Individual Action Toolkit

This toolkit is designed for anyone who wants to learn more about EARTHDAY.ORG’s campaigns and actions you can take to make a difference in the world.

Individual Action Toolkit

With nearly 380 million metric tons of plastic being produced each year, plastic waste is a huge part of our current world. Microplastics, which can form through the breakdown of larger plastics, pose a huge risk to humans. While it has been known that microplastics can enter human’s bodies through the air we breathe, food we eat, and water we drink, more recent studies have shown the true extent to the harm of microplastics.

Microplastics can actually transform cells and further alter the processes of the human body. Reducing your plastic footprint is a great way to do your part to Invest in Our Planet while also limiting your exposure to the toxic chemicals found in plastic products. Some easy ways you can make an impact are to join a clean-up and switch to reusable bags and utensils.

  • Participate in local clean ups – here is a link to find one near you
  • Sign the Global Plastic Treaty Petition in order to create a global framework for regulating the use of plastics
  • Every minute, 17,000 plastic bottles are bought and each year, 500 billion plastic bags are used. Take action through making changes such as switching to reusablecloth bags and saying no to plastic water bottles. For more plastic alternatives, read this
  • Calculate how much plastic you consume and discard each year
  • Many plastic products such as cigarettes and textiles can give off small molecules of plastic known as microplastics. Other, larger, plastic waste can also break up into microplastics over time. These microplastics can be harmful and toxic to cells in both animals and humans. Find out if the products you buycontain microplastics
  • Refuse using plastic in certain areas of your life, like not using straws or wearing clothes that contain microfibers such as nylon and polyester. For more information on ways to refuse plastic products, visit our Plastic Pollution Primer and Action Toolkit.
  • Recycling can be beneficial to reduce plastic production, but it has to be done the right way. Make sure to understand your local rules and regulations on what you can recycle and how to recycle items properly.
  • Take this Quiz to find out more about the negative effects plastic pollution has on our environment
  • Learn more about plastic pollution and its impact with this ​​Fact Sheet
  • Read more about plastic pollution on EARTHDAY.ORG’s End Plastic Pollution Campaign page

The fashion industry was estimated to be worth $2.4 trillion in 2016, and it has only grown since then. However, this industry comes at a large cost to our environment and garment workers. In fact, 80% of all clothing ultimately ends up in landfills or incinerated, taking a huge toll on the environment. In 2018, 2.31 billion tons of greenhouse gas emissions came from the fashion industry alone. With cheap fast fashion on the rise, this problem is only getting worse. Find out how you can do your part in minimizing the waste and pollution produced by the fashion industry below.

  • Test out what you know about sustainable fashion by taking EARTHDAY.ORG’s quiz on sustainable fashion.
  • Shop sustainably for your clothes! Learn how you can do this by reading EARTHDAY.ORG’s fact sheet
  • Make sure to take care of your clothes so that they last longer. Instead of buying new clothes every time something breaks, learn how to repair it! Read EARTHDAY.ORG’s toolkit to learn how to take care of your clothes and make them last longer so you don’t have to buy more.
  • Learn how to create your own capsule closet, a wardrobe with many interchangeable items of clothing to minimize the number of items you need to buy. Read this toolkit to find out how.
  • EARTHDAY.ORG has hosted several Earth Day Live events on sustainable fashion and fast fashion. Watch Shelley Rogers, head of the Fashion for the Earth campaign, explore the apparel industry’s supply chain along with other industry experts.
  • Meet fashion designers who are paving the way for the future of sustainable fashion and learn about the challenges they face in another episode of Earth Day Live.
  • Learn about the Fashion Sustainability and Social Accountability Act (The Fashion Act) pending in New York State’s Legislature and how it intends to change the fashion industry for good. In this Earth Day Live webinar: Fitting Fashion for the Future we hear from the people behind this historic legislation.
  • Support EARTHDAY.ORG’s call on President Biden to hold the fashion industry responsible in cutting carbon emissions, eliminate unfair practices for apparel workers, impose a carbon tax on all clothing made with virgin synthetic materials, and more by signing this petition.
  • Join the dialogue around sustainable fashion and show off your closet by participating in the “My Planet My Closet” project and submitting a 1-2 minute video of you and your sustainable clothing haul. Learn more about how to participate here!

Comprehensive environmental education is an extremely important aspect to fighting the climate crisis. It’s critical that we all take the steps necessary to educate ourselves and others on various threats to our planet and how you can take action. Learn more about how to educate your community by visiting the links below!

  • Visit EDO’s Climate Literacy Page to learn how to talk about climate change and communicate this information with others.
  • Sign EDO’s Climate Literacy Petition and join our mission to ensure that education on climate change is comprehensive and accessible.
  • Use our fact sheets to spread awareness about climate change. These accessible sheets are a great way to easily educate yourself and others.
  • Test your knowledge with some of our quizzes to see what you have learned! These quizzes are a fun way to see how much you have learned from our fact sheets and resource library.
  • A teach-in can provide communities with the knowledge of how to better address the climate crisis. By hosting a teach-in, you can spread EDO’s mission with others. Visit our teach-in toolkit for more information on how to organize your own teach-in!
  • Visit our Climate Education Week Toolkit to learn more about education’s critical role in addressing climate change.
  • Watch EDO’s live discussion on climate education initiatives with My Future My Voice Ambassadors Ms. Brenda Mwale and Ms. Bindu Bhandari.

Grassroots activism is about mobilizing individuals who are passionate about a shared cause and a desire to change the world for the better. The emphasis on collective action is what makes grassroots activism effective and distinguishes it from other forms of activism. However, collective action can’t occur without individual behavior change as the catalyst. As individuals, we all have the capacity to make a difference and take action against climate change.

  • Check out our Earth Day 2022 action toolkit to learn more about how you can invest in our planet
  • Challenge yourself to implement as many of these 52 Actions and Tips to make a difference.
  •  Take a quiz to test your knowledge on individual action, climate and emissions, or conservation and restoration.
  • Plan and participate in local cleanups – here is a link to find one near you
  • Plant trees within your neighborhood and donate to The Canopy Project
  • Learn and understand the impacts of plastic pollution and make changes towards the movement to End Plastic Pollution. 
  • Shrink your Foodprint by implementing more plant-based meals into your diet. Reduce food waste by meal prepping and shopping in a group
  • Educate yourself about sustainable fashion and start choosing sustainable brands. A great place to start is right here at our Earth Day Store: look great while supporting our campaigns and supporting the environment.
  • Shop at locally-owned second-hand stores, thrift shops, Facebook Marketplace, and garage sales.
  • Promote climate literacy initiatives in your community and sign this petition to encourage global government commitment to climate and environmental Literacy.
  • Contact your local representative and encourage them to set achievable sustainability goals
  • Make an EarthDay window sign
  • Divest from companies with a high environmental footprint and instead invest ethically in sustainable companies—you’ll be likely to make more money over time!
  • Pledge to Vote Earth and make a difference by using your voice at the polls
  • Become an Earth Day member through annual donations to fund long-term actions towards climate literacy, education, recruitment, and action against climate change.