Around the world, people are participating in Earth Day events, from planting trees to joining rallies, from creating art to attending workshops. Today is important because it reminds us that we all have different parts to play. For facility and workplace leaders, that can mean finding ways to “make Earth Day every day” through a strategic combination of policies and technologies that help them set and meet a range of goals.
A quick history of Earth Day
The first Earth Day was April 22, 1970, with an estimated 20 million Americans participating in rallies and educational events in support of a healthier environment. Over the years, it’s evolved into a global phenomenon, with participation from over 190 countries and billions of people. The focus has expanded beyond national borders to address global environmental challenges like deforestation and pollution. Modern Earth Day activities range from community clean-ups and tree planting to large-scale advocacy campaigns and educational initiatives.
Earth Day is still a great way to raise awareness and drive action by highlighting the need for collective action and practical solutions.
Why Earth Day matters to business
On top of contributing to a cleaner world, participating in Earth Day offers additional benefits.
Companies can use Earth Day to drive internal changes and innovations. By focusing on related issues, companies often discover new ways to shrink their environmental footprint. For example, they might implement more efficient energy practices, reduce waste, or find new sources for materials. These changes not only benefit the environment but can also lead to cost savings. For example, reducing energy consumption can lower utility bills, and minimizing waste can reduce disposal costs. Overall, the process of evaluating and improving environmental practices helps create a culture of innovation and continuous improvement, encouraging employees to think creatively about how to improve processes and policies.
Earth Day activities can also create new business opportunities. Companies that develop and market eco-friendly products or services can tap into a growing market of environmentally conscious consumers, leading to increased sales and market share. By demonstrating a genuine commitment to environmental issues, companies can enhance their reputation and build trust, which can be invaluable in today’s competitive business landscape.
How to “Make every day Earth Day”
Earth Day has many messages, but for companies, the most important is “Make every day Earth Day.” It makes sense to have a special day to celebrate how far we’ve come and remind us how far we have to go to protect the planet. But the only way for that to happen is if we all tackle the issues every day of the year. For organizations, that means taking a consistently thoughtful and strategic approach to improvement. It means focusing on efficiency.
Implement preventive maintenance
A significant amount of material and energy goes into designing, manufacturing, shipping, and installing your assets and equipment. So, it’s important to maximize the return on that carbon investment by ensuring these assets are well maintained.
Well-maintained machines operate at maximum efficiency, which is beneficial for the environment in several ways. Efficient machines use less energy, reducing the strain on power resources. They require fewer materials for repairs and replacements, minimizing waste. For example, a properly maintained HVAC system will use less electricity and produce less heat, reducing overall energy consumption and environmental impact. By ensuring that equipment runs smoothly and efficiently, preventive maintenance helps companies contribute to a healthier planet.
They’ll also see cost savings from these efficiencies. Well-maintained machines that operate at maximum efficiency also help save money. Efficient machines use less energy, which directly translates to lower utility bills. For example, that properly maintained HVAC system will consume less electricity, leading to significant savings over time. And since these machines require fewer materials for repairs and replacements, overall maintenance costs are lower. Another important source of savings is labor. The average number of full-time employee hours required for reactive maintenance was higher than for preventive maintenance, according to Eptura’s 2025 Workplace Index report. The average time spent on preventive maintenance work orders was one hour 17 minutes, while reactive maintenance work orders took two hours 22 minutes.
Leverage sensor data to track occupancy and utilization
In spaces where occupancy and utilization fluctuate over the workweek, companies can find themselves wasting electricity on lighting, heating, and cooling unoccupied spaces. It’s bad for the environment and also impacts the company’s financial health.
With the right sensors and software, facility managers can automatically adjust lighting and temperature in real-time, turning off or dimming lights in unoccupied areas and activating them when someone enters, allowing companies to save energy based on their specific needs rather than relying on broader trends.
For example, a company might have office building with multiple shared meeting rooms that are not always fully utilized. Each room has occupancy sensors and smart lighting. When a meeting room is unoccupied, the sensors detect the absence of people and automatically turn off the lights or dim them to a minimal level, cutting energy consumption.
When an employee enters the meeting room, the sensors immediately detect their presence. The lights turn on to the desired brightness, ensuring a well-lit and welcoming environment for the meeting. Real-time adjustment ensures that energy is only used when and where it is needed, minimizing waste.
The software is also integrated with the company’s calendar system to predict occupancy based on scheduled meetings. If a meeting is canceled or rescheduled, the system can automatically adjust the lighting settings to save energy. For example, if a meeting room is booked but no one shows up, the sensors will detect the lack of occupancy and turn off the lights.
Over time, the company uses the system to collect data on room usage patterns. Facility managers can analyze this data to identify trends and optimize the layout and scheduling of meeting rooms. For instance, if certain rooms are consistently underutilized, the company might decide to repurpose them or consolidate meetings into fewer rooms, further reducing energy consumption and operational costs.
By adopting a comprehensive approach and seeking efficiencies in every area of facility and workplace management, organizations can develop robust programs that help them reach a range of goals.
A comprehensive approach to Earth Day
Earth Day is an important moment for companies, a chance to assess current environmental practices and reaffirm their commitment to their goals. Given the multitude of challenges, organizations need a multifaceted strategy that helps them identify lasting efficiencies that reduce both emissions and costs.
Earth Day is a valuable opportunity to assess current practices. It is a reminder of the need to take action and make meaningful changes to protect the planet.
A comprehensive approach involves implementing practical solutions that can be sustained over the long term. A key aspect of this strategy is the use of advanced technology and data analytics to identify and capitalize on efficiencies that can reduce both emissions and costs. Smart sensors and automated systems can optimize energy usage in office spaces, while preventive maintenance helps facility teams maximize the lifespans of assets and equipment. By taking a holistic view and addressing challenges from multiple angles, companies can build a more resilient future both for themselves and the planet.
By Jonathan Davis
Jonathan writes about asset management, maintenance software, and SaaS solutions in his role as a digital content creator at Eptura. He covers trends across industries, including fleet, manufacturing, healthcare, and hospitality, with a focus on delivering thought leadership with actionable insights. Earlier in his career, he wrote textbooks, edited NPC dialogue for video games, and taught English as a foreign language. He holds a master's degree in journalism.
