Earth Day has been celebrated every year on April 22 for over 50 years to raise awareness of the importance of treating people and nature with respect. Under the motto #EarthActionDay, this year’s day of action encourages people to take action themselves.
April 22 - The origins of Earth Day
Earth Day originated in the USA in 1970 as a spontaneous student movement to raise public awareness of environmental protection and draw attention to environmental problems. Since the 1990s, Earth Day has been celebrated annually on April 22 as a day of environmental action by millions of people in over 190 countries worldwide. Since then, numerous creative and moving projects and campaigns have been implemented and people have been able to network on a global and local level.
YOU make the difference
To mark Earth Day, nature conservation organizations such as the WWF are calling for concrete measures to combat the waste of resources and measures for a sustainable energy policy. In 2025, the global motto for Earth Day is “Our Power, Our Planet”, while the guiding principle in German-speaking countries is “YOU make the difference”.
To ensure the health of our ecosystems and preserve biodiversity, even small steps towards sustainability can bring about change. Every year, Earth Day provides an opportunity to create sustainable routines in everyday life and to bring about an ecological transformation together.
Positive impulses and sustainable ideas
A wide range of creative projects have already been implemented on Earth Day – from litter collection campaigns on beaches, lectures on sustainable gardening, seed festivals to preserve diversity, tree events and recycling and clothes swap festivals. Instead of pointing a finger, the environmental campaigns usually convince people with exciting ideas and positive impulses for a sustainable future worth living. As part of the campaigns, the “R disciplines” are formulated as tips for protecting our planet:
- Rethink – When shopping, give preference to seasonal, regional products and make sure your food is produced organically and fairly.
- Refuse – Buy fewer new products and share, swap or borrow items more often.
- Reduce – Use your clothes and other items for longer and be economical with certain materials.
- Release – Use your bike more often, carpool or walk.
- Reuse/Recycle – Use things a second time and give them a new life.
- Repair – Repair as much as possible and use tailor shops or repair cafés more often.
Here you can find information on all the worldwide actions and initiatives that will take place on Earth Day 2025.