From awareness to action: Earth Day calls for collective efforts this year

Earth Day lets us celebrate our planet, reflect on the beauty of Earth’s natural resources, and raise awareness of the urgent need to protect them for future generations.

Awareness is still critical. The latest report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) confirms that human activities are unequivocally causing global warming. In fact, the IPCC found that climate change impacts are already more widespread and severe than expected.

Every individual has the power to make small changes — and those actions can make a positive environmental impact over time, whether that’s planting a tree or conserving water and electricity.

These actions also inspire others to make changes — a snowball effect that can lead to a more sustainable and resilient world. But individual actions and awareness alone may not be enough. That’s why this year we’re emphasizing the power of collective action.

Collective action not only amplifies the impact by pooling resources and expertise, it also helps generate more systemic change by increasing pressure on decision-makers.

Here are five ways to turn individual actions into collective changemaking:

Already reducing your own waste? Encourage your workplace or community to implement a waste reduction program.

Cities produce a lot of waste. The City of Toronto, for example, manages nearly two billion pounds of waste every single year.

You may already emphasize Reduce, Reuse, Recycle strategies in your own life. Reducing your waste can have a big impact on the environment, whether it’s decreasing pollution, energy use or landfill space.

But all these benefits are compounded if you work as a team. Starting a waste reduction strategy in your workplace can be a great way to promote sustainability and reduce your company’s environmental impact.

Not sure how to start? Here’s a quick guide:

• Create a waste audit: Catogorize and quantify the waste being produced so you can identify areas where you can reduce waste.
• Form a team: A designated waste-reduction team can help you educate and inspire coworkers about your workplace sustainability practices.
• Set goals: Decide what you want to accomplish and establish a timeline. This will help keep your efforts focused. Your waste reduction strategy can focus on paper usage, food waste, packaging and more.

Already spend time in parks? Help support greener public spaces.

Spending time in green spaces is a great way to celebrate Earth Day. Not only does it improve your mental and physical health, but spending time outdoors has a low carbon footprint and can increase your appreciation for nature and conservation.

Because public spaces are so vital to our communities, try to take part in supporting them this year. Volunteer in community cleanups, attend public events or activities that help build support for public spaces, or participate in the planning process of public spaces in your community.

You can also help support organizations like Evergreen. Through programs like Climate Ready Schools or at our home at Evergreen Brick Works, we convene and engage community to revitalize and transform spaces into great places that are inclusive to all people and sustainable at their core.

Already using green technology? Encourage wider investment in the green economy.

There are a lot of ways to integrate green technology into your home or lifestyle. Consider electric or hybrid vehicles, energy-efficient appliances or even solar panels.

Larger-scale investment in the green economy also really helps move the needle.

“In 2023 we must come together again in partnership for the planet,” says Kathleen Rogers, President of earthday.org. “Businesses, governments, and civil society are equally responsible for taking action against the climate crisis. Investing in a green economy is the only path to a healthy, prosperous, and equitable future.”

This will require allocating financial resources towards businesses, technologies, and practices that prioritize sustainability and reduce environmental impact.

So, what does collective action actually entail?

The theme for Earth Day 2023 is Invest in Our Planet. Try investing in companies that prioritize sustainability and environmental responsibility; joining forums to discuss sustainable solutions; supporting green job training programs to help create a workforce skilled in green practices; or even simply choosing green products and services to create larger demand for them.

Already growing your own vegetables? Help create a community garden in your area.

The environmental impacts of food can be startling. Some studies suggest that food production accounts for over a quarter of global greenhouse gas emissions.

Growing your own food — even just a few vegetables — makes an impact, whether by reducing the distance food has to travel to you, reducing packaging waste or reducing energy use.

While one person makes a difference, the impact can be amplified when these practices are adopted by a larger group. See if your community has a community garden — a green space where a group of people come together to grow a variety of produce, either with individual plots or one community plot.

If a community garden isn’t available in your neighbourhood, try reaching out to a sustainability-focused organization in your community for support — or take some steps towards creating one yourself.

You’ll likely need to identify potential sites, form a planning committee to design the garden, and secure funding to cover the costs of building and maintaining the garden.

Already walking or biking? Help promote sustainable transportation in your community.

Active mobility — all those human-powered modes of transport, such as cycling, walking and rollerblading — can have a significant impact on the environment. Cycling helps reduce carbon emissions, improves air quality and even saves natural resources.

But in order to get the word out, we need to collectively promote sustainable transportation in our communities.

Try hosting a car-free event, like a block party, community walk or cycling ride-a-long, to raise awareness of active mobility; share information on social media about the benefits of sustainable transportation; or advocate for infrastructure improvements in your area.

Learn more

Experience sustainability in action at Evergreen Brick Works. Read more about our Earth Day activities and how the site acts as a test space for sustainable practices.

You can also check out the Green Energy Solutions toolkit, which is designed to help practitioners use public space, like parks, beaches and civic spaces, to support green energy technology.