How a little movie on kids’ efforts to save the planet shows lessons endure beyond Earth Day - The Boston Globe (2025)

I remember working on my first Earth Day project as a kid in elementary school in Massachusetts, constructing two huge, makeshift Styrofoam spheres showing what our planet looked like at that time and another depicting what Earth and its sea levels would look like by 2050. The continents didn’t look quite right, but with more blue for the ocean on the 2050 Earth, I think I got the point across that a warming planet leads to higher sea levels.

One memory, in particular, sticks out of my classmate asking, “Why are we doing this?” and the teacher answering, “because the Earth is everyone’s home, and whatever small steps we take now to protect our home will keep it secure and safe for the future, especially as the world changes.”

To me, Earth Day really embraces that thought. For the past 55 years, this global event has emphasized the importance of protecting the environment and building a more sustainable Earth for all living creatures.

For many, it goes far beyond a single day of recognition. There are organizations around us that live and breathe sustainability — dedicating their time to educate and take action to preserve and protect our surroundings and planet.

”You can drive around almost any town or city and see trash scattered on the sidewalks. (Earth Day) is about educating and inspiring people to take some action every day to change behaviors," said Neil Rhein, founder of Keep Massachusetts Beautiful, a group launched in 2014 with over three dozen participating towns and cities across the Bay State.

Fast forward nearly 30 years since that childhood Earth Day project and I’m fortunate to work in a field closely tied to the health of our environment, especially as our atmosphere and oceans continue to change for the worse as we see more extreme weather.

It sure is changing. Human-induced global warming has driven the average temperature across the world to record highs over the last few years, with melting ice caps and more precipitation raising our oceans and infringing on shoreline properties and coastal habitats.

Over the past decades, sea levels have increased throughout the world, including right here along the New England coast.

And the data shows just how warm our planet has become compared to the century average.

The good news is that year-over-year, the amount of attention given and action taken to help combat our changing Earth has increased — and many are happening right around us.

Keep Massachusetts Beautiful

Chatting with Rhein recently was eye-opening. After constantly seeing roadway litter piling up in his neighborhood, one day in 2008, he decided to organize the first litter collection journey in Mansfield, Mass. Seventeen years later, he’s developed Keep Massachusetts Beautiful as a leading statewide cleanup initiative with one goal in mind — leaving his state a cleaner and greener place to live, work, and play.

“Our network of 42 local chapters blankets the state monthly and seasonally, picking up litter and recycling,” said Rhein. “Ninety-nine percent of people are bothered by litter and trash, it comes down to civic pride, and you should do something about it.”

The depth of passion to keep the Earth healthy and habitable runs deep. One example is the Framingham chapter, where Patrick St. Pierre, a member of Keep Framingham Beautiful, is bringing the story of the Save the Earth Club to life in a film by the same name highlighting two local elementary school students’ efforts to take action with their classmates to save our planet from trash and pollution.

“The goal is to incept the idea of saving the Earth at an early age so we don’t have to reteach kids to care about their actions,” said St. Pierre. “This short movie shows how to fight ‘trash monsters’ with the help of community, with a call to action for kids to start their own Save the Earth Club to help curb increasing environmental issues and climate change.”

The film is expected to come out in the fall.

Rhode Island Clean Water Association

The Rhode Island Clean Water Association (RICWA) is a non-profit emphasizing non-polluted water. The NPO holds multiple events a year to spread awareness and take action to keep water clean for consumption and for vegetation and agricultural use. They’re hosting an Earth Day clean-up toward the end of the month.

The New Hampshire Forest Society

I thought this group was very unique. A non-profit focused on keeping the forests of New Hampshire protected and flourishing. New Hampshire is one of the nicest wooded states across the country and the 10,000-plus members of the Forest Society are dedicated to protecting the roughly 1 million acres of forest space across the state.

Advocating for local and statewide policies, holding clean-ups, spreading information, and promoting good land use are major staples of the mission.

“At the end of the day, you can do a little to save a lot,” said Rhein.

Ken Mahan can be reached at ken.mahan@globe.com. Follow him on Instagram @kenmahantheweatherman.