2023

EARTH DAYACTION TOOLKIT
START
HERE

Every April 22nd, stakeholders of all backgrounds come together to advancesustainability and climate action in commemoration of Earth Day.
Our world needs transformation. It’s time for the people of the world tohold governments and the private sector accountable for their role in ourenvironmental crisis while also calling for bold, creative, and innovative
solutions. This will require action at all levels, from business and investment
to city and national government.
That’s where you come in: as an individual, you yield real power for change
through your influence as a consumer, a voter, and a community member.
Don’t underestimate your power. When your voice and actions are united
with millions of others around the world, we can create an inclusive andimpactful movement that is impossible to ignore.
Throughout April, we commemorate Earth Month with marches, rallies,
volunteer events, and more. United together, we’ll drive a year of energy,
enthusiasm, and commitment to a sustainable and equitable future for ourplanet.

AL MOVEMENT. WELCOME TO THE WORLD’S LARGEST ENVIRON-

ABOUT
EARTH DAYWELCOME TO THE WORLD’S LARGEST ENVIRONMENTAL MOVEMENT. WELCOME TO THE WORLD’S LARGEST ENVIRONMENT

2023 THEMEINVEST IN OUR
PLANET
This year, we rally behind the theme “Invest In Our Planet”,
which highlights the importance of dedicating our time,
resources, and energy to solving climate change and otherenvironmental issues. Investing in our planet is necessary toprotect it and the best way to pave a path towards a prosperous
future.
When we Invest In Our Planet together, we are supporting
healthy, happy, and wealthy communities worldwide.
Visit EARTHDAY.ORG to learn more and sign up for updates on
our work.

HOW TO GET INVOLVED
Use our interactive map to register your own Earth Day events or find community events happening near you.

REGISTER YOUR EVENTS HERE
FIND NEARBY EVENTS HERE

MORE WAYS TOINVEST IN OUR PLANET

Plant Trees

Participate In
Advocacy

Sustainable
FashionOur reforestation campaign

Send a letter to your local

Learn about the detrimental

has planted tens of millions

impacts of fast fashion, theof trees over the lastat your next town hallimportance of sustainable

decade, often for as little

meeting, or sign an

fashion, and commit toas $1 per tree!

Earth Day petition.

responsible consumption.

Reduce Plastic
Consumption

Vote Earth

Make a plan to reduce yourUse our Vote Earth hub toplastic consumption

register to vote, learn yourusing our plastic calculator.

voting rights, and get
reminders for important
voting deadlines.

*Click on the icons above to learn more about the many ways to invest in our planet and support our campaigns.

PLAN YOUROWN EVENT
It’s easy to start your own Earth Day event! Click on the
toolkits below for step-by-step instructions on how toorganize an Earth Day activity for your community.

Plan a March or Rally

Host a Community Cleanup
Popular Earth Day Events

Plan a March or Rally
1. Select an appropriate site, date, and time
– Choose a public location for people to meet:a park, church, or a similar community site that
is ideally accessible by public transportation or
bicycle.
– Select a date. TIP: Earth Day is on April 22nd
– Select a Time: Depending on where you are,choose a time that allows for plenty of daylight andcomfortable temperatures for volunteers. TIP: Thetime should reflect the needs of your community.
If the rally is for students, is the meeting time after
school hours?
– If you are planning on leading a march, selectan accessible walking route. See step 3 to learn
more about blocking off roads. TIP: Plan your routearound significant landmarks, like city hall or the
courthouse.
–– Register your rally to list your event on ourmap and connect it to our global network ofvolunteers
2. Organize a planning group– Decide who will be organizing the rally. Whether it
is your friends, your organization, or just you!
– Invite members from local government, civicorganizations, clubs, homeowner associations,churches, and media to serve on the planningcommittee. TIP: Having a diverse coalition can help
the event run well.
– Appoint site captains who will manage the eventand designate roles so that the event goes well.
3. Obtain the proper licenses and permits– Peaceful protest is a constitutional right under theFirst Amendment of the US Constitution. However,there are certain governmental restrictions that
dictate the time, place, or manner of rallies andprotests.
– In general, protest organizers should be preparedto obtain a permit in advance through anapplication and a small fee. Tip: It may take up to
90 days in advance to obtain a permit, so start thisresearch ahead of time.
– Each state has its own form of protest laws, andsome individual municipalities and cities may also
have varying laws.
– Speak with a local attorney or contact yourrepresentative to learn more about your city’s rules
and regulations.
4. Gather volunteers– Register your rally to list your event on our map
and connect it to our global network of volunteers– Advertise to your organization, family, friends, and/or community members
TIP: people from different organizations andassociations can help turn out volunteers andbridge community members through the rally ie: A
reverend asking their ministry– Online: Use Facebook or Eventbrite to create theevent and manage volunteer sign-up, and share
event information. Create a shareable flier to post toa wide range of social media platforms.
– Offline: Put up posters around the neighborhood,on the elevator in your apartment building, on thebulletin board in your building or dorm, etc. Get
creative and make sure to include the importantdetails of the rally in your flier!
5. Line up support and supplies– Decide if you want to host a poster-making
session before the event or on the day of.
An art build is a great way to facilitate community
bonding and get to know other individuals

passionate about the environment before the main
event. Bringing people together beforehand canincrease commitment and turnout to the actual
event.
– Ask local vendors and restaurants to donate foodfor volunteers. Be sure that contributors get credit
for their donations in promotions.
– Gather supplies:– Poster supplies: poster board, markers– Water and snacks– First aid kit– Sunscreen and bug spray– For larger events, a megaphone is helpful. – Print out fliers with QR codes to any petitions you
want attendees to sign onto. We recommend ourpetition to end plastic pollution, or you can makeyour own!
6. Start your rally day– Closer to the date, check the weather, and plan
to dress appropriately. Wear something you can
comfortably move in!
– Send a reminder to all participants and key
individuals that you hope to attend the night beforeor the day of.
– Invite local media outlets to cover the event andspread awareness.
– As a leader, arrive at the event early to set up
before volunteers arrive.
– Have a check-in table and posters that are easily
identifiable.
– Host an orientation and a brief safety talk once
everyone has arrived.
– Direct your volunteers to sign a petition (wesuggest using our petition to end plastic pollution,
but you can also make your own)

7. Post to social media and follow up– Take pictures throughout your rally and sharethem on Twitter and Instagram. Use handles#EarthDay and #InvestInOurPlanet– Share your images with local newspapers,
magazines, and EARTHDAY.ORG at info@earthday.
org– Write thank you emails to any cooperating
government officials, businesses, and organizations.
8. Keep the momentum going after the rally.
Share these resources with attendees to deepen
the impact of your event:–Register to vote–Contact your local representative and encouragethem to set achievable sustainability goals–Sign our petition to end plastic pollution.
–Plan and participate in local cleanups – here is alink to find one near you–Plant trees within your neighborhood and donate
to The Canopy Project–Make sure that your event is registered on the
EarthDay event map to find more rallies, marches,cleanups, and other events.
–Become a Volunteer with EARTHDAY.ORG–Become an Earth Day member– Take a quiz to test your knowledge on individual
action, climate and emissions, or conservation andrestoration.
–Learn and understand the impacts of plastic
pollution and make changes towards the
movement to End Plastic Pollution.
–Divest from companies with a high environmental
footprint, and instead invest ethically in sustainable
companies—you’ll be likely to make more moneyover time!

