Earth Day 2022: When, where and how to celebrate

Should you be in a rush: Here are some links for swift navigation:

What is Earth Day / When is Earth Day + Earth Day History / 14 Activities for Earth Day / (Free) Trees for Earth Day & Earth Day Deals

What is Earth Day?

First things first: What exactly is Earth Day?

You probably already guessed it: Earth Day is the day to celebrate our beloved mother Earth.

We all know we should celebrate her each and every single day.

But we also know we should cherish our own mums every day. Nonetheless Mother’s Day helps to remind us of that.

And the same goes for Earth Day: It’s a cute little reminder that we all share one single planet. And that we should take the utmost care of it – more on that below.

In short: Earth Day is the perfect opportunity to unearth and openly express the Earth-lover in you.

Cause celebrating Earth basically means celebrating life. And we all kind of love life, don’t we?

Now you know what Earth Day is. Surely you also know when it is?

When is Earth Day 2022?

Earth Day 2022 is celebrated on Friday, the 22nd of April, 2022.

To facilitate things, Earth Day is celebrated on the 22nd of April each and every year.

So it wouldn’t even be fun to ask you when next year’s Earth Day is… (Unlike Arbor Day, which changes every year. If you’re up for it, take a guess when Arbor Day 2030 will be.)

In 2022 we’re celebrating the 52nd Earth Day. Which is not a special number.

Nonetheless it’s a mega important Earth Day, since we’re already right in the decade of The Twentrees.

And our planet’s smartest scientists this decade is our last opportunity to save our planet. So we better stop talking, and start acting.

Earth Day History

Earth Day celebrates its 52nd anniversary in 2022. Hence it was first celebrated back in 1970.

John McConnell was the first to propose a day to celebrate mother Earth in 1969 at a UNESCO conference in San Francisco.

A month later, US Senator Gaylord Nelson and a young activist called Denis Hayes adopted the idea, branded it “Earth Day”, and set the date to April 22.

Since Hayes was an absolute marketing and PR genius, he grew the idea bigger than anyone had imagined: On April 22nd, 1970, the world’s very first Earth Day, more than 20 million people went to the streets to celebrate our planet and protest for a more sustainable future.

To date, it remains the largest single-day protest in human history!

But Hayes didn’t stop there. In 1990 he took the event international and organized events in 141 nations across the globe! (Should anyone have connections: Yes, we’d love to hire him.)

In 2020, Earth Day’s 50th birthday, over 100 million people observed this special day. Mostly online, making it the largest online mass mobilization in history.

Earth Day is now the world’s most widely observed secular holiday.

And you can be part of it! Here are the coolest activities to celebrate Earth Day this year.

Earth Day Fun Facts

As basically everyone across the globe these days knows what it is, here are some bonus Earth Day fun facts for you to impress your friends:

1. The naming of Earth Day

Earth Day was originally planned to be called “environmental teach-In”. However, the name didn’t catch on, and Hayes needed a cooler name.

Along came Julien Koenig. Ever heard of him? No? No worries.

He’s the creator of Volkwagen’s “Think Small” campaign – one of the most successful ad campaigns of all time.

And now there he was, sipping coffee with Denis Hayes, brainstorming for cool brand names for an eco-awareness day.

Rumors go that Koenig came up with 4 ideas: “Ecology Day,” “Environment Day,” “Earth Day,” and “E Day.”

He personally recommended “Earth Day”, since it rhymes with “birthday” – and Koenig’s birthday was April 22.

Funny how one of the planet’s most popular events got branded, right?

2. The date for Earth Day

John McConnell, who originally proposed the idea of an “Earth Day”, proposed March 21 as date. March 21 marks the equinox, the astronomical beginning of spring in the Northern Hemisphere.

However, Gaylord Nelson and Denis Hayes opted for April 22. And they were much, much better at marketing and PR. That’s the only reason why Earth Day is observed on April 22nd these days, and not on March 21.

In the end, it’s all about marketing. Even when it comes to saving our planet.

3. Earth Day vs. Arbor Day

Arbor Day, as the name suggests, is a day to celebrate trees. In the US, it is held on the last Friday in April.

Even though the world’s first Arbor Day was held back in 1594 already – making it hundreds of years older than Earth Day – Earth Day quickly became more popular.

Again, it’s all about marketing…

If you’d like to know more about Arbor Day, including its dates across the globe and the most exciting ideas how to celebrate it, check out the complete Arbor Day guide.

