Celebrating Earth Day 2026

By David E. Shaw

The Earth Day movement was launched  in 1970 to recognize that caring for the planet is a shared human responsibility.  Earth Day has since become the world’s largest secular observance, mobilizing more than a billion people in a wide range of initiatives to benefit the planet.  An important hub for these activities is:  EARTHDAY.ORG

My support for Earth Day includes important conservation projects as well as the annual creation of a short celebratory film.  This year’s film is a celebration of the spirit that created the Earth Day movement.  It invites us to see our home as a living, dynamic planet, rich with oceans teeming with life, forests that create the oxygen we breathe , landscapes shaped over millennia, and cultures that reflect the beauty of human diversity.   It is a reminder that we are not separate from nature – we are part of it. Fellow travelers. Crew members aboard what Buckminster Fuller once called Spaceship Earth.   

In my recent book, Wave Making: Inspired by Impact, I reflect on the importance of high-impact “wave makers”—individuals and organizations willing to step forward, take responsibility, and help shape a better future. The Earth Day movement is a powerful example of wave making at scale.

Please enjoy my Earth Day 2026 film: