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Earth Day is April 22.
Here's what's happening
in your city.
Every year on April 22, millions of people across the world choose to show up for the same reason. In parks, on beaches, in city squares, on school campuses. Not because they were told to. Because they chose to. That's Earth Day. And it's been happening since 1970.
The Origin
Where it all started
Earth Day was born from fury.
In January 1969, US Senator Gaylord Nelson flew over the Santa Barbara coastline and saw what an oil spill had done to it. Over eleven days, more than three million gallons of crude oil had spread across 35 miles of ocean, killing birds, fish, dolphins, seals and sea lions by the thousands. Nelson was furious, and instead of just being angry, he organised.
On April 22, 1970, an estimated 20 million Americans, roughly 10% of the entire US population at the time, took to the streets, parks and campuses in what became the largest civic demonstration in American history.
The date was chosen deliberately: far enough after spring break that students could participate, early enough before exams that they would. The result was staggering. Within four years, the US had passed the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, and the Endangered Species Act. The Environmental Protection Agency was created. All of it, from one day of organised, people-powered action.
This year's theme is Our Power, Our Planet, a reminder that environmental progress has never depended on a single election or administration. It's built by ordinary people who choose to show up.
"All those years ago, in 1970, we were ridiculously confident that we were going to win. We launched a genuine environmental revolution. We proved that an engaged public can be an unstoppable force. It can be again in 2026."Denis Hayes, organiser of the first Earth Day, 1970
Earth Week 2026
What's happening this year, by city
The Earth Day 2026 Festival takes place on Sunday, April 19 from 12pm to 6pm in Union Square, one of New York's most historic Earth Day rally points, going back to 1970. Free and open to everyone. Expect live performances, climate art, interactive workshops, kids' activities, and sustainable food vendors, plus dozens of environmental organisations on the ground including the World Wildlife Fund, Fridays for Future NYC, and March for Science NYC.
RSVP at earthdayinitiative.org. It's free; just register so they know you're coming. Across all five boroughs, NYC Parks is also running volunteer stewardship events throughout Earth Week: trail maintenance, tree planting, shoreline restoration, and litter collection. All free.
The Natural History Museum is hosting its annual Earth Day Festival on Sunday, April 19, included with general museum admission, with nature-focused programming for all ages. The LA Regional Collaborative has a full map of free community events happening county-wide: tree plantings, clothing swaps, repair cafes, compost giveaways, and sustainability fairs. Find what's near you at laregionalcollaborative.com.
On Wednesday April 22, a coalition including Friends of the Earth, Greenpeace, Extinction Rebellion UK and the Green Party is assembling at Trafalgar Square at 10:30am for a march to Parliament Square, ending with a walking meditation, a rally, and a shared plant-based lunch. Free and open to all.
Earth Day Weekender at Somerset House runs April 16–19 with workshops, artist-led tours, and activations. Free. And on the evening of April 22, the Royal Albert Hall hosts a special Earth Day edition of Letters Live in support of Greenpeace, with actors and public figures reading written correspondence from across the globe. A genuinely beautiful event. Tickets via the Royal Albert Hall website.
One thing I love about Paris and Earth Day: they are more connected than you might think. The Paris Agreement was signed on Earth Day, April 22, 2016, at the United Nations in New York, with more than 175 nations signing on that single day. It remains the largest single-day treaty signing in history. The world chose Earth Day to make that commitment, and that says everything.
For 2026, consider making a conscious day of it: La Maison du Zéro Déchet in Montmartre for plastic-free products, WeDressFair for ethical fashion, and end the evening at Le Potager de Charlotte, known for its seasonal, vegetable-forward menu. A day moving through the city with intention is its own kind of participation.
Earth Day in Bali tends to feel more immediate than anywhere else, because the environmental challenges here are visible and present. If you're on the island, Sungai Watch runs community river and beach clean-ups throughout the year and you can sign up to join one this Earth Week. It's hands-on, it matters, and the Bali community shows up for it in a genuinely beautiful way.
Clean Up Australia runs initiatives throughout April, and local councils across Sydney organise community planting and clean-up days. Check your local council's website or the earthday.org event map for what's on near you.
Global
Wherever you are
earthday.org has 50 ways to take action for the planet, from switching to a green energy provider to writing to your local representative to simply committing to one new sustainable habit this week and keeping it going.
The Earth Day Virtual Stage returns this year with conversations on climate action featuring scientists, activists, and cultural figures. Check earthday.org for the 2026 lineup. And if there's no event near you? You can register your own. All the tools and guides are free.
A moment
A moment for Mother Earth
Maybe this week is a chance to sit with something.
To consider, gently and without pressure, what feels manageable for you right now, and what small shift might feel meaningful.
Because how we spend our money is a vote. Choosing local produce, the restaurant that sources seasonally, the sustainably made thing you actually need, the documentary you've been meaning to watch: these are all forms of participation. They all count.
Maybe it's going outside and just being in it for a while. Maybe it's one conversation. Maybe it's simply pausing to feel grateful for the world we're trying to protect.
Earth Day isn't about doing everything. It never was. It was always about people, ordinary, busy, imperfect people, choosing to show up in whatever way they can.
Happy Earth Day. 🌍
More on conscious living, sustainable fashion, and the environment at The Eco Warrior.
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