Host a Community Cleanup
1. Select an appropriate site, date, and time –TIP: people from different organizations andassociations can help turn out volunteers and–Choose a public location: a park, a river,bridge community members through theor a similar community site that is ideally
accessible by public transportation or bicycle. cleanup; i.e.: A reverend asking their ministry)–Online: Use Facebook or Eventbrite to create–Select a date. TIP: Earth Day is on April
the event and manage volunteer sign up, and22nd and World Cleanup Day is on the Third
share event information.
Saturday in September).
–Offline: Put up posters around the–Select a Time: Depending on where youneighborhood, on the elevator in yourare, choose a time that allows for plenty ofapartment building, on the bulletin board indaylight and comfortable temperatures foryour building, etc. Get creative!
volunteers. Most cleanups happen between
4. Line up supplies and arrange for disposal
9:00am and 11:00am.
–Ask for donations of trash bags,
2. Organize a planning grouprefreshments, and equipment. TIP: Local–Decide who will be organizing the cleanup.
hardware stores are usually willing to donate
Whether it is your friends, your organization,these resources
or just you!
–Invite members from local government, civic –Coordinate with local waste management
organizations, clubs, homeowner associations, through a short phone call to ensure
everything is being disposed of in accordance
churches and media to serve on a cleanupwith rules and regulations.
planning committee. Having a diverse–Be sure that contributors get credit for theircoalition can help the event run well.
donations in cleanup promotions–Appoint site captains who will manage the–Gather supplies:
event and designate roles to assure cleanup–Trash Bags or Buckets
goes smoothly.
–Trash Grabbers
3. Gather volunteers–First Aid Kit–Register your cleanup so it appears on the–Gloves and Hand Sanitizer
Great Global Cleanup Map and is connected–Water/ Snacks
to our global network of volunteers–Advertise your cleanup to your organization, –Table and chairs (we recommend two tables,
one 6’ and the other 4’)
family, friends, and/or community members–Event Signage–Download and print this QR code to havethe attendees sign the Global Plastic Treaty
petition
5. Start your cleanup day–Closer to the date, check the weather andplan to dress appropriately. Wear something
you don’t mind getting dirty!
–Send a reminder the night before or day off
to all participants and key individuals that you
hope to attend.
–Invite local media outlets to cover the eventand spread awareness–As a leader, arrive to the event early to set up
before volunteers arrive
6. Orientation and safety talk–Safety is key. Two people make a team! Weargloves, and closed toe shoes. Bring a hat,sunscreen & reusable water bottle–Keep the environment safe.Vegetation issensitive and wildlife is best kept wild
–What to remove:–Trash and Litter (Anything created byhumans)–Recyclables–What to leave:–Nature–Homeless Encampments–Dead Animals–Syringes, needles, and other hazardous

materials.
7. Dispose of the waste–Find a location to properly dispose of all of
the waste you will clean up!
–Sort the waste into trash, recyclables, andhazardous waste.
–If you are unsure of where to dispose of anyof this waste, contact your local municipality’s
waste department for further instruction.
8. Following up–Help us track trash and have your cleanup berecorded on our public map by reporting yourcleanup–Take pictures before and after your collection
and share to twitter and instagram. Use
handles #EarthDay #GreatGlobalCleanup,#TrashTag, and #Plogging. EARTHDAY.ORG
will be re-posting content to our social media–Post your event on social media. Tag us at@thegreatglobalcleanup on Instagram and
TikTok.
–Share your images with local newspapers,
magazines, and EARTHDAY.ORG–Write thank you emails to any cooperating
government officials, businesses, andorganizations.
–Learn more about EARTHDAY.ORG’s Great
Global Cleanup.

Popular Earth Day Events• Organize a teach-in to educate your peers or students about theimportance of environmental action. Check out our climate literacy resources for an in-depth guide!
• Plant a pollinator garden using native species to support local
populations of butterflies, bees, and other organisms that are
critical to biodiversity.
• Form a community sustainability committee to create a happier,healthier, and wealthier environment for you and your neighbors.
• Help your family and friends register to vote using our Vote
Earth resources.

Be sure to register any and all events you plan on the official Earth Day Map.
Post what you’re doing this Earth Day and make sure to tag #EarthDay and/or #InvestInOurPlanet to possibly be featured on our social channels!

EARTH DAY IDEASFOR COMMUNITIES
0 Faith Leaders

Universities

Home Owners

Professors

Parents

Community Groups

Students

Schools

Senior Activists

Administrators

Businesses

Creators

City Governments

Universities
The future of civilization begins
with higher education. The next
generation of leaders are today’s
students, and it is essential
students entering fields acrossall sectors are educated in how
their work intersects with theclimate and our environment.
Students who implement
sustainability in their careers
are more likely to succeed, anduniversities who implement
sustainability on campus andincorporate climate education in
all classrooms are essential.

Professors• Plan a protest or volunteer
event with your student
organization! Make sure to
register your events on our
Earth Day Map to connect
them to volunteers in yourarea and be recognized in theofficial commemoration ofEarth Day 2023.
• Write a letter to your school
administrators demanding
your university takemeasures to improve campus
sustainability and make climate
investments.
• Host a tabling event in youruniversity common area toeducate your peers and getthem involved in upcoming
opportunities.
• Join the Climate Education
Coalition and become an
advocate for climate literacy
in education policy. To join,
email Johnny Dabrowski atdabrowski@earthday.org

Students• Make Climate a Class byplanning a teach-in for yourstudents on Earth Day. Visit
our Toolkit for Professors or our
Education Resource Library for
inspiration to plan your lesson.
• Share our Earth Day
Map and information on
environmental events &volunteer opportunities withyour students to help them get
involved this Earth Day.
• Consider extra credit forparticipation to incentivize yourstudents!

Administrators• Invest in a sustainable campus.
Energy efficient buildings
with sustainable water andheating systems will save yourinstitution a significant amountof money and also contributeto a healthy climate. Cultivatinga biodiverse, green space will
create a healthy and enriching
campus environment for yourstudents.
• Support the global call forclimate education by signing
the Climate Literacy Letter onbehalf of your institution.

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Home Owners

outdoor living space. If you
your family money.
A sustainable home is a happy
want to keep some grass in• Install a smart thermostat tohome. If you are a homeowner,
lower your energy consumption the lawn, maintain it with an
Investing in Our Planet iselectric mower.
(and your heating bill!).
essential to financial success.
• Display a yard or window sign
• Switch to LED lightbulbs
A home that is equipped withto showcase your commitment
to dramatically reduce theefficient power/water/heating
to sustainability and get yoursystems, coupled with renewable amount of power needed toneighbors on board.
light your home. LED lights lastenergy, will save you thousands• Talk to your homeowners
100x longer than traditionalof dollars per year whileassociation about its current
light bulbs!
drastically reducing your impact
regulations related to climate• Seal air and water leaks in youron the environment. With the
newly passed Inflation Reduction home to improve efficiency and and the environment. Discuss
how the community can
reduce your utility bills.
Act, you could also be eligible
improve these policies.
for massive tax breaks when you • Install modern low-flow shower
heads, saving carbon emissions,
implement sustainable homeenergy costs, and up to 15,000
improvements.
gallons of water per person per
year!
• Learn about the tax• Learn how to compost andopportunities for sustainablereduce the carbon impact ofhome improvements in thefood waste; plus, this will give
Inflation Reduction Act andyou a free source of soil if you
make a plan to take advantage
have a garden!
of these benefits this year.
• Plant native species and• Install rooftop solar panels,
pollinators to support
explore ways of making yourhome energy efficient, and save biodiversity and beautify your
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Parents
Every parent wants their children
to grow into responsible,
considerate, and successful adults.
Commemorating Earth Day as afamily is key to nurturing thesevalues and ensuring that nature andsustainability are an important partof your child’s identity.
• Have a conversation with yourchildren about the importanceof living sustainably and identify
ways that your family can improve
together.
• Work together as a family to
implement as many of these52 Actions and Tips to make adifference.
• Take your family to a local
cleanup, or start your own in theneighborhood or a nearby park!
• Plant a pollinator garden withyour kids for a fun, impactful, andeducational day outside.
• Use our plastic calculator with yourkids and discuss how your family
can reduce plastic consumption.

