How to Celebrate Earth Day 2023 like a Sustainability Pro
by Ocean Blue Project
Every year, Earth Day gives us each of us the opportunity to work towards a sustainable future to protect the earth and our one world ocean.
Earth Day is the perfect time to check in with yourself to see what you could be doing better in terms of sustainability and which local environmental efforts could use more of your support. This year, we’re ready to go beyond green this Earth Day – we’re going Blue!
If you, like so many others, have spent the past couple of years reconnecting with nature and water, you may be wondering how to preserve and protect it. Well, you’ve come to the right place!
The History of Earth Day
After a massive oil spill in Santa Barbara in 1969, Gaylord Nelson, a senator from Wisconsin rallied university students to hold teach-ins on college campuses across the country with the goal was to build awareness of air and water pollution. Led by Denis Hayes, a young activist, the students built enough momentum to attract national media attention. That day, 20 million Americans took to the streets to demand climate action.
By the end of 1970, Earth Day led to the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency and several new green laws. In 1990, Earth Day became a global holiday celebrated every year on April 22nd.
Now, 53 years later, Earth Day is celebrated by many through education, awareness and taking action to protect and preserve our planet. Whether it’s ocean cleanup, reducing single-use plastic pollution, or a different green initiative, Earth Day is a great time to learn more about the issues our planet is facing and what we can do to protect it.
The Earth Day 2023 theme is “Invest in Our Planet,” with a focus on what our world would look like if we chose to take care of it. This year, let’s support, encourage and uplift each other to go beyond green and go blue this Earth Day!
What You Can Do
It may seem like you’re just one person, and the tasks of ocean cleanup and reducing carbon emissions are too big for you to tackle— but this isn’t true.
Everyone has something to contribute when it comes to Earth Day. Every habit you create has an impact over time. Small actions compound, make a big difference.
By creating and following more sustainable habits, you can go beyond green this Earth Day. Go Blue!
Ditch Single-Use Plastics
Plastic is one of the biggest threats to our environment right now. More than 1,000 tons of microplastics are deposited in our national parks every year, according to a study from Utah State University. That’s over 300 million plastic water bottles.
But the dangers of plastic don’t stop there. Scientists think that the amount of microplastic pollution in the ocean has been way underestimated.
What does that mean? Microplastics are sneaky, filtering in many places and wreaking havoc wherever they go. Microplastics are now found in food, water, soil, and even in our bloodstream.
What can you do to help? Cut down your use of plastic—especially single-use plastic. Use a reusable water bottle instead of plastic water bottles.
For Earth Day 2023 and thanks to the Earth Day Oregon initiative, when you make a donation to Ocean Blue Project of $50 or more, you’ll get a 21 oz reusable water bottle generously donated by Healthy Human.
This way, not only will you contribute to ocean cleanup and conservation, but you’ll also reduce your carbon footprint and single-use plastic use. Win-win!
Support Eco-Friendly Businesses
Who you support with your buying power is impactful. It’s important to use your money to support companies that share your values and are helping the environment—not exploiting it.
In today’s world of corporate greenwashing, it can be hard to pinpoint which companies are good, which are bad, and what being eco-friendly even means.
If you’re from Oregon, a great place to start is with the Earth Day Oregon initiative. Earth Day Oregon is an initiative that connects businesses with local nonprofits who are doing great sustainability work every day—just like Ocean Blue Project.
On the Earth Day Oregon website, you’ll find a list of local businesses which are partnered with sustainability nonprofits and donate part of their revenue to them. You can support these types of businesses to be a more conscious consumer. Plus, many of these businesses are small + and local!
Also, thanks to Earth Day Oregon, if you make a donation of $100+ to Ocean Blue Project, you’ll be entered into a raffle to win many exciting prizes!
Go Beyond Green, Go Blue!
This year, Ocean Blue Project is hosting an Earth Day fundraising project. The goal is to raise $100,000 in April. Our incredible partners have already pledged $10,000 to help us reach our goal!
Some of these partners are Earth Breeze, Thibaut, EarthHero, Next Level Burger, Southern Glazer Wine & Spirits, CarStickers, Swag Bar, ZenWtr RainMaker Ad Ventures and many more!
Ocean Blue is a 1% for the Planet nonprofit partner and collaborates with many business partners through this effort too.
Your donation goes directly towards ocean cleanup! For every dollar donated, we remove one pound of plastic from our oceans. Together, we can solve one of the biggest issues of our generation and build the foundation for a sustainable future.
At the same time, we’re working to organize local cleanups, empowering community members to take their beaches back from plastic pollution and clean it up one piece of plastic at a time.
To support our mission to enjoy healthy, clean oceans—make your donation here. Remember, your donation of over $50 gets you a reusable water bottle sponsored by Healthy Human!
Our Earth Day 2023 Goals
We have an ambitious agenda for Earth Day 2022—and with your help we can reach all of our goals! Here’s what’s happening at Ocean Blue Project.
The goal of Ocean Blue Project’s “Go Blue” Earth Day Campaign is to raise $100,000 to recover 500,000 pounds of plastic and debris from the world’s oceans, while also raising awareness about the devastating effects of oceanic pollution.
Earth Day 2023 Agenda
We’re excited to have an agenda filled with impactful events for the month of April.
View our full April agenda here – sign up for an existing beach cleanup or organize your own!
This April 3-7, Little by Little is hosting a five-day crowdfunding campaign designed to help GlobalGiving partners around the world cultivate a robust network of small-dollar donors. All eligible donations of up to $50 (per unique donor per organization) will be matched at 50% during the campaign – funds will not run out!
Annual Oregon Coast Cleanup Awareness Day
The Annual Oregon Coast Cleanup Awareness Day takes place on April 23, the day after Earth Day.
In 2017, Governor Kate Brown proclaimed April 23 to be the Annual Oregon Coast Cleanup Awareness Day. The alarming rate at which plastic debris is washing up on Oregon’s coast was the driving force behind this day.
Since then, this day has been recognized as an opportunity to prioritize ocean cleanup all over the state. If you want to commemorate this day, organize a clean up in the Oregon coast! We’ll help out with the logistics—get started here.
