I feel like Earth Day used to mean something special. Earth Day used to be about how environmental progress was possible. 

The first Earth Day was in 1970 and marked the beginning of modern environmental activism. According to Earthday.org, around 10% of Americans marched for environmental protection. 

That kind of turnout for environmental protections for 2026 would be unheard of and shake the zeitgeist.

In the last general presidential election, climate change was not a major issue, even though it has become a bigger problem than before.

With all the bad news around the environment, ice caps melting, microplastics, animal extinctions and coral reefs dying, it can feel like no one cares about the Earth anymore. 

I am guilty of this feeling, too. I feel the doom and disappearance of the current and oncoming climate disasters.

I try to do my part, but when the Environmental Protection Agency is stripped of its power, AI data centers are being built and the national parks budget cuts, it’s hard not to feel powerless.

It feels like a losing battle, and Earth Day is just a relic of a hopeful past.

I think people don’t care about the Earth anymore due to the overwhelming amount of issues we see on social media and the news. When we get bombarded with information on tragedies, corruption and wars, we become pessimistic.

I think we have lost our environmental awareness a little.

When was the last time you got to smell the rush of a stream?

When was the last time you sat down for a moment to listen to the birds sing?

Do you remember watching a butterfly fly?

We have forgotten. 

But screw that.

I’m tired of feeling like I’m waiting for the world to end. Despite how governments disregard the Earth or how bad the situation may look, good people and good organizations are doing incredible work to fight for environmental justice.

Organizations like the Sierra Club helped Utah become the first state to legalize balcony solar, giving people access to affordable, clean energy.

Communities across America are coming together to block data centers from being built in their spaces, with states like Maine proposing a bill that blocks the construction of new data centers for the next two years. 

We can’t lose hope in the environment. We only have one Earth, and there is no redo button.

I want Earth Day to be a reminder to people of how important and fragile the ecosystems we live in are. That change can’t be made in one day, but every day of the year. 

Community organizing is the most impactful thing you can do. Getting connected with your neighbors and talking about environmental justice is critical. So, get involved with local or national organizations that are making a difference.

I am a part of a river clean-up organization with one of my friends from the Boy Scouts. We go to local bodies of water to pick up and remove trash. Making a difference doesn’t start big, it has to grow. That difference can even be done through your job opportunities. 

I am interning with a science-based conservation organization this summer to inform others about restoring and protecting clean water and healthy ecosystems in Tennessee.

I’m not saying I’m the perfect example of what sustainability looks like, because I’m not. I am saying this so you feel empowered on this Earth Day, or any day, to take action.

As individuals, we can feel powerless, but when people work together towards a common goal, we can create change. 

The world is dying. Don’t let that bring you down. Instead, feel empowered to get involved and be that change you want to see.

People need to get excited about environmental justice again because when we give up, we lose the only earth we have. 

You have no idea how important you are.