5 Simple Ways to Celebrate Earth Day

The very first Earth Day celebration was held 56 years ago in 1970, with 20 million Americans participating in an event that was the catalyst for the creation of the U.S. EPA (Environmental Protection Agency), along with legislation to follow such as the Clear Air and Clean Water Acts and the Endangered Species Act.

Earth Day 2026 is tomorrow, Wednesday, April 22—the culmination of Earth Week, April 18–22, with flagship events happening around the country throughout the week and on Earth Day. In fact, estimates suggest that more than 1 billion people participate in Earth Day events annually around the globe.

Does your practice stock eyewear made with eco-conscious materials or contact lenses from companies with a focus on sustainability? Does your optical employ cost-saving green protocols such as reducing paper use and packaging, recycling, or renewable energy use? Earth Day is an excellent opportunity to share your practice’s efforts with patients and the local community in-practice and on your social channels.

It’s also a chance for team building around a cause—a business’ participation in eco efforts has been shown to enhance staff retention, which is an area most practices say they need a leg up on today.
Here, we share five simple ways to participate in #EarthDay2026.

1. Print the Official Poster.

EARTHDAY.ORG has commissioned Los Angeles-based artist and musician Miles Wintner to create the official artwork for Earth Day 2026, anchoring the organization’s global theme, Our Power, Our Planet™, with a singular image.
Download and print this colorful poster to share in the office or hang in a window.
This poster has been making an impact around the globe. Wintner’s composition, titled Earthflower, has appeared across EARTHDAY.ORG’s global campaign materials, reaching an estimated network of over 150,000 partner organizations in more than 192 countries and at more than 5,600 registered events taking place around the world.
Download the poster hereto print.

2. Plant a Tree.

Got ample outdoor space at your practice location? Grab a seedling or sapling from your local garden supplier or Home Depot and start digging. It’s a great team effort, and a business’ participation in eco efforts has been shown to enhance staff retention—studies show up to 83% of employees are more loyal to companies with sustainability efforts.
Short on outdoor space? Bring a new plant or indoor potted tree into your practice for Earth Day.

3. Take a Walk in the Park.

Encourage your team to take a walk in a green space on Earth Day—or field trip the team to the local park for lunch. Forested areas can have exceptional benefits for mental well-being, reducing stress and enhancing mental cognition. Studies show that regular exposure to nature boosts cognitive function, attention, and mood, with as little as 30 minutes weekly providing significant benefits.
For extra credit, bring along a trash bag in case you happen upon any trash or plastic for an impromptu clean-up session. Here is a consumer guide to recycling codes from the U.S. Department of Energy.

4. Join an Event.

With more than 5,600 Earth Day events taking place around the globe, there may well be a community Earth Day event taking place in your own town. The full Earth Day event map is available at earthday.org/earth-day-2026.

5. Put on a Movie.

Environmental storytelling isn’t all doom and gloom—and doesn’t need to enter politically fraught areas. Put on an entertaining, nature-filled movie in the optical for inspiration and fun for your team and patients. “Moana,” anyone?
Find ideas for more nature-infused flicks here.

Thank you for reading the next article in our exclusive Earth Month Sustainability Matters series, supported by Menicon. Join us in April and beyond as we explore the ways in which vision care providers are seamlessly making sustainability a part of their practice.

Erinn Morgan is also the author of the educational book, “Picture Yourself Going Green,” from Cengage Learning.