April 22-May 1—Earth Week 2024

Peace and planet go hand-in-hand. 

Join Campaign Nonviolence for our first annual Earth Week mobilization between April 22–May 1. 

Campaign Nonviolence is a long-term movement to build a culture of peace and active nonviolence, free from war, poverty, racism, and environmental destruction. For 10 years, we have mobilized thousands of actions and events during our Action Days September 21–October 2. With the extreme urgency of the climate crisis and the growing concerns about escalating war, we are asking people to take action in April 2024.

In solidarity and partnership with climate justice and peace groups, we are asking you to plan a nonviolent action between April 22nd (Earth Day) and May 1st (International Labor Day). This period, known as Earth Week, is a time when social justice groups take action on the systemic, interwoven injustices that are driving the climate crisis, including economic injustice, environmental racism, colonialism, militarism, and labor injustice. 

We encourage nonviolent action on all aspects of environmental justice, and especially those with a focus on the connections between peace and planet. In numerous ways, militarism and fossil fuels go hand-in-hand. To stop them, peace and planet must forge an unbreakable alliance. This Earth Day to May Day, we encourage you to take action with us.

Here are 3 ways to join in:

Option 1: Peace & Planet Solidarity

With countless environmental groups mobilizing around Earth Day (or Earth Week), we encourage peace activists to wear blue scarves or shirts, and show up at these events as a Peace Contingent in solidarity with climate actions. 

  • Bring a Peace Contingent to an Earth Day Action

    • Bring fliers or signs that explain why you’re showing up, such as:

      • No more war! Put peace and planet first. 

      • War destroys the planet. War destroys people. 

      • The US military is the single-largest institutional consumer of fossil fuels. 

      • If they really wanted to defend the nation, they’d stop the climate crisis. 

      • Don’t waste $$$ on war. Fund peace and climate solutions. 

  • Organize on the Earth Day 2024 “Planet vs. Plastics” theme

    • Show up for clean-up events, local actions, etc. with a sign or banner that says: No More Plastics. No More Wars For Oil. Peace & Planet Solidarity!

Option 2: Connect the dots between climate and militarism.

With the combined crises of climate and war, we’re asking people to take action that connects the dots between peace and planet. This could be:

  • Visibility actions (protests, posters, banner drops, etc.) that raise awareness that war steals resources and focus from the need for widespread shifts toward sustainability. 

  • Calling for ceasefires in current war zones, with a reminder that war is bad for people and planet.

  • Opposing military destruction of the planet, including military base pollution.

  • Actions challenging city funds, banks, colleges, and businesses to move money out of weapons and fossil fuels and into renewable energy.

  • Sit-ins at federal legislators’ offices to move money out of the military budget and into climate transition projects

  • Calling out military greenwashing, i.e. “war is not green” 

  • Pushing to get local governments/police departments to ban militarized policing of climate activists. (Such as by modifying the use-of-force standards)

Option 3: Celebrate Peace & Planet with children. 

With young people, we ask that you invite them to envision a world of peace and a planet in balance, a true home for humanity. Actions for this might include:

  • Making art that depicts the theme of Peace & Planet

  • Mural making for a peaceful, sustainable world

  • Use sidewalk chalk to make a message board to leaders, asking them to take action for peace and planet.

  • Open up a sharing circle around why they want to live in a peaceful world on a healthy planet.

  • Make a nature collage (using leaves, pine cones, grass, pebbles, sticks) of a peace sign in a local park, faith center, or at school.

  • Hold a Peace & Planet march in the neighborhood or at your school.

  • Write or tell stories about year 2200 when we live in a peaceful, sustainable world.

 

GET INVOLVED: