Earth Day 2027: Date, Theme, History and Things to Do

Earth Day is an annual day of environmental action held every April 22. It started in the United States in 1970, and today EARTHDAY.ORG, the nonprofit that grew out of that first event, says it mobilizes more than a billion people a year. So whether you are a parent, a teacher, an office planner or simply someone who wants to do one good thing, Earth Day 2027 is worth putting on the calendar now.

This guide covers the exact date, the newly announced 2027 theme, a short history, and practical things to do at home, at school, at work and in your town. In addition, every fact below comes from official sources such as EARTHDAY.ORG and the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the federal agency that came out of the first Earth Day.

When Is Earth Day 2027?

Earth Day 2027 is on Thursday, April 22, 2027. The date never moves, because Earth Day is tied to April 22 rather than to a weekday. As a result, it lands on a weekday in 2027, so most schools and offices will mark it during the week, while big community events often shift to the weekend before or after.

Also, the date is the same in the US, Canada, the UK and Australia. The United Nations observes the same day as International Mother Earth Day, which is why you will see both names in April.

What date is Earth Day 2027, and what about the next few years?

Year	Date	Day of the week
2027	April 22	Thursday
2028	April 22	Saturday
2029	April 22	Sunday
2030	April 22	Monday

Earth Day vs. Arbor Day vs. Earth Week

People often mix these up, so here is the quick difference. Earth Day is April 22. National Arbor Day, by contrast, falls on the last Friday in April, according to the Arbor Day Foundation, which puts it on April 30, 2027. Meanwhile, many cities and campuses run an informal Earth Week around April 22, and EARTHDAY.ORG treats all of April as Earth Month.

What Is the Earth Day 2027 Theme?

The Earth Day 2027 theme is Food for Our Planet. On its 2027 campaign page, EARTHDAY.ORG describes it as a multi-year campaign to transform how the world grows, produces and eats food, with benefits for human health, soils and the climate.

In other words, the 2027 campaign moves the spotlight from energy to the dinner plate. The organization groups the theme into three pillars:

• Healthy People: food transparency, nutrition, plant-based eating, and the effects of harmful chemicals, plastics and ultra-processed foods.
• Healthy Soils: regenerative agriculture, which means farming that rebuilds soil health, plus biodiversity and resilient food production.
• Healthy Futures: food waste, circular food systems, sustainable consumption and training the next generation of food leaders.

How the 2027 theme compares with recent years

Year	Official EARTHDAY.ORG theme	Main focus
2025	Our Power, Our Planet	Tripling global clean electricity by 2030
2026	Our Power, Our Planet	Clean air, water and energy, and a stable climate
2027	Food for Our Planet	Healthier food systems, soils and less food waste

So why food? First, it touches everyone three times a day. Second, waste is a big piece of the problem. The EPA estimates that about 24% of the material in US municipal landfills is food, and that wasted food accounts for 58% of landfill methane emissions. Therefore, cutting food waste is one of the most direct ways to act on the 2027 theme.

Earth Day History: How It Started in 1970

Earth Day began on April 22, 1970, when about 20 million Americans, roughly 10% of the US population at the time, joined rallies, teach-ins and cleanups. According to EARTHDAY.ORG’s history page, it is widely seen as the birth of the modern environmental movement.

Who started Earth Day?

Senator Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin came up with the idea. He then recruited Pete McCloskey, a conservation-minded Republican congressman, as co-chair, so the effort had support from both parties. Next, a young activist named Denis Hayes organized the campus teach-ins and built a national staff of 85 people.

What changed after the first Earth Day?

The results came fast. According to the EPA’s own history, Congress authorized the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency in December 1970. In addition, the Clean Air Act passed by the end of that year, and the Clean Water Act followed two years later.

How Earth Day went global

Year	Milestone
1970	About 20 million Americans take part in the first Earth Day
1970	Congress authorizes the EPA; the Clean Air Act passes
1990	Earth Day goes global with 200 million people in 141 countries
2000	A record 184 countries take part
2016	World leaders from 175 nations sign the Paris Agreement on Earth Day
2020	More than 1 billion people take part in the 50th anniversary
2027	The 57th Earth Day, themed Food for Our Planet

What Are the Best Things to Do on Earth Day?

The best things to do on Earth Day are simple, local and repeatable: join a cleanup, plant something, waste less food and spend time outdoors. Below are ideas grouped by where you will be on April 22, and most of them are free.

Easy and free things to do on Earth Day at home

Things to do on Earth Day for adults

• Volunteer at a cleanup: EARTHDAY.ORG runs The Great Global Cleanup and offers free event toolkits.
• Plant a native tree or pollinator patch: choose species suited to your region and ask a local nursery or extension office for advice.
• Visit a farmers market: buying local, seasonal food ties in directly with the 2027 food theme.
• Get outdoors: the EPA’s Earth Day page points people to ways to spend more time outside, from local parks to national parks.
• Donate or give your time: food banks and local land trusts welcome volunteers around Earth Day.

If you want to turn the day into a trip, our guide to the top places to visit in the USA includes national parks and scenic outdoor spots across the country.

What not to do on Earth Day

Finally, avoid the common traps. Skip balloon releases and single-use decorations, do not buy new gear just to look green, and watch for vague eco-labels on products. Instead, use what you already have and focus on habits you can keep after April 22.

Earth Day Activities for Kids and Schools

Earth Day activities for kids work best when they are hands-on, short and connected to something children can see, such as seeds, bugs, trash or food. Here are ideas sorted by age, followed by projects using recycled materials.

Earth Day activities by age group

Age group	Activity idea	What kids learn
Toddlers and preschool	Plant a bean or sunflower seed in a clear cup	How plants grow from seeds
Kindergarten to grade 2	Nature scavenger hunt in the backyard or park	Noticing local plants and animals
Grades 3 to 5	Lunchbox waste audit for one week	Where food and packaging waste comes from
Middle school	Build a simple compost bin or worm bin	How food scraps turn into soil
High school	Research and present a local food system project	How farms, stores and landfills connect

Earth Day projects using recycled materials

• Egg-carton seed starters: fill each cup with soil and seeds, then cut and plant the cups directly.
• Plastic bottle planters or bird feeders: cut, decorate and hang outside.
• Toilet paper roll crafts: make binoculars for a nature walk or a mini Earth globe.
• Cereal-box collage poster: perfect for an Earth Day poster for school.
• Tin-can herb garden: grow basil or mint on a sunny windowsill.

Earth Day ideas for school

For teachers, the 2027 theme fits easily into science and health lessons. For example, a class can track cafeteria waste for a week, chart the results and then suggest one change. In addition, EARTHDAY.ORG offers free toolkits for a Teach-In, Tree Planting and Community Cleanup on its 2027 campaign page, and it highlights climate education as a year-round campaign.

Earth Day Ideas for Work and Your Community

The best Earth Day ideas for work are team-based and measurable, such as a group volunteer shift, an office waste audit or a plant-forward team lunch. These also make good, low-cost Earth Day event ideas for clubs, faith groups and neighborhoods.

Earth Day ideas for the office

• Team volunteer day: book a local park cleanup or community garden shift.
• Office food waste check: track what gets thrown out from the break room and catering for one week.
• Plant-forward potluck: ask everyone to bring a seasonal dish.
• Swap table: collect and trade books, mugs and plants instead of buying new.
• Lunch-and-learn: invite a local farmer, composter or food bank speaker.

How to find Earth Day events near you

First, check the interactive events map on EARTHDAY.ORG, which you can search by address, city or ZIP code. Then look at your city parks department, local library and nearby nature centers, since many host Earth Day festivals the weekend before or after April 22.

How Do You Keep Earth Day Going All Year?

The simplest way to celebrate Earth Day all year is to pick one or two habits from April 22 and keep them. The EPA, for instance, publishes a guide to making every day Earth Day, because small repeated actions add up more than one big gesture.

Habit	Effort	Ties to the 2027 theme?
Plan meals and shop with a list	Low	Yes, prevents food waste
Compost food scraps	Medium	Yes, keeps food out of landfills
Eat more seasonal, plant-forward meals	Low	Yes, Healthy People pillar
Carry a reusable bottle and bag	Low	Indirectly, cuts single-use plastic
Join one cleanup each season	Medium	Indirectly, community action

Ultimately, the goal of Earth Day is not one perfect day. Instead, it is a reminder to make better everyday choices and to show up for your community.

Frequently Asked Questions