What is Earth Day?
Founded by Senator Gaylord Nelson from Wisconsin, the first official Earth Day was celebrated in 1970 and marks the anniversary of the birth of the modern environmental movement. Originally, Earth Day celebrations were observed in the United States in response to increasing public awareness around living organisms, the natural world, as well as the indisputable correlation between pollution and public health.
In 1990, environmental leaders took Earth Day ideas globally, inspiring 200 million people in 141 different countries. The global awareness of Earth Day ideas boosted recycling efforts all over the world, and in decades since has focused on global warming, clean energy, and fighting increasing climate-change denial. Since its origin in the 1970s, the Earth Day holiday serves as a historic day of mobilization to one billion people across over 190 countries and is considered the largest secular observance in the world.
Why should all companies celebrate Earth Day?
Celebrating Earth Day is a great way to encourage more sustainability programs in the workplace. 👉 (To learn more about sustainable workplaces, check out Teaming Up with Your Employees to Save the Planet).
But, as a bonus to your employee engagement initiatives, Earth Day is a great way to sneak some team building activities into April.
Millennials and Gen-Z are more concerned about environmental issues than any other generation, with 75% of employees aged 18-34 expecting their employers to take a stand on important issues such as climate change.
Your employees want to work for a company that cares for the planet and practices sustainability initiatives, and Earth Day is a great way to align your company values with their personal values.
Let’s talk about some fun Earth Day event ideas for you to bring to your workplace this year.
5 Earth Day ideas for work:
1. Learn some Plant Care 101
Everyone loves a little desk plant! Bring the outside inside by giving your employees a small plant to keep on their desks and treat them to a plant-care workshop to help them improve their green thumb at home, too! Not only do they brighten up any home or workspace, but plants actually have some great benefits for your employees. 🌱
Having plants in your office space relieves stress and serves as a source of inspiration. Giving your employees something to turn to when they need a mental break is a great way to help them stay happy and healthy.
In a plant-care workshop, your team will learn so much more about the benefits of keeping plants at work and home, how to correctly and sustainably repot and propagate plants as they grow, and how to pick the right plants for your space and sunlight.
How to get started 👉 Level up your green thumb in Plant Care 101!
2. Earth Day Mini Games
Earth Day ideas for work can include some fun games, too! Take a break from the day with a fast-paced round of brain teasers and puzzles in a round of Confetti's Earth Day Mini Games. Since groups can be broken up into teams of up to 5 people, this is a great way to engage with your colleagues on a more intimate level than in your typical team-wide events.
Teams will be challenged to answer picture-word puzzles, name that tune, decipher gibberish into words and phrases, and more!
Thanks to the charity component of our Mini Games, you can make donations to a great cause a part of the team building excitement. In our Mini Games Tree Program, teams earn points with correct answers which are used for planting trees across nine developing countries located in Sub-Saharan Africa.
How to get started 👉 Plant trees and have fun with our Earth Day Mini Games!
3. Host a fundraiser 💸
A great way to get employees involved in your Earth Day activities is to give back with a charitable workplace fundraiser.
If you’re worried about not being able to rally your employees around the cause, there are a few things that you can do:
- Raise awareness about your cause and your goals. 📣
- Make sure that your employees understand what the donations are going toward. 🤔
- Celebrate whenever you meet new fundraising goals! 🎉
- Add some friendly competition into the mix. Who doesn’t want to be the office philanthropist? 💪
Your employees will feel great knowing that they gathered together and raised money for a good cause.
How to get started 👉 Have your staff vote on an environment-focused non-profit that they want to raise funds for. Then, get to it!
4. Create a workplace eco-guide 🌱
A great way to raise environmental awareness among your staff is to develop a workplace eco-guide. This pamphlet is something that you can send to your employees on Earth Day to help them understand the steps that your company is taking toward being a more sustainable business.
Outline environmental conservation factors, including:
- Where recycling bins are located in the office (and what’s recyclable vs. what isn’t) 📍
- Where your team can access filtered water instead of using plastic water bottles 💦
- How to request sustainable cutlery for your use at the office 🍴
- Information on energy-efficient lighting and best practices to conserve energy by unplugging electronics and more 💡
- Composting tips & tricks 🪄
If your office is fully remote, then you can create a guide on how your employees can be more sustainable in their home office! Encourage them to go paperless whenever they can, install energy-saving lights at their desk, and unplug their devices at the end of the workweek.
How to get started 👉 For more ideas on how to get started with implementing environmental practices, see our blog on Workplace Sustainability Ideas for Human Resources.
5. Volunteer together
Give your employees a few hours off to volunteer in their community! If your employees are local (or you’re back in the office), you can plan to meet up at a local park for a nature walk and pick up trash. 🚮
Better yet, turn it into an Earth Day celebration complete with scavenger hunts (that leave no trash behind).
Your employees will feel great getting some fresh air and sunshine and being an active part of bettering their community. 🌞 Plus, it’s a fantastic team building opportunity. Trash day, but make it fun!
How to get started 👉 Form your corporate green teams! Encourage employees who live close by to choose volunteer efforts they can engage in as a group. Or, if your employees are fully remote and spread all over the country (or the globe), encourage them to use the time off to volunteer individually and reward them when they do!
Plan Earth Day events with Confetti 🌏
Earth Day activities are a great way to bring your team together to celebrate something we all know, love, and care about–the Earth!
Still looking for the perfect Earth Day team-building activity? Go green with our Earth Day collection! Contact [email protected] for more help booking your event!
Frequently Asked Questions ❓
Why is it important to celebrate Earth Day at work?
Celebrating Earth Day at work raises awareness about environmental issues and encourages employees to take action to protect the planet. Incorporating eco-friendly practices into the workplace helps companies reduce their carbon footprint, conserve resources, and promote sustainability, making a positive impact on the environment and inspiring others to do the same.
How can I get my colleagues excited about celebrating Earth Day at work?
Boost participation and engagement in your Earth Day event by organizing interactive activities that align with the team’s interests and values. Consider involving employees in the planning process, highlighting the benefits of participating in Earth Day initiatives, and showcasing success stories or examples of sustainability efforts within the company to inspire enthusiasm and participation.
What are some more ideas for celebrating Earth Day?
You could participate in a recycling drive or clean-up event, host educational workshops or seminars on sustainability topics, implement energy-saving measures such as turning off lights and electronics when not in use, or encourage the use of reusable or compostable products in the office and home. These initiatives help reduce environmental impact and foster a sense of teamwork and community among employees.
