Earth Day is Over… So Now What Do We Do?

Yesterday, Earth Day 2024 came and went.

After a flurry of social media posts, some generous donations, and announcements of new future plans, we’re back to our day-to-day of unsustainable activities. 

If you care about the climate, the rise and fall of these hype cycles leads to a new type of mental distress called “ecoanxiety” or “climate anxiety”. But there is something you can do to manage this feeling of existential dread. According to the Harvard Medical School, “As uncertainty and a loss of control characterize climate anxiety, the best treatment is to take action.”

So what can you do to help support our Earth beyond liking and sharing posts on social media?

#1: Contribute your brainpower and assets

It’s true that the majority of corporations and governments are falling short on their planet-friendly commitments. But, there are also a significant number of enterprises proving that a better, more climate-friendly way of doing business is possible. 

Around the world, there are over 10,000,000 innovators that are building more sustainable business models that advance social equity and environmental protection WHILE pursuing profits. These “social enterprises” (AKA impact startups or benefit corporations) help us make progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals while also managing their negative externalities and creating more human-centered workplaces. There are multitudes of ways to support these entities. 

• Buy Social, meaning looking for companies that have Benefit Corporation, World Fair Trade Organization, and/or People + Planet First designations whenever you are buying new things.
• Experteer, meaning volunteer your skills with these enterprises via platforms like the TRANSFORM Support Hub
• Build Connections, follow innovators on LinkedIn and help them make strategic business connections

#2: Get active at your employer

The global economy is at risk. Major risk. A new report in the scientific journal Nature found that “Rising temperatures, heavier rainfall and more frequent and intense extreme weather are projected to cause $38tn (£30tn) of destruction each year by mid-century”. Meanwhile, it would only take $6tn to solve pollution leading to this crisis. 

According to The Guardian, “reducing emissions was far cheaper than doing nothing and accepting more severe impacts. By 2050, it calculated mitigation costs – for example, from phasing out fossils and replacing them with renewable energy – to be $6tn dollars, which is less than a sixth of the median damage costs for that year of $38tn.”

Spending $6tn ONCE to save $38tn feels like a really good investment. 

This is the type of math that business leaders and investors can and should get behind. But even if you don’t have the ultimate decision making power, you do have the power to influence the conversation at your company from within.

You can work within your company to normalize the concept of social entrepreneurship, share success stories, and suggest ways to incorporate them into your company’s operations (here are 10 ways corporations can support social enterprises). Some easy ways include getting social enterprises included in corporate social responsibility donation and volunteering programs, sourcing from social enterprises when you spend corporate budget, and introducing business leaders to social enterprises that are demonstrating innovate future-forward business models. 

#3: Vote

A new study by Nature Climate Change of nearly 130,000 people in 125 countries found that 86% of people “support pro-climate social norms” and 89% would like their governments to do more to tackle warming. Moreover, 69% say they would be willing to contribute 1% of their income to addressing climate change. The study also found that people “systematically underestimate the willingness of their fellow citizens to act.” 

In other words, even though the culture wars of today muddy the debate on climate, the vast majority of people – even staunch conservatives – are worried about the climate and want governments and corporations to do more. 

This year, almost half the world’s population will go to the polls. If climate is not on the top of your candidate’s list, then you are actively going to be voting against the climate, the planet, and our people. So call your legislators, make donations to candidates that are prioritizing the climate, and then make sure to VOTE.

In Summary

Change takes time. Changing a global economy and government policy takes even more time. But you’re not alone in your desire for a more sustainable planet, and small steps today can help make a big difference to the generations to come. So now that Earth Day is over, we hope you’ll join us in fighting for Earth the remaining 364 days of the year.