Earth Day 2025: What Is It And How Can You Make A Change

Modern life is convenient, but at a steep cost to our planet’s resources. It’s more important than ever to understand and address our impact. Earth Day is an annual reminder on April 22nd to focus on our environment and find a way to make sustainable energy a reality before it’s truly too late.

This year’s theme, “Our Power, Our Planet”, highlights that we all can make a difference, both as individuals and as collective organizations. The aim of this year’s Earth Day is to push for renewable energy generation to triple by 2030 on a global scale. 

Organizers of Earth Day suggest we can tackle this challenge by focusing on three key areas: People, Power, and Planet. Let’s look at some actionable ways to make a difference.

Alright, that big goal of tripling renewable energy sounds huge, right? But a surprising amount of power (pun intended!) starts right where you live. Let’s look at how your everyday energy choices make a concrete difference.

Think about it: the absolute greenest energy is the kind you don’t need to generate in the first place. Cutting down on waste makes the whole transition smoother. 

Get familiar with how your home uses energy. Are there drafts sucking heat out in winter or cool air in summer? Sealing those up or adding insulation can make a big difference. 

Simple swaps count too – switching old incandescent bulbs to LEDs uses way less electricity. When it’s time for a new appliance, look for those energy-efficient labels; they really do add up to savings for you and less strain on the grid.

See if your local utility offers a home energy audit. Sometimes they’re free or low-cost, and they pinpoint exactly where you’re losing energy.

Beyond using less energy, you can often choose cleaner energy. In many regions worldwide, you now have options for your electricity supplier.

Look into switching to a green power provider or a specific plan from your current utility that guarantees your electricity comes from 100 percent renewable sources like wind or solar. This sends a clear signal that you want more clean energy on the grid. You might be surprised by the options available in your area – it’s worth checking out!

Habits take a while to alter, but with some effort and intentional changes, the effects will add up.

Sorting out your own energy use is a fantastic start. However, tackling that big goal of tripling renewables needs more than individual tweaks. It requires pushing the bigger systems – policies, investments, corporate behavior. Channeling your energy into collective action can be surprisingly effective, even when you don’t immediately see the results.

One potent way to make waves is by supporting groups already fighting for clean energy policies. Think about organizations actively lobbying for things like:

• Streamlined permitting for new solar and wind farms
• Better incentives or tax credits for renewable installations
• Ending subsidies that keep fossil fuels artificially cheap
• Stronger requirements for utilities to use renewable sources

On a global scale, you see groups like Youth for Energy Southeast Asia (Y4E-SEA) mobilizing young people, or 350Africa.org giving citizens a platform to demand climate action – action that must include a rapid shift to renewables. There are even smaller niche organizations you can work with, such as Hortus Terringenus, a German non-profit organization focused on creating sustainable environments for bees and wildlife.

Find out who’s doing this work in your region. Supporting them (with time, skills, or donations if they align with energy goals) amplifies your voice considerably.

This idea of collective pressure extends to how we interact with businesses, too.

Instead of just quietly choosing Brand A over Brand B, consider joining forces with others to demand change from larger companies. 

Does a major brand you use rely heavily on fossil fuels or greenwash its energy claims? It’s all too easy for public figures or big corporations to claim they’re on the same side yet act differently. Public pressure works. 

Campaigns urging corporations to commit to 100 percent renewable energy (like the RE100 initiative) gain traction because customers and employees speak up together. Let companies know clean energy is a priority for you.

Expert SEO consultant and environmental advocate, Matt Tutt, shares some simple tips on how to use our choices as a consumer to make a difference.

You can also build power by connecting with others actively working in the clean energy or sustainability space. Seek out collaborators or service providers who share your commitment to a low-carbon future.

For instance, working with someone like Rose Newell, who specializes in sustainable web development, helps reduce the digital carbon footprint – a key part of the broader energy picture. Finding partners focused on sustainability reinforces the shift.

Whether it’s backing policy advocates, joining consumer campaigns, or collaborating with green professionals, using your power collectively is essential to accelerate the shift to renewable energy.

Supporting grassroots efforts is key, like we talked about. But let’s face it, big companies have a huge energy footprint. Nudging them towards clean energy from the inside? That can make some serious waves. You might have more influence than you think.

So, where do you start? Try talking to your HR department or leadership about the company’s energy picture. Go beyond general ESG chatter and ask specific questions related to that 2025 goal:

• Where does our company’s electricity currently come from?
• Do we have a target for using 100 percent renewable energy? If not, why not?
• Are we exploring options like installing solar panels on our buildings or signing long-term deals (Power Purchase Agreements) directly with renewable energy developers?
• How are we working to improve energy efficiency in our operations?

You can start by advocating with your employer. Speak to HR about their environmental, social and governance (ESG) policies.

If your company isn’t already making big moves on clean energy, maybe you can help kickstart things. Instead of just general green ideas, focus your energy on initiatives that directly support the renewable transition:

• Champion a “100% renewable” goal
• Dig deeper for installing on-site solar panels
• Advocate for energy efficiency audits

With so many people involved, Earth Day clearly has huge potential. But let’s be real; sometimes it can feel like our small actions don’t add up, especially compared to big global problems.

We might skip a plastic straw, but we still see news about millions of tons of plastic waste each year. We might choose food without palm oil, but millions of acres of forest are still cleared. It can feel discouraging.

Adding to this challenge, some companies or individuals use Earth Day to look green without making real changes – this is often called “greenwashing.” You might have heard about examples like:

• Volkswagen cheating emissions tests of their diesel vehicles
• HSBC and Lloyds banking groups promoting their green projects while funding fossil fuel industries
• McDonalds replacing plastic straws with non-biodegrable paper straws

But here’s the good news: Despite these challenges, individual actions do matter, especially when combined. Matt shares:

April 22nd is fast approaching, and hopefully we’ve shared enough to help you get stuck in on the day. But making a difference is a continuous effort. What will you do in the days, weeks and months beyond that?

It’s about building sustainable habits and looking for opportunities to make a positive impact in your daily life and work. Start today by taking small steps at home, then look to get involved in other projects. We can do it together!

Earth Day takes place every year on April 22nd, with a different theme chosen to focus on a specific environmental issue.

20 million people gathered for the first Earth Day 55 years ago. Since the event became a globally recognized day, over one billion people participate in raising awareness.

The first ever World Earth Day started in 1970 when Senator Gaylord Nelson responded to environmental pressures, such as:

• The Santa Barbara 1969 oil spill
• The Cuyahoga River fire
• Lack of regulation around environmental hazards

He began holding teach-in sessions to raise awareness of what’s happening to our planet, and how we can arrest the decline. The first Earth Day had 20 million participants helping with clean up projects all around America.

Since then, over one billion people participate in sustainable projects and efforts on the day itself.

Earth Day 2025’s poster was designed by the artist, Alexis Rockman. He shared his inspiration: