MnCCC Celebrates Earth Day 2022


Earth day image with globe and message abou

MnCCC Staff celebrates Earth Day every year, and we love sharing new ideas and information with you. In honor of Earth Day this year, we're going to cover some history and fun facts!


What is Earth Day? Where did it come from?

Earth Day began in April of 1970 when environmentally-concerned citizens joined together to protest and bring awareness to the climate change crisis. The purpose of Earth Day is to stress the importance of caring for our planet and the living beings around us in a way that supports the Earth's health and longevity. There is no right or wrong way to observe Earth Day as long as we are all understanding the core of its existence, which is best explained in the video below from The American Museum of Natural History.

Fun Facts About Earth Day

We love to share fun facts about anything we can! Here are a few fun facts about Earth Day to get you more excited about this widely-observed holiday (facts are sourced from https://www.parents.com/fun/parties/special-occasions/fun-facts-about-earth-day/):

  • Although Earth Day wasn't an official holiday until 1970, it was actually conceived by Wisconsin Senator Gaylord Nelson in the 1960s when he believed politicians were not properly addressing issues with climate change and environmental conservation
  • Earth Day became a globally-observed day in 1990, which gave way to important practices such as recycling and compostable/reusable products, along with other worldwide environmental initiatives. According to the Earth Day Network, "The 1990 demonstration mobilized 200 million people in 141 countries"!
  • No matter what day of the week April 22 is, Earth Day always falls on that day!
  • Earth Anthem is the official theme song for Earth Day
  • People on all areas of the political spectrum value and respond to the messages surrounding Earth Day, which also "helped inspire the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), as well as the Clean Air, Clean Water, and Endangered Species acts"

Celebrating Earth Day at Work and Home

Are you looking for ways to celebrate Earth Day at work and/or home? Here are a few ways you could observe Earth Day today (and every day)!

  • Starting or joining a community cleanup group to pick up trash, plant flowers and trees, and anything else to make your surrounding areas clean and beautiful for generations to come. This can be a fun bonding experience for employees and families alike!
  • Hosting or joining a fundraiser to raise money for conservation efforts. For ideas on reliable organizations to donate to, check out the Minnesota Environmental Fund!
  • Encourage your office to go paperless (or as paperless as possible). Not only does electronically filing and signing documents reduce paper waste, it also allows for documents to be more accessible while working remotely!
  • Invite a conservation expert to speak with your employees. This can be a great way to have a call to action for everyone in your office, along with having a shared goal to work toward. MnCCC even did this during our 2021 Annual Conference, so if you need a few resources on wonderful speakers, please let us know!
  • Donate surplus food to a shelter or food shelf. Places like these are always in need of food for their patrons, especially non-perishable items that can usually be expensive, like milk or eggs. If you have too much of something that will go bad before you get to it, consider donating it to an organization that can share it with those who need it!
  • Donate unused clothing and household items to a thrift or consignment store. This is also a fun way to revamp your closet and home by getting gently used items, and some even come new with tags! Thrift stores are widely accessible and can even be found online, like this Minnesota-based thrift store. Thrifting is always a win-win. 
  • For more helpful ideas on reducing waste in the workplace, check out 10 Ways to Reduce Waste in the Workplace

Happy Earth Day!

Tags: MnCCC Spotlight(1) , News(1)

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