Earth Day 2022 brought beautiful weather across the country, yet saving the Earth from the effects of climate change and environmental impacts remained at the forefront of discussions. Here is how companies across the country highlighted their efforts.

Republic Services Unveils $2 Million Sponsorship

In celebration of Earth Day, Republic Services announced its $2 million sponsorship to the City of Phoenix to help revitalize downtown's Margaret T. Hance Park, transforming it into an iconic urban space that will help drive the city's civic, cultural and economic life. The Republic Services Charitable Foundation contribution will help fund the park's Republic Services Garden, a one-acre sustainable oasis featuring native desert plants and shaded walking and seating areas. Garden construction is already underway and is expected to be open in time for Phoenix's hosting of Super Bowl LVII in February 2023.

The one-acre Republic Services Garden will be a sustainable oasis featuring 33 native desert plants chosen for their ability to thrive in the Phoenix heat and requiring low water usage. These include nearly 60 trees as well as 4,000 visually striking groundcovers, vines, grasses, perennials, succulents and shrubs. The diverse selection of plants will provide a habitat for pollinators such as butterflies, bees and hummingbirds. The area will include a recycled steel canopy to shade walking paths, seating areas and swings, and energy efficient LED security lighting is included for nighttime use. 

Re-Tech Launches Recycling App

Re-Teck, a company focused on electronic waste recycling, launched their new gaming app, Recycle Avengers, in celebration of Earth Day at Flower Mound Elementary School to third, fourth and fifth graders. The Recycle Avengers electric car was on site and game character, Kit, handed out t-shirts and posters. The students and faculty members learned that old electronics dumped in landfills can release dangerous chemicals into the environment. Members of the Recycle Avengers team shared how used electronics can be recycled, repurposed and reused to create new electronics. 

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Knauf Insulation Re-Ups on Sustainability Commitments

Knauf Insulation, Inc. has expanded upon its sustainability commitments over the past 12 months by supporting recycling initiatives and incorporating circular economy principles across its six U.S. manufacturing facilities. As a company that uses 500 million pounds of recycled glass in its manufacturing process per year, Knauf is deeply invested in improving glass recycling rates through efforts such as:

Meijer Donates $1M to the Council of the Great Lakes Region to Clean Up Midwest Lakeshores

Meijer announced today a $1 million donation to the charitable arm of the Council of the Great Lakes Region in the United States – the CGLR Foundation – to clean up Midwestern beaches and waterways, and ultimately inform the public about the scale of the plastics pollution problem in the Great Lakes and actions to take to end plastic waste and litter.

The Great Lakes are the largest surface freshwater system in the world, and models estimate that 22 million pounds of plastic litter enter them annually. An estimated 80 percent of the litter that washes up on those shorelines is plastic.

The $1 million donation from Meijer to the CGLR Foundation will fund the purchase and use of three innovative litter capture and cleanup technologies at more than a dozen locations in the Midwest. They're part of the expansion of the Great Lakes Plastic Cleanup's plastic capture and recovery effort, an initiative that started in 2020 by the Council of the Great Lakes Regional and Pollution Probe:

Atlas Organics Celebrates Earth Day Across Five States

Atlas Organics, a leading composting company based in Spartanburg SC, is excited to be celebrating this Earth Day across five different states this year! Through these events, Atlas Organics shared the role that compost plays in the global movement to protect our planet and divert waste from landfills. Composting reduces the negative environmental impacts waste can cause while limiting several types of pollution, improving soil conditions, and saving water!

For Earth Day, Atlas donated over 70 cubic yards at various events, as well as, gave out samples. Attendees experienced the power of compost for themselves! Atlas Organics also provided information on how to use compost, ways local governments can become more environmentally friendly, and other materials at both in-person events and as part of its online Earth Day education!

Meridian Waste Announces the Winners of the Third Annual Earth Day Coloring Contest

Meridian Waste, an integrated, non-hazardous solid waste services company, has chosen the winners of the third annual Earth Day-themed coloring contest, “Brightening the World,” for children from five to 10-years of age.

“This is our third year of the contest with the goal to create a greater awareness about our collective responsibility and take care of the Earth,” said Meridian Waste CEO Walter “Wally” Hall.  “Contest entries were up 44 percent since 2021. We had so many creative and artistic entries that we expanded the prizes to include a first, second, and third place in each age category.”

The contest has two age categories for children with specific coloring sheets for age groups from five to seven years and from eight to 10-years of age. The first-place winners will receive a custom garbage truck wall plaque, a tee shirt with their artwork printed on it, a $25 gift card, and a first-place rosette ribbon. Second and third place winners will receive a tee-shirt with their artwork printed on it, a $25 gift card, and a rosette ribbon.

Winners Ages Five to Seven:

Winners Ages Eight to 10:

The winning artwork can be viewed at https://www.MeridianWaste.com/Earthday. Meridian Waste will gear up for the next contest in March 2023.