The 3 Most Popular Earth Songs

Now, before we get into the Earth Day activities, let’s sing some Earth Songs first.

There are hundreds, if not thousands. To save you some time, we have selected the top 3 Earth Songs for you.

Let us know in the comments below which one your favorite is!

Michael Jackson – Earth Song

Possibly the planet’s most popular Earth Song comes from music legend Michael Jackson.

You surely know the song. But have you ever watched the video?

Lil Dicky’s Earth Song

Somehow, Earth Song creators aren’t exactly creative when it comes to naming their songs.

Here’s Lil Dicky’s take on it – in co-creation with over 30 other super well-known artists, such as Ed Sheeran (the Koala), Ariana Grande (the Zebra), Justin Bieber (the Baboon), Snoop Dogg (as Marijuana) and even Kevin Hart (as Kanye West).

Louis Armstrong – What a wonderful world

All-time classic from 1967. (That was before the invention of Earth Day. Possibly one of the reason why this one is not called “Earth Day Song”.)

Crank up the speakers and sing along!

Sign up for our newsletter and get nature knowledge, tree humor and fun facts right in your inbox. We also plant a tree for everyone who signs up – free to you!

The 15 Coolest Earth Day Activities

Now you know all about Earth Day. Are you ready to celebrate it?

Here are the coolest Earth Day activities for you.

Invite your friends to join you in the Earth Day activities.

Celebrating Earth Day at home: 10 Indoor Activities

The most obvious way to celebrate Earth Day is to go out and enjoy mother nature.

However, should for any reason you prefer to stay at home, here are the coolest home-based Earth Day activities. (Bonus: You don’t even have to wear pants for these…)

1. Select your favorite tree quote.

Trees are our planet’s absolute super power. (Didn’t know yet? Here are the most mind-blowing reasons why trees are so vitally important.)

So check out these incredibly inspiring tree quotes, and select your favorite one.

Then share it with your friends and by posting it in the comments below.

2. Listen to (and sing along with) Earth Songs.

We haven’t enlisted the world’s top 3 Earth Songs for no reason.

Turn up the speakers and sing along!

Then find some friends for a little Earth Day party.

3. Read your favorite green read

Looking for a bit more quiet?

Select one of the best green reads and immerse yourself in the fascinating world of nature-focused books. (And yes, that list includes some thrilling fiction books as well.)

4. Plant a tree in honor of someone you love.

Make a difference!

Plant a tree for our planet Earth. Then dedicate it to someone you love.

It’s the actions we take today that determine our planet of tomorrow…

5. Shop with one of these partners

As we’re already talking about shopping: Take a look at these 11 brands that plant trees for every purchase.

Find something you need – or a cool gift for someone celebrating their birthday in the near future.

Every purchase with the enlisted companies plants trees. So you’re even saving our planet while shopping online!

6. Get yourself an awesome Earth image as background for your phone / laptop

Most people react to visual cues.

So remind yourself of the magnificence of our beloved planet each and every day by staring at Earth’s beauty every time you unlock your phone or start up your laptop.

The most memorable photos are those that you take yourself.

But as we’re suggesting this as a stay-at-home-activity, feel free to browse the web – or get inspired by our tree image gallery.

7. Stare out your window and tell us what you see

Earth’s beauty is all around us. Take a good look out of your window, and share in the comments below what you see.

8. Start an Earth-drawing contest with your friends

When was the last time you drew an image of our mother Earth?

Now is the time! Start an Earth-drawing contest with your friends. Who draws the funniest, most beautiful or most detailed picture of our planet?

Feel free to share the results on Instagram with us!

9. Netflix & Chill

Some days you just don’t want to leave the couch. We get it.

And some days, these days are April 22, which others refer to as Earth Day. That’s fine, too.

But the one thing you can do, even when you are in the Netflix & Chill mode, is to watch a mind-blowing documentary about our sensational planet.

It will change the way you think about Earth. And it will make you want to plant a ton of trees!

Here’s our recommendation:

10. Earth Day Cooking Session with friends

We just mentioned movies, so naturally we need to think of food next.

Organize a little cooking sessions with some close friends.

Since it’s Earth Day, commit to cooking a vegetarian or even vegan meal. After all, meat production and consumption drastically impacts our planet.

You will find tons of delicious options all across the web. How about one of these 40 sensational vegan recipes?

(Got your own favorite? Post it in the comments below – we’d love to try it!)

4 Earth Day Activities for outside

Weather is good and you’re ready to head outside?

Awesome. Of course you can go and plant trees yourself now.

But should that not be your cup of tree, here are further exciting outside activities for Earth day this year.

1. Get a tree (or Earth) tattoo

Show your love for mother Earth by getting yourself a stunning Earth tattoo!

Since we’re mostly focused on trees, we have collected the finest tree tattoos (including their meaning) for you.

If you’re looking for something more global, your favorite tattoo artist surely has amazing inspiration as well.

2. Do the Earth Day Dance (best enjoyed with friends)

Really? You’ve never heard of the official Earth Day Dance?

In all honesty: Neither have we.

Hence it’s time to create one! Come up with an acrobatic / stunning / hilarious dance to honor our planet.

Then dance it all Earth Night long…

Don’t forget to record yourself. Then post it and tag us on Instagram. We’ll keep an eye out for #earthdaydance and #clickatree.

Side note: Should anyone inquire what you’re doing and what type of substances are involved (especially in case the inquirers wear a uniform): There’s no need to mention us. You surely deserve all the credits for your incredible Earth Day Dance performance, so best tell them that you came up with this brilliant idea, and kindly ask them to join in.

Some things are just more fun if you do them together. Share these Earth Day activities with your friends and have a fun day together.

3. Plant a tree yourself

As mentioned above, planting a tree is always a very feasible option – especially on Earth Day.

Check whether your garden offers sufficient space, call your local tree nursery and inquire which tree species works best for you.

Alternatively, join a local community event – there are plenty. (If not – organize one.)

It’s great fun – and you always meet inspiring people.

4. Help clean up your neighborhood

Beach and city clean ups are the big new trend in outdoor activities. Your do something useful, improve our planet, meet new people, and exercise at the same time.

And hey: All of these benefits don’t cost you a single Cent! What’s not to like?

If you’d like to take it one step further, go “plogging”. That’s the Swedish word creation of “jogging” and “plocka up” (to collect trash).

So you basically jog along your favorite route and collect trash in a small trash bag. That a) helps mother Earth, and b) improves your workout, since you get your entire body involved.

To read more about plogging and other amazing things to do, read our truly meaningful New Year’s resolutions. (Which you can actually start any time of the year.)

5. Build an insect hotel

One last amazing Earth Day activity to do outside is to build an insect hotel. (Then go call it “The Click A Tree Air-Bee-and-Bee”. Haha.)

As you know, insects are vital for our planet, including for the production of the food we all love.

Create a brand-new home for them. It can totally be made of second-hand material.

Here’s a simple short video explaining how to build an insect hotel in 4 easy steps.

Awesome. That’s plenty of things to do on Earth Day, don’t you think?

If we missed your favorite Earth Day activity – post it in the comments below!

(Free) Trees for Earth Day

We promised you (free) tree deals for Earth Day, so here they come.

Some deals are free, others are not – choose the ones that suit you best.

After all, if done right, planting trees can help to support all of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals set by the United Nations! So planting trees is the most holistically sustainable thing to do on Earth Day.

Here are our 3 favorite options:

1. Free Earth Day Tree

Take a stroll in the woods and collect tree seeds. These trees already grow in your area, hence they are adapted to your local conditions.

Plant them in your garden, your neighborhood or the nearest community forest.

2. Support local economy

Contact the local tree nursery. They know best which tree to plant in your region – and how to nurse it into a huge healthy tree.

3. A Global Tree for Earth Day

Plant your Earth Day tree right here, right now. What’s stopping you?

Trees are also one of the most sustainable gifts you can give. So if you don’t plant the tree for yourself, you can always dedicate it to someone you love.

Pro Tip: The beauty is: This is not an either-or-question. You can follow all 3 suggestions above and plant as many trees as you like for Earth Day. Can you hear Mother Nature whisper “Thank you, awesome human!”?

Free Tree Deals & Earth Day Coupon Codes

If neither of the above options to plant trees this Earth Day suits you, we have another ace up our leaves.

We already briefly mentioned them before: All the companies that plant trees for every purchase you make.

And, even better, many of them offer tree-mazing Earth Day specials.

So check out their websites and see what they have to offer.

Then purchase in the uplifting knowledge that you just planted further new trees on our beloved planet.

Bonus: Should none of these options work for you right now, here are several further options how to plant trees for free.

Over to you

What will your Earth Day look like? What have you planned? Have you celebrated Earth Day in the past? Any cool stories, hacks or tips you’d like to share?

Please drop a comment below. We’d love to hear from you!

Know somebody who would love to learn about Earth Day? Share it with them.