With your help we were able to make a huge difference in 2021 – our biggest impact year yet. Check out what we were able to accomplish below, and let’s hear a round of applause for EarthHeroes like you!
Planted Trees
This holiday season, we teamed up with Eden Reforestation Projects to plant 5 trees for every holiday order placed. Over November and December of 2021, we were able to plant 44,284 trees! To date, Eden Reforestation Projects has planted 697,851,612 trees at 235 project sites across 8 countries, creating 6,978,526 workdays for their teams. Regions with planting sites in Ethiopia, Madagascar, Nepal, Haiti, Indonesia, Mozambique, Kenya, and Central America have all seen a positive social and environmental impact from these forests. Eden Reforestation Projects’ goal is to plant one trillion trees – and in doing so, give employment to tens of thousands of people living in poverty. Learn more about Eden Reforestation Projects here!
Protected Sea Turtle Habitats
Earth Day is one of our most important days of the year – and in 2021, we partnered with non-profit Plastic Oceans and donated a portion of every order placed during our Earth Month promotion. We were able to protect over 1.7 million square feet of turtle habitat across Mexico! The specific Plastic Oceans program we donated to is called the Campeche Turtle Project, and its mission is to save the critically endangered Hawksbill Sea Turtle. Plastic Oceans has partnered with Ninth Wave and Yuumtsil Káak Náab, two local NGOs in Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, to collaborate on this effort. Together, they’ve worked on a multi-level community approach that focuses on plastic reduction initiatives, beach cleanups, education for youths and adults, research, arts, and culture. Learn more about Plastic Oceans here!
Offset Carbon Emissions
Every order placed on EarthHero ships carbon-neutral – originally through our partner Carbonfund.org. But, in November 2021, we became Climate Neutral Certified! This means EarthHero now has strict guidelines for our carbon emissions, and a plan to offset these emissions each year. Plus, every order still ships carbon neutral to your door. This year, we were able to offset 252 tCO2e of carbon emissions by donating to projects like tree planting, renewable energy, and sustainable cookware through partners Carbonfund and Climate Neutral. Learn more about Climate Neutral here!
Supported Social Justice
Social justice = environmental justice. EarthHero knows that making an impact on the environment means nothing without changing sociopolitical systems that are linked to racial justice and environmental racism. We teamed up with Global Greengrants Fund to support local communities in their strive for both social and environmental justice, donating 20% of the sales from our Social Justice T-Shirt to grassroots-led efforts to protect the planet and the rights of people! The Global Greengrants Fund trusts local people to advance solutions and strategies that will best fit their needs, and their communities’ needs, providing them the resources to make their ideas a reality.
Educated LGBTQ+ Youth
PRIDE Month is an important time to think about how we’re supporting marginalized communities – especially in the sustainability world. Living sustainably, connecting with nature, and finding community in those spaces are incredible tools for learning about ourselves and coming into our own. For the LGBTQ+ community, those tools aren’t always readily available – but 1% For the Planet organization Brave Trails is looking to change that! In June of 2021, we donated to Brave Trails Outdoor Adventures Program – getting queer youth into nature to teach them about environmentalism. Learn more about Brave Trails here!
1% for the Planet
Since EarthHero launched, we’ve been a member of 1% for the Planet – donating 1% of sales to environmental non-profits worldwide. This year was no different! 1% of all sales on EarthHero went to world-changing environmental causes including planting trees, social justice causes, and environmental education. Plus, over 40 brands on the EarthHero site are also 1% Members – doubling your impact when you shop with them. Learn more about 1% for the Planet here!
Team Volunteering
Our team is filled with badass environmentalists who want to make a real, hands-on impact. In that spirit, we often gather to volunteer at local non-profits or community organizations to make a difference in our HQ of Colorado. This April, we worked to re-seed forest areas that were impacted by Colorado wildfires and clear debris in local creek beds. And we’re always looking for new projects to get our hands dirty! Have a volunteering opportunity in Colorado? Let us know in the comments below!
Zero Waste & Solar Powered Office
This year, EarthHero moved from our Boulder, Colorado office and warehouse down the road to Louisville, Colorado! This means a bigger office, a bigger warehouse, and more room for sustainable products. Plus, our new space is solar-powered – allowing 80% of our operational energy to be solar-powered now!
We also have a zero-waste office that composts and recycles as much as possible, with the goal of reducing waste headed to the landfills. We take hard to recycle items to CHARM, a local recycling center for specialty items like styrofoam, plastic film, and technology. We use reusable kitchen items, get snacks from zero waste and bulk stores, use TerraCycle boxes when possible, and educate our employees on zero waste living.
Together, we made a huge impact in 2021. And this is just the beginning. With EarthHeroes like you, the sky is the limit! We cannot wait to keep changing the world with you in 2022.
