Earth Day 2019: 5 Ways to Get Your Team Involved






Earth Day 2019: 5 Ways to Get Your Team Involved

Earth Day has been celebrated since 1970 as a way to increase awareness and push individuals (but also organizations and companies) to take action in addressing global environmental problems.  Earth Day was born in the U.S., receiving support by the Earth Day Network, and today, it is a global event supported by even the UN.  More than one billion people now participate in Earth Day activities each year, making it the largest civic observance in the world.

This year’s Earth Day - April 22, 2019, is soon upon us, and as business leaders, we hold the power to encourage others to get involved in this important day, soon to reach its 50th anniversary milestone.  Here are some ideas for your team:

1.    Join the Earth Day Network (and get your team to do the same).
By signing up here, you are privy to the latest happenings to stay in-the-know about new environmentally-forward events and campaigns in your area, and beyond.  Offer a lunch or other incentive to those who sign up!

2.    Start a new, Earth-friendly initiative at the office.
If your office is located in an area that does not recycle, form a committee that shares in the responsibility to collect soda cans, paper, or glass, and transport them to the appropriate recyclable locales.  Offer employees who volunteer an extra half an hour at lunch or something along those lines to allow for this, demonstrating the significance of everyone pitching in.  Another idea would be encouraging employees to bring in their own coffee mugs, or purchase a set for the office kitchen, as to not use Styrofoam.  Whatever it may be, there is surely something more environmentally friendly that could be happening within your office.

3.    Orchestrate a company-wide fundraiser.
Earth Day Network's mission is to broaden and diversify the environmental movement worldwide and to mobilize it as the most effective vehicle to build a healthy, sustainable environment, address climate change, and protect the Earth for future generations.  Clearly, this work takes funds.  If your business collects donations around holiday time, or looks for another charitable organization to support, consider this one, as it is one that affects us all.

4.    Get hands-on.
Many organizations offer a “day of giving back.”  If yours is one of them, consider doing it on Earth Day; if yours is not, consider a worthwhile new tradition.  Allow employees the day, or even the half-day to get involved.  This idea works even for a remote company, where you could encourage your team to use, say two to four hours to lend a hand on Earth Day at a community event.  That may be a park cleanup, planting trees, or something else.  The site Volunteer Match allows you to enter in your location and what you’re looking for, and find the perfect opportunity to pitch in: https://www.volunteermatch.org/.

5.    Make a splash on social media.
You can communicate your company’s values to the wider world by using social media or your company blog to publicize Earth Day and your company's commitment to it.  Plan out some special posts to spread the environmental message, taking care to focus more on the environment than on self-promotion.  You could also take other digital actions, like changing your logo or website to something green or with earth symbols for the day.


There you have it - five great ways for your business to get involved with Earth Day 2019, while keeping in mind your participation does and will make a difference even down the road.  Your team will most likely also have a little fun along the way, also realizing what a truly great cause is the driving force behind it the efforts.








[1] https://www.earthday.org/about/

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