9 Sustainable Charities to Support | Earth Day 2023
Shiri Feldman
April 22, 2023
A celebration of our beautiful planet, Earth Day is an opportunity to take action to protect it for future generations. Here’s our team’s roundup of nine incredible charities to support this year.
Black Earth Farms: An “agroecological lighthouse” organization composed of Pan-African and Pan-Indigenous farmers, builders, and community members, Black Earth Farms Collective started as a guerilla farming project on the UC Berkeley campus. Today, it's grown into a volunteer-led fresh food distribution project throughout the East Bay. In recent years, the collective has focused its effort on feeding Black protestors in the ongoing uprisings against police brutality. Location: Berkeley, CA Get involved: https://www.blackearthfarms.com/
Urban Tilth: An organization that hires residents to cultivate a sustainable food system in the Richmond, CA community, Urban Tilth was founded in 2005, and leads a number of farming, foraging, and education programs aimed at providing residents with the tools to grow their own food and restore relationships to land. By forging partnerships with small local farmers, Urban Tilth is increasing demand for their produce while teaching residents about the intersection of food, health, poverty, and justice. Location: Richmond, CA Get involved: https://urbantilth.org/
Earthjustice: The United States’ largest environmental law organization, Earthjustice was founded in the 1960s, “because the earth needs a good lawyer.” The nonprofit’s attorneys have since supported various major environmental wins including the Clean Air Act and the Endangered Species Act. Earthjustice works with activists, national politicians, international policymakers, and individuals to protect and strengthen laws for the benefit of people and a healthy planet. Get involved: Make a one-time or monthly donation, and add your voice to important campaigns on the Earthjustice website.
Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC): A nonprofit working to safeguard the earth—including its people, plants, and animals, the NRDC was founded in the 1970s by a team of law students and attorneys to protect “the natural systems on which all life depends.” Established in the 1970s by a team of law students and attorneys, it is now a membership-based organization that collaborates with lawyers, activists, scientists, businesses, and individuals to identify the root cause of problems and formulate sustainable solutions. The NRDC works internationally to ensure that everybody has the right to clean air, clean water, and healthy wild spaces. Get involved: Make a one-time or monthly donation, or add your voice to urgent campaigns on the Natural Resources Defense Council website.
One Percent for the Planet: A global network of businesses, nonprofits, and individuals working together for a healthy planet, One Percent was founded by Yvon Chouinard (also Founder of Patagonia) who started the organization on the idea that bringing "dollars and doers" together can create change. Member brands commit one percent of their profits towards environmental action, and the organization ensures that those dollars go to trusted nonprofits engaged in wildlife and nature conservation, ocean cleanups, reforestation, and other environmental efforts. Get involved: Become an individual member and commit one percent of your annual salary to the group. To ensure your purchases support sustainability, you can also keep an eye out for the 1% FTP logo denoting that a business is a member of the organization. Check its list of members here.
One Tree Planted: A 501(c)(3) nonprofit based in Vermont that has a simple directive: one dollar = one tree. Founded in 2014 with a mission to make it easy for people to help the environment, One Tree Planted works with reforestation organizations around the world to fund the planting of trees that help stabilize the climate, provide habitat for biodiversity, and create sustainable jobs. Get involved: Donate a dollar to plant a tree or pool your donations with friends & family to make a larger impact. Those who are looking to get their hands dirty can even become a Tree Ambassador and learn how to plant trees in their own community! Learn more by checking out the One Tree Planted website.
5 Gyres Institute: A nonprofit dedicated to empowering individual and collective actions against the global crisis of plastic pollution, 5 Gyres Institute does hands-on conservation work out in oceans and on beaches. Additionally, 5 Gyres contributes as a founding member to the Plastic Pollution Coalition, where it works with global businesses and thought leaders to explore sustainable solutions to the many problems caused by plastic pollution. Get involved: Make a donation, pledge to refuse a number of different plastic products, activate your community by becoming an ambassador, and shop items that help prevent plastic waste on the 5 Gyres Institute website.
Blue Sphere Foundation: A nonprofit working to safeguard the world’s oceans through action, activism, and art, Blue Sphere was started by a global team of experts and activists that seek out the front lines of ocean conservation. Here, they’re able to gather information to turn into stories and visual assets that they then use to inspire action. Currently, the organization focuses on protecting diversity in West Papua, exposing the overfishing of tuna around the world, and investing in scaling eco-tourism. Get involved: Make a donation or sign up for their newsletter for a chance to participate in an expedition. Learn more by checking out the Blue Sphere Foundation website.
350.org: A 501(3)(c) nonprofit that believes in a just, prosperous, and equitable world built with the power of ordinary people, 350 uses social media campaigns, grassroots organizations, and collective public action to oppose new coal, oil, and gas projects, support clean energy solutions, and take money out of the pockets of companies that are heating up the planet. With members—including activists, students, business owners, labor unions, educators, and more—in over 180 countries, 350’s primary mission is to keep carbon in the ground, help build a more equitable zero-carbon economy, and hold governments accountable for limiting their emissions. Get involved: Plug into a local group near you and support the initiatives they’re working on. If you’re not located near an existing group, you can also start your own or simply make a donation. Learn more at the 350.org website.
At Revea, sustainability and reducing environmental waste are at the forefront of our mission. With so many nonprofits out there, we understand how it can be tough to know where to start! We hope this post makes it easy to choose a charity. Let’s commit to supporting sustainable organizations and doing our part to protect the planet this Earth Day!
