Updated March 2025
20 million people took to the streets for the very first Earth Day on April 22, 1970, and the Dayton Hudson Corporation, now known as Target, gave out free trees to its customers. Since then, businesses worldwide have found creative ways to mark the day, from building giant recycling sculptures to breaking a world record for collecting and shredding paper. Earth Day is an opportunity for organizations to celebrate a better future by raising awareness, taking stock of solutions, and investing in change. Here are a few ideas to help your organization engage staff, colleagues, and building tenants to show support for each other and the environment.
#1
ATTEND AN EARTH DAY EVENT
Online events exploded in popularity during the pandemic, and we expect them to remain an important tool since webinars and other virtual events have the potential to reach more people across different corporate campuses. So go ahead and explore what is happening in your community and beyond. Visit the Earth Day network for more.
Watch some of Great Forest’s past Earth Day webinars for ideas.
- Earth Day Webinar: Lessons From The World’s Waste
- Earth Day 2021 – Lessons from a Year of COVID-19: Managing Waste for a Sustainable Future
- Invest In Our Planet: How Addressing Food Waste and Plastics Are Key To Our Planet’s Future
#2
ORGANIZE YOUR OWN EVENT
Need an Earth Day event customized for your business or organization? Take a look at some ideas here and here. Ask your Great Forest representative for more ideas.
#3
SHARE SUSTAINABILITY TIPS
Put together a list of tips promoting good waste reduction and sustainability habits. Provide tips on what can be recycled, how to recycle right, and how to avoid wishful recycling (tossing items into the recycling bin that you hope or wish can be recycled). Share useful resources like these short 30-second videos on paper recycling and what to do with cardboard boxes, or download our Earth Day Guide: Towards a Zero Waste Business.
#4
EARTH DAY AT HOME
Can’t organize an Earth Day event in the office? Encourage your staff, colleagues or tenants to do something hands-on at home. Here are two ideas:
- Conduct a home waste audit! A home waste audit is a simplified version of a business waste audit. It involves going through your home waste streams over a period of days to sort and identify what you are sending to, or diverting from, the landfill. Put together a simple guide using information like this. This exercise will lead to a better understanding of waste generation that many will remember when they in the office. Besides, “dumpster” diving can be fun, especially with the kids.
- Organize a spring cleaning event. Spring is around the corner. Encourage workers to go through their homes to set aside reusable items in good condition that can be donated for reuse to communities in need. This guide, Transforming Waste – A Guide To Donating For Reuse, Avoiding Landfills, and list of donation resources can help.
#5
SAY THANK YOU
Show your staff, colleagues, and building tenants your support. Say “THANK YOU” for all their waste reduction and sustainability efforts over the years. This can be as simple as sending an email with facts and figures showcasing the success of your sustainability programs. Saying thank you also helps to raise awareness about your green efforts among those who might not already be contributing.
#6
ASK FOR ONE GREEN ACT
Ask employees, colleagues and tenants for one green act that they can do anywhere–at work or at home. It can be as simple as using a reusable mug instead of a single-use cup, going through their homes to set aside items for donation or recycling, or using a cloth rag instead of paper towels. Every act that reduces waste counts. Sharing photos of these green acts is one simple way to celebrate Earth Day and its champions.
#7
MAKE A COMPANY PLEDGE
Show your leadership. Make a company pledge to be more sustainable and resilient using Earth Day as your launching pad.
Think about both short-term and long-term strategies you can implement to reduce waste and make a big impact. Strategies such as Zero Waste will help you achieve sustainability goals, control your waste costs in the face of inflation, and give your public reputation a boost. Also consider certifications like LEED and TRUE Zero Waste, and carbon reporting.
In March 2021, Great Forest became TRUE certified to the Gold level for Zero Waste, with a diversion rate of 91.3%. See how we did it in this case study.
#8
SET A GOOD EXAMPLE FROM TOP DOWN
Sustainability programs succeed when there is buy-in, and that begins from the top down. Employees will take their cues from how seriously sustainability is viewed and treated by management. Making an Earth Day pledge is a good start.
Here is another example: One business wanted to reduce plastic water bottle waste. Instead of just installing water fountains, the company also bought reusable water bottles for every staff member. This paid off not just in less plastic waste, but the move sent a strong signal to employees that their company was serious about sustainability, and willing to invest in a solution to HELP THEM be less wasteful.
#9
SHARE YOUR SUCCESS
Sustainability is a group effort. Celebrate shared accomplishments. Highlight the results of your waste reduction and sustainability programs to show everyone how much you have all accomplished together, and to remind them that their efforts have helped to make all the difference. If your efforts are falling short, reexamine your programs to pinpoint the problem and communicate the solution. Then set new goals that everyone can work towards.
#10
STAY CONNECTED
Appoint a green team leader. Green team leaders can help motivate and answer questions. They can be the point person for any inquiries related to sustainability. Knowing that there is a person to approach with ideas, questions or concerns will help keep your team cohesive, and offer them the support they need.
Learn More:
How Do Companies Celebrate Earth Day? Examples, Ideas and Inspiration