Earth Day is more than a one-day event or annual environmental wake-up call. It is a catalyst for ongoing education, action and change. It simultaneously broadens the base of support and rekindles old commitments through highly participatory strategies.

Description:
Earth Day New York is a low-overhead, broadly educational non-profit 501(c)(3) organization that promotes environmental awareness and solutions through a three-pronged program: 1) involving schools, teachers and students through the Earth Day Education Program; 2) educating public and private policymakers through conferences and publications; and, 3) involving the general public in annual Earth Day events.

History:
1989:
Earth Day New York is founded by a broad coalition of environmental groups to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of Earth Day in New York City. Its initial geographic focus is city-wide.

1990:
Earth Day New York mobilizes 2 million people to attend Earth Day's 20th Anniversary events - the Earth Rising Ceremony in Times Square, the Environmental Exposition and Cultural Festival on Sixth Avenue and a major concert in Central Park. See the Archival page for photos of the event!

1991:
Earth Day New York establishes the Earth Day Education Program to create an independent and effective mechanism for distributing environmental teaching materials directly into local public, private, and parochial schools. The Education Program achieves an extraordinary 60% response in the New York City schools contacted.

1992:
The Earth Day Education Program is expanded to become statewide, and reaches over 40% of all schools in New York State.

1993:
The Earth Day Education Program pilots a thirteen-state national expansion (37%) and a resolicitation of New York schools achieving a 57% response.

The "Closed Loop Recycling" Conference, designed to help NYC businesses understand new commercial recycling regulations, takes place on September 30th.

1994:
Earth Day New York organizes Walk & Roll for Earth Day to celebrate the restoration of the Hudson River and the greening of the Manhattan shore.

1995:
For the 25th Anniversary, Earth Day New York organizes diverse arts and educational events including The Parade for the Planet (visit our archival page for parade photos!), The Giant Earth Projections, The International Poster Exhibition and The New York Team Clean and Green. 1995 Program; 1995 Event Guide

EDNY hosts the first international "Building the Sustainable Economy" Conference in New York City, attended by some of the most prominent theoreticians and practitioners in the field of sustainability.
“Building the Sustainable Economy” Conference takes place on April 28-30. This is a participatory symposium on sustainable practices for corporations, on understanding the emerging economy, and on building the sustainable economy locally, nationally and internationally.

The Earth Day Education Program is expanded to all fifty states and signed up over 50,000 coordinators from 48,000 schools.

1996:
The Earth Day Education Program network is expanded again reaching over 61,000 coordinators representing 57,000 different schools.

1998:
EDNY publishes Lessons Learned: Four Times Square – An Environmental Information and Resource Guide for the Commercial Real Estate Industry. It is distributed free-of-charge to the entire membership of the Real Estate Board of New York, BOMA, and New York Building Congress.

"Energy: Buildings, Economics & the Environment" Conference takes place on April 21-22, to explore the challenges of utility restructuring, provide insights into energy deregulation, present environmentally-informed scenarios for obtaining reliable energy supply, and to illustrate how to save money, increase cash flow, and maximize the value of buildings while helping to alleviate global warming and other pollution problems.

2000:
A companion volume, Lessons Learned: High Performance Buildings, is published in response to the extraordinary demand for the first publication and to the positive feedback it received.

Earth Day New York engages millions of New Yorkers in the 30th Anniversary of Earth Day with an environmental awareness festival in lower Manhattan including representatives from over 100 local, national and global environmental organizations; a wide array of educational and interactive children's activities; three stages with New York's finest musicians and performance artists; and a natural foods court focused on organic agriculture and vegetarianism. 2000 Program.

"Buildings, Economics & the Environment: Show me the Money!" Conference is held May 1-2, and focuses on energy costs, efficiency and technology.

2002:
Earth Day New York presents "Rethinking the Built Environment", a conference focusing on High Performance Buildings, barriers to terrorism and energy security.

The Giant Earth Images take place April 22nd - 28th in the Main Concourse of Grand Central Terminal.

The Earth Day Education Program is expanded once more, reaching 87,000 coordinators in over 74,000 unique schools representing 67% of all schools in the United States.

2003:
EarthFair is held for the first year in Vanderbilt Hall at Grand Central Terminal. The Giant Earth Images projection show illuminates the Main Concourse for the week surrounding Earth Day, inspiring communters with environmental images, quotes and messages.

2004:
2nd Annual EarthFair is held in Vanderbilt Hall at Grand Central Terminal, featuring more than 50 exhibitors both non-profit and earth-focused for-profits. The Giant Earth Images projection show illuminates the Main Concourse of Grand Central Terminal.

Costs and Benefits of High Performance Buildings is published as the third book in the Lessons Learned series.

2005-2007:
Annual EarthFair events held in Vanderbilt Hall and on Vanderbilt Avenue at Grand Central Terminal, featuring environmental organizations, green companies, kid's art activities and musical performances. The Giant Earth Images projection show illuminates the Main Concourse of Grand Central Terminal during Earth Week.

Contact people:

Anandi Premlall, Project Manager, (212) 922-0048, (email) Elizabeth Broad, Program Coordinator, (212) 922-0048, (email)

Address:

201 East 42nd St., Suite 3200 New York, NY 10017 (See a map)

Directions:

Nearest Metro/Subway Stop: Grand Central Station,   Walk distance (in minutes): 5

Overall Experience   
Trees make me happy =)

I went solo to this event in an unfamiliar neighborhood. The volunteers and parks department workers were all great and friendly. All materials were provided and we all had alot of fun. As the day went on, alot of children from the neighborhood joined in and helped out. It was a good time! posted on November 8, 2008