Why Earth Day Still Matters in 2025

Each year on April 22, people around the world join together to mark Earth Day, the annual reminder of our connection to our planet, and make new promises to safeguard our natural world. Earth Day started in 1970 as a modest first step in drawing attention to our environment and our role in protecting it. Today, it’s a 190-country movement boasting more than 1 billion participants.

Each year, this celebratory event urges us to inspect our habits and how we can protect our environment, both individually and as part of a collective behavior for positive change. We should remember that embracing Earth Day’s mission and related activities has a broader purpose. What we do today and in the near future will affect us now and serve as a building block for protecting the environment of future generations.

It is also worth recognizing that in addition to the symbolic nature of Earth Day, it’s rooted in real-world action. The first Earth Day in 1970 gave impetus to the birth of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and it helped push through much-needed legislation. It gave birth to landmark environmental statutes like the Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act.

Earth Day helps spur education and engagement for the environment. On this day, schools, organizations, and even businesses teach the importance of sound environmental practices.

Here are a few ways to participate:

Volunteer for cleanup activities in your neighborhood or community. The media often broadcasts these events, or you can find them online.

Plant a tree or start a garden. This is a double win: You help the environment, and it helps your mental health,

Start eco-friendly habits like cutting down on plastic use, recycling more, and considering energy choices like solar panels.

Be an artist by using recycled material to make something different for a community project that promotes an Earth Day theme.

Even though Earth Day is only one day on the calendar, it is a reminder to observe its principles as part of everyday life — particularly in regard to the safe recycling of old electronics and their components. A sometimes overlooked but important act in this regard is the safe disposal of thermostats that contain mercury.

Older thermostats may contain small quantities of mercury, which is a toxic substance. If that harmful substance ends up in landfills or water systems, it can hurt both human health and the environment.

Proper disposal channels exist for recycling thermostats, helping avert environmental contamination and supporting a “cleaner, safer” planet.

This is where Thermostat Recycling Corp. comes in. Just visit our website at   www.thermostat-recycle.org for the nearest recycling center.

For HVAC professionals, homeowners, and contractors, this is a small but meaningful way to make every day an Earth Day. Participating in mercury thermostat recycling programs not only complies with environmental regulations but also contributes to a larger effort to keep hazardous materials out of our ecosystems. It’s a great example of how individual choices, even those behind the scenes, can add up to big environmental benefits.