Schools
Education is the foundation of aprosperous and thriving civilization.
A successful society is one which
respects nature, and these values
are born in the classroom. Teachersand school administrators are ina unique position to nurture ourchildren to grow into intelligent andresponsible citizens. Every school
can use Earth Day to ensure thatenvironmental values are passedalong to the next generation!
• Register your institution as an
Earth Day School! Put your schoolon the map and ensure that yourcommunity’s Earth Day efforts arerecognized.
• Become an Education Champion
by joining our global network ofeducators who work together
to bring climate education tocommunities everywhere.

• Sign the petition on behalf of yourschool or organization• Sign the petition as an individual• Plan a teach-in to educate yourstudents about the climate crisisand how each of us can be part ofthe solution. Use our Education
Resource Library to help guide theconversation.
• Use our Climate Literacy
Communications Toolkit to spreadthe word about the importance ofclimate education in schools.
• Visit our page for Climate andEnvironmental Literacy to learn
more about how schools are criticalto a sustainable future.

• Sign the climate literacy petition toadvance environmental educationworldwide:
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Businesses

The business world is among
work from home opportunities
the most significant emitters offor employees, increasing quality
greenhouse gasses and otherof life and job satisfaction forpollutants. However, they are also
your workforce while eliminating
in a position to profit significantly
a significant source of carbon
from a sustainable transition. Whenemissions from your business.
businesses Invest in Our Planet, they • Expand your sustainable investment
are aligning themselves with theportfolio. Institutions that havemodern economy, invariably leading
made these investments early
to a more cost efficient, respected,
and often are already seeing theand profitable enterprise. Companies
returns, which continue to grow asthat invest early and often are alreadythe world inevitably transitions to aseeing gains and are on track forsustainable economy.
prosperity in the 21st century.
• Mitigate the carbon impact ofyour business by planting a forest• Invest in sustainable infrastructurewith the Canopy Project, ourfor your business. A workplace thatreforestation campaign that has
operates using renewable energy
collaborated with institutions
and has taken measures to ensure
including several major Fortune
energy efficiency will see vast
500 companies to plant over ____
reductions in their operating costs,
million trees in the last decade.
increasing the profit margin.
Email Kathryn Stoddard, Chief of• Go paperless as much as possible.
Marketing, at stoddard@earthday.
Electronic records are betterorg for the best opportunities formaintained and are less resource
your business to participate in theintensive.
Canopy Project.
• Offer bike-to-work incentives or
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City Governments

new green spaces, especially in marginalized
partnering with ICLEI—Local Governments
and low-income areas.
for Sustainability to support cities around the• Revitalize waterfronts to mitigate pollution
world in hosting their own Paris Agreement
and beautify communities.
“local stocktake” event on oraround Earth Day. Email Evan Raskin, National • Ban or tax single-use plastics, especiallythose used in foowd serviceware and create
When city governments Invest in Our Planet, Campaign Manager, ata Zero Waste or Circular Economy plan.
they are taking an essential step in securing
raskin@earthday.org to get involved.
• Pass stricter clean water and clean air
a happy, healthy, and wealthy future forordinances.
their community, all while saving millions of• Set high building efficiency standards• Expand access to recycling and compostingtaxpayer dollars.
for development projects and building
services.
upgrades.
• Lead by example by implementing• Develop and implement a plan for all public • Create catchment basins and place nets
around drainage pipes to stop waste fromtransportation to run on renewable energy.
sustainable solutions in government
polluting waterways.
buildings and institutions.
• Mandate green roofs for all buildings• Work with your department of parks andand plant trees to protect human health,recreation to plan events such as cleanups,
conserve natural spaces, and mitigate
pollinator gardening, and habitat restoration climate impacts.
for the community on Earth Day. Be sure to • Significantly expand or create pedestrianregister these events on our map.
and bicycle-only zones in the city.
• Establish a carbon pricing or taxing scheme.
As the world commemorates five years since • Launch a major clean energy or green
the signing of the Paris Agreement, theinfrastructure project, taking climate justice
United Nations has declared that officials
into account.
at all levels of government, especially local• Develop a biodiversity protection strategy
leaders, should take stock of the progress& establishing green corridors for wildlife inthey have made and adapt their plans foryour city.
implementation by 2030. EARTHDAY.ORG is• Expand or create significant stretches ofLocal elected officials have the greatest
opportunity to directly impact the quality of acity’s air, land, water, and climate—the natural
resources that their constituents depend on.

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0 Faith Leaders
environmental volunteer
Houses of worship bring people
together and form communities activities for the community.
• Organize a volunteer event forbonded by shared values. As
your congregation. Populara faith leader, you are in an
events for houses of worshipessential position to foster the
include community cleanups
community’s identity and guideand planting intergenerational
their values. Every religion
pollinator gardens.
and spiritual practice includes• Discuss the spiritual call tothe call for humanity to act asprotect nature in a sermon on
stewards of creation—on Earthor near Earth Day, April 22.
Day, bring your congregation• Make sustainable
together to ensure that
improvements to your houseyour community is united inof worship, such as theprotecting nature.
suggestions found in the“Homeowner” section.
• Form a sustainability• A more energy efficientcommittee composed ofcongregation will save money,
clergy and/or lay leaders, who
which can be used to support
will guide the congregation’s
implementation of sustainable the community and further
the mission of your faith.
improvements and planCommunity Groups

Are you part of a community
organization such as a runningteam, garden club, or fishinggroup? Bring your organization
together for Earth Day and giveback to the public spaces thatyour group calls home.
• Host a cleanup event in a parkthat your club typically meetsin.
• Take time at your next meeting
to discuss how to improve thesustainability of your club’s
activities.
• Attend a local march or rally asa group.

Senior Activists

Our senior activists are arespected source of wisdom andguidance for our families andcommunities. This Earth Day,
make a valuable contribution toconserving our common home.
• Donate to the Canopy Projectto plant a forest in your family’sname for as little as $1 per tree.
• Call your mayor and tellthem to support healthy
communities by Investing in
Our Planet.
• Hold a conversation with yourfamily on the importance ofsustainability and climate
action.

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Creators
Content creators and artists playa critical role in communicating
the importance of climate action.
Share your vision and inspire thepublic to make a difference!
• Create posters, banners andother art for nearby protests
and rallies.
• Host a charity art auction anddonate the proceeds to tree
planting with the Canopy
Project.
• Make posts and reels on
Instagram/TikTok/Facebook
encouraging your followers
to volunteer, attend events,
and become advocates for theplanet.
• Be sure to share onsocial media using thehashtags #EarthDay and#InvestInOurPlanet

your voice is especially• NGOs and civil society
powerful when it comes toorganizations play a vital roleadvocacy. Organize a petitionin the success of Earth Day!
or letter writing campaign for
Climate and the environment
your audience to sign onto
are relevant to every nonprofit
and demand change frommission, join us in building abusinesses, elected officials, ormore sustainable, equitable
other decision makers!
future for communities• Use your media platform
everywhere! Your audienceto spread the word aboutcares about making thethe importance of being
world a better place; thisan engaged member ofApril mobilize them to comethe community; use thetogether on Earth Day andhashtags #EarthDay andadvocate for our common#InvestInOurPlanet on socials.
goals!
• Plan a community event foryour audience! Use the guides
contained in this toolkit to plana cleanup, a march or rally, or
another volunteer event tohelp communities Invest in
Our Planet.
• As a nonprofit organization,

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WE LOOK FORWARD
TO SEEING YOUR
EARTH DAY EVENTS.
Be sure to register any and all events you plan on the official Earth Day Map.
Post what you’re doing this Earth Day and make sure to tag #EarthDay and/or #InvestInOurPlanet to possibly be featured on our social channels!

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