Earth Day 2025 marks record number of US companies going green

Earth Day history: From grassroots protest to global event

Earth Day began in 1970 in the United States as a response to growing environmental damage, including a major oil spill off Santa Barbara.

The idea for Earth Day was proposed by US Senator Gaylord Nelson, an environmentalist from Wisconsin, who was deeply concerned about the state of the environment.

Together with activist Denis Hayes, he organized the first national demonstration to raise awareness of pollution and ecological degradation. The event took place on April 22, 1970, and was inspired by the success of the student anti-war movement of the 1960s.

That first year, 20 million Americans joined demonstrations, pushing environmental issues onto the national agenda.

In 1990, the event went global, and by 2016, Earth Day marked the symbolic signing of the Paris Climate Agreement.

This year's theme, "Our Power, Our Planet," underscores the urgency of the transition to renewable energy. Organizers call for a tripling of global renewable electricity generation by 2030, echoing a pledge made at COP28.

"Celebrating Earth Day is often the first environmental action for a lot of people," said Earthday.org president Kathleen Rogers.

Business joins the fight: America’s Climate Leaders 2025 revealed

A major Earth Day 2025 highlight was the release of America’s Climate Leaders, a ranking by USA TODAY and Statista of 500 companies leading the way in carbon reduction.

Earth Day 2025 underlines business progress on carbon cuts (Illustrative photo: Freepik)

To qualify, companies needed to cut their carbon intensity — emissions per revenue — by at least 3% annually.

"There’s strong economic pressure on companies to reduce emissions and manage climate risk," said Michael Vandenbergh, law professor at Vanderbilt University.

He added that this shift is driven by customers, investors, and even insurance companies. Many businesses are motivated by cost savings: cutting emissions often exposes inefficiencies and reduces operating expenses.

Out with the old: Earth Day 2025 pushes cleaner business practices (Illustrative photo: Freepik)

Dayforce, a Minnesota-based HR software firm, topped the list for the second year, reducing its emissions from 8,000 to under 300 metric tons of CO₂ equivalents by switching to 100% renewable energy. Zillow Group and Aramark also ranked among the top performers.

Earth Day 2025 reminds us that real change happens when both people and companies commit to a greener future.

Sources: BBC, USA Today