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Celebrate Earth Day

Together, Let's Turn the Tide on Plastic

Explore RTS’s interactive Earth Day resources and activities for all ages.

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When we champion a sustainable lifestyle today, we foster a healthier planet for future generations. Explore RTS’ interactive Earth Day resources and activities for all ages.

This year, let’s rally together and dedicate our time, resources, and energy to solving climate change and confronting our plastic dependency head-on. Start by learning about the issues, how they impact your community and how you can help.

Discover our guides for Plastic Waste, Plastic Waste Solutions, Sustainable Waste Management, Community, and Slow Fashion.

Earth Day Spotlight

Our consumption habits, reliance on plastic packaging, and disposable culture are unsustainable. Overflowing waste management systems struggle under the burden of our consumption, signaling a need for change.

A beacon of hope in this struggle is the adoption of the 5 Rs: Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Repurpose, and Recycle. This hierarchy prioritizes minimizing waste and encourages us to utilize products and materials to their maximum potential before they become waste.

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Zero Waste Giveaway

Enter to win a Zero-Waste Basket filled with eco-friendly goodies made to last, so you can make every day Earth Day.

Plastic Pollution in The Ocean – 2026 Facts and Statistics

Learn the key facts and statistics about plastic pollution in the ocean — from how much plastic enters marine environments each year to the impacts on ecosystems, wildlife, and human health. This guide explores major sources of ocean plastic, global trends in waste leakage, and why reducing plastic use and improving waste management systems are critical to protecting our oceans.

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Microplastics – A macro-level problem

Microplastics are a macro-level problem affecting ecosystems, water sources, food chains, and human health. This guide explains what microplastics are, how they form, where they’re found, and why traditional waste systems can’t keep up with their spread. Learn actionable strategies for reducing microplastics at the source and supporting sustainable practices that protect the environment.

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The life cycle of a plastic water bottle

This guide breaks down each stage, highlights why many bottles never make it into recycling streams, and explains how reducing single-use plastics and improving waste management can lessen environmental impact. Learn practical insights into how plastic water bottles are made, used, and ultimately managed.

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Only 1% of water bottles are imported, therefore, nearly all bottled water sold in the United States are sourced domestically.

The 5 Rs of Waste Management

The 5 Rs in waste management is a concept developed out of the European Union’s Waste Framework Directive that was originally introduced in 1975. While initially there was no mention of this hierarchy, the legislation emphasized the importance of waste minimization and the protection of the environment. Fast forward to 2006, and a 3-step hierarchy was tentatively laid out, namely prevention; reuse, recycling, and recovery (with incineration); and disposal. However, after criticism of incineration being placed alongside recycling, a more comprehensive 5-step hierarchy was decided upon.

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7 Plastic Pollution Solutions (That Aren’t Recycling)

Plastic pollution isn’t solved by recycling alone — existing systems can’t keep up with production and contamination issues. Instead, reducing plastic use at the source and adopting alternative strategies like choosing reusable products, avoiding microplastics, buying bulk, and supporting policy change are essential to meaningfully cut plastic pollution. These non-recycling approaches help lower waste, protect ecosystems, and reduce pressure on recycling infrastructure.

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Saving the planet — The best (and cheapest) plastic alternatives

Innovators are developing affordable, sustainable alternatives to traditional plastics—materials like hemp, seaweed, casein from milk proteins, and mushroom-based packaging show promise because they’re biodegradable, renewable, and increasingly cost-competitive. These natural substitutes could help reduce reliance on petroleum-based plastics, support circular economy goals, and lessen environmental impact as demand grows for non-plastic packaging options.

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You can’t improve what you don’t measure. Tracking diversion is the first step to reducing waste.

How landfills work and why they must be phased out

This guide breaks down how modern landfills are engineered, the environmental risks of methane emissions and leachate contamination, and why landfill reliance is unsustainable. Learn how waste reduction, zero waste initiatives, and circular economy strategies can help phase out landfills and create a more sustainable waste management system.

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What is extended producer responsibility?

This guide explains how EPR shifts waste management responsibility from municipalities to product manufacturers, helping reduce plastic pollution, increase recycling rates, and support circular economy goals. Learn how Extended Producer Responsibility programs work, who they apply to, and why EPR policy is increasingly adopted across the U.S. and globally as a solution for sustainable waste reduction.

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Where Does My Waste Go — A Guide to Measuring Diversion and Tracking Progress for Businesses

This guide breaks down how businesses can accurately track waste streams, measure diversion rates, and understand what happens to materials after they leave your site. Learn practical methods for waste diversion measurement, how to use data to improve recycling performance, and best practices for transparent sustainability reporting that supports corporate ESG goals.

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Community Composting — Local Solution to Global Issues

Community composting is a local, circular solution to the global waste crisis—diverting organic waste from landfills, reducing methane emissions, and turning food scraps into nutrient-rich compost that benefits local ecosystems and communities.

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Sports Event as a Catalyst for Spreading Awareness

Sports events have the power to reach massive audiences, making them a powerful platform for promoting sustainability—driving awareness, influencing behavior, and showcasing real-world solutions to reduce waste and environmental impact.

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The Future of Food and Fabric —How Regenerative Agriculture Is Key to Sustainability

Regenerative agriculture offers a more sustainable future for both food and textiles by restoring soil health, reducing emissions, and transforming waste into resources—creating a circular system that benefits ecosystems, supply chains, and long-term production.

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Reuse, Reuse, Reuse – The Best Websites for Swapping Your Stuff

Swapping platforms make it easy to reuse goods instead of buying new—keeping items in circulation, reducing waste, and supporting a more circular, community-driven economy.

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Every year on April 22, Earth Day is celebrated across the world. The first Earth Day occurred more than 50 years ago when a senator from Wisconsin organized a demonstration to raise awareness about environmental issues. Today, Earth Day is recognized in 190 countries to highlight the importance of taking care of our planet.

Keep scrolling to watch the lesson plan, complete the activities, take the Earth Day Quiz and get your Earth Day Expert certificate!

Extension Activity

Conduct your own waste audit at home!

Word Search

Test your own knowledge and complete the word search as you listen to the lesson!

Garbage, Recycle, or Compost?

Let’s see how you would sort waste into proper waste streams.

Answer Key

Check your answers for the sorting key before you move on to the Earth Day Expert Quiz.

Congrats! You’re an Earth Day Expert.

Get your certificate below to share it with your family, friends, + teachers.

Download your certificate!

Learn about Environmental Justice and discover actionable steps for companies and individuals to be a part of building a cleaner, equitable future for all.

Download the lesson.