Earth Day 2021: Outspoken Speakers “Restore Our Earth”

In this particular historical moment, we’re working tirelessly to protect our communities against the spread of Covid-19, the wreckage of gun violence, and the ills of anti-Black and anti-Asian racism and police brutality. While we tend to our commitment to one another, we have not forgotten the intersectional commitment to our planet.

This year marks the 51st anniversary of Earth Day. Outspoken speakers are constantly engaging in entrepreneurship, innovation, activism, technology and science that disrupts the status quo and protects our communities, while also protecting nature, plants, and the land. Together, they are combating climate change and “Restoring Our Earth.”

Julia Collins

Julia turned Zume Pizza into a $2 billion company, now, with her unique business-savvy and passion for food and snacks, she is trying to save the planet. Through her newest venture, Planet FWD, she partners with farmers using regenerative agriculture practices to not only feed the world, but to save it from environmental disaster. Regenerative agriculture combats climate change by restoring degraded soil, organic matter, and biodiversity as well as reducing atmospheric carbon. Planet FWD eagerly joins EARTHDAY.ORG in its commitment to promote regenerative farming practices.

Watch this moderated conversation on combating Climate Change through Planet Fwd’s sustainability and tech practices with Julia:

Noah Wilson-Rich

As the co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer of The Best Bees Company, a beekeeping service that installs and maintains honey beehives for corporate rooftops and grounds nationwide, Noah understands the vital role of honeybees as pollinators in our ecosystem. We rely on honeybees to pollinate fruits, vegetables, crunchy almonds and nuts, even the food that our cattle rely upon to eat. Without the great work of honeybees, our world would eventually experience global hunger, economic collapse, and more. Noah uses citizen science (community-driven research) to save dead and dying honeybees and replace dead beehives. By protecting the honeybee, Noah’s work, along with that of EARTHDAY.ORG, restores and protects the biodiversity of our planet.

Watch highlights from Noah's recent conversation about Climate Change Resilience and Bees:

Jessica O. Matthews

Jessica’s work sits at the intersection of disruptive technology, renewable energy, human behavior, and the psychology of self-actualization. She is the founder and CEO of Uncharted Power, an award-winning power access company that transforms the ground beneath us into smart, secure and cost-effective infrastructure for renewable energy access. Working hand-in-hand with the scientists, engineers, and residents of targeted communities that are often forgotten, Uncharted Power builds “smart cities” by giving people access to everything from clean water to internet access. Similar to EARTHDAY.ORG, Uncharted Power creates and promotes tech that not only speaks to environmental injustices, but societal injustices that leave many without access.

Jessica & panelists join The New York Times to discuss breaking Fossil Fuel Addiction:

Amanda Parkes

An expert in wearable technology, interaction design, smart materials, and fashion innovation, Amanda believes in designing, creating, buying and sporting climate-friendly fashion. As the Chief Innovation Officer at Pangaia, a materials science company that makes clothes with a lesser impact on resources, Amanda creates product development plans for clothing that’s made using recycled, bio-based, bio-degradable elements, including recycled plastic bottles and agricultural waste. Pangaia is one of the many world leaders aligning with EARTHDAY.ORG to reduce plastic pollution and promote regenerative waste.

Check out this interview with Amanda on the future of Sustainable Fashion and Wearable Tech: