Today is Earth Day.
But we probably don’t have to tell you that; it’s been observed annually on April 22 since the late 1960s.
What we can tell you is what some of the world’s biggest companies are doing to mark the occasion.
Aveda Canada
One of the country’s top beauty brands is back for its 10th year to raise funds in support of Water Aid. On April 25, the company will host “Appointments for Water” at their famous Aveda-partner salon, Civello (including Civello Queen St. and Rosedale in Toronto), whereby 100 per cent of regular service fees will be donated to WaterAid. Additionally, Aveda Canada will host its 10th annual Walk for Water in 14 cities across Canada that same day. The walk will unite supporters on a 6km walk to raise funds for the cause, signifying the average distance women and children walk every day in rural, developing cities worldwide to collect water. To date, Aveda Canada has raised $3.5 million through April Earth Month initiatives over the last decade.
Pizza Pizza
If you have a drawer of old devices and a thing for pizza, then you may want to clear that drawer and head into your local Pizza Pizza location. To mark Earth Month, every April Pizza Pizza holds its Slices for Devices campaign at its traditional locations across Ontario, Quebec, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Nova Scotia. The long-time Canadian pizza chain has partnered with Electronic Products Recycling Association (EPRA) and Ontario Electronic Stewardship (OES) for the initiative, which invites customers to trade in an old, unwanted, or broken electronic device in exchange for a free slice of pepperoni or cheese pizza. All devices collected (which include cell phones, digital cameras, iPods and MP3 players, and handheld gaming consoles) will be safely recycled by EPRA, with proceeds from the device refurbishment donated to Children´s Miracle Network through Pizza Pizza’s Slices for Smiles Foundation. Now in its 13th year, Pizza Pizza has helped divert close to 17,000 electronic devices from landfills to date.
Apple
A week leading up to Earth Day, you may have noticed that the leaf portion of the logo in your local Apple retail store was suddenly green and that the employees were wearing green shirts. It wasn’t part of a rebrand strategy: it was in honour of today. The whole green initiative is now part of a tradition. Currently on Apple’s website the top featured link provides visitors with information about the company’s environmental initiatives. Furthermore, the Apple website now features “Liam,” a robot designed to disassemble devices for recycling that can take apart up to 1.2 million phones per year. Yesterday, Apple also launched an “Apps for Earth” promotion on the App store, with select downloads (a total of 27 apps) sharing proceeds with the World Wildlife Fund.
Uber
To celebrate Earth Day Uber Canada is offering uberPOOL riders the chance to win free Uber rides for a year. The campaign hopes to highlight the importance of getting more people into fewer cars by sharing their ride with the uberPOOL carpool option, leading to a reduction of congestion, gas use, and emissions in Toronto over time. To celebrate Earth Day south of the border, Uber teamed with Wecycler for its flagship promotion. Today users could use the UberRECYCLE option on their app between 8am and 1pm, whereby a partner driver came to pick up plastics, paper, metals, and glass. In New York, Uber users will get a flat $5 UberPOOL rate through Sunday.
Google
To mark Earth Day, Google has released a series of Google Doodles to celebrate the planet. On their website, the company reminds us that Earth Day is “the one day that transcends culture, language, and tradition.” In today’s Doodle, the Google logo highlights the earth’s five major biomes, depicting either a polar bear in the tundra, a red fox in the forest, an elephant in the grasslands, a tortoise in the desert, or an octopus in the ocean. A different one appears each time you visit the site’s homepage. The doodles were created by artist Sophia Diao, who wanted to focus on one animal from each of the planet’s ecosystems. “I am personally in awe of nature’s persistence and creativity,” says Diao on Google’s Doodle blog. “Our planet – with its alternate scorching heat and bitter cold, its jagged peaks and deep trenches – may not always be kind to its inhabitants. Yet somehow the flora and fauna of Earth manage to thrive.”
Best Buy and H&M
Even the retail chains are getting in on the Earth Day action. In an attempt to sell more eco-friendly household appliances, Best Buy is offering up to 30% off on washers, dryers, and refrigerators as part of its ongoing Earth Day sale. Meanwhile, H&M is offering a 30 per cent discount to people who trade in clothes April 18 to 24.
