US solar capacity has grown ten-fold with California and Florida leading the way. A third of the homes in Australia use solar power and in Uruguay 98 percent of the country’s electricity comes from renewable sources.

The Origins of Earth Day
The first Earth Day was celebrated in 1970 and was spearheaded by senator Gaylord Nelson from Wisconsin, reported the Des Moines Register. Nelson had been concerned about the environment, and he wanted to educate people about problems like toxic  pesticides, air pollution and contaminated drinking water. He joined with Pete McCloskey, a California congressman and Denis Hayes, a community activist, to organize campus teach-ins on April 22.

As the events were promoted around the country, the name Earth Day was coined and the media started covering the cause. On that first Earth Day, 20 million Americans participated from student walk-outs to teach-ins, to environmental activities.

This led to serious political efforts to help the environment, including the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency, and legislation like the Clean Air Act and the EPA.

How to Participate
There are a myriad of ways you can participate in Earth Day. You can plan your own event, or you can use the Earth Day 2025 Network Global Event Map to discover nearby projects. You can also add your event by clicking here.

While renewable power is the main theme, there are still other ways you can help take care of the earth according to The Almanac. Here are just a few.

Support Pollinators
Bring bees and other pollinators to your garden by planting flowers and plants that are pollinator-friendly. You can build a bee house for native bees and participate in No Mow May; a grass-roots initiative to help pollinators.

Conserve Water
You can conserve water in your garden by avoiding overwatering and watering at soil level. In your home you can turn off the water while brushing your teeth, washing your dishes, and installing low-water-use toilets and shower heads.

Plant a Tree
Trees are particularly important for the planet. They provide shade, homes for animals, and capture carbon. Besides planting trees in your own yard, you can participate in a tree planting event as well as advocating for your local municipality to plant more trees.  

Visit a Park
What’s better to do on Earth Day than to go outdoors and enjoy nature? It’s good for your body and your soul. As an added bonus, go to a National Park since Earth Day falls during National Parks Week.

Whatever you choose to do, remember that you are part of a larger community that is helping to take care of the Earth.