Progress starts with you: How everyday choices add up this Earth Month

When it comes to the environment and supporting the planet, people often think of big, sweeping changes — climate policy, global emissions, renewable energy. But change doesn't always start at that scale. More often, it begins with everyday decisions: what we eat, how we support our community and the products we bring into our homes. Individual actions can feel small, but multiplied across millions of people, they become something else entirely.

Here are four ways those everyday choices can make a difference for Earth Month 2026.

First, spend more time outside

Beyond the well-documented effects on mood and stress, time in nature has been shown to shift behavior — making people more considerate of those around them and more likely to take action to protect the environment.

It reflects something intuitive. The more time people spend outside — whether hiking, biking or simply walking through a park — the more invested they become in protecting those spaces.

That mindset also shapes the choices they make at home.

How to think about plastic circularity

Not all plastic is created equal, and not all of it has to end up in a landfill. The concept of plastic circularity is about keeping materials in use for as long as possible, through products designed to be reused, refilled or recycled; and through better systems for recovering them at end of life.

At home, that can look like prioritizing products made from recycled content, choosing packaging that's designed to be recycled and taking advantage of take-back programs for items your curbside bin won't accept. Tom's of Maine builds this thinking into its products with recyclable toothpaste tubes and a free TerraCycle program for hard-to-recycle personal care containers.¹

Look beyond labels when choosing personal care products

Personal care products are often bought on autopilot. A quick stop at the store, the same familiar brand tossed in the cart and the decision is done. But sourcing and formulation decisions behind those products have implications.

Tom's of Maine was founded in 1970, the same year as the first Earth Day. Not a coincidence so much as a reflection of the same shift: the belief that responsible practices weren't optional extras but the right way to do business. The company's Stewardship Model guides every sourcing and formulation decision, evaluating not just what an ingredient does but where it comes from and how it gets there.

Take peppermint oil or lavender oil. When Tom's of Maine refers to a naturally sourced ingredient, it means something that hasn't changed much from how you'd find it in its original state, removed and concentrated, but otherwise much the same.

"Tom's of Maine was founded on the idea that personal care shouldn't come with compromises. We're thoughtful about every step of the process, starting with where our ingredients come from — choosing only naturally sourced or derived ingredients and leaving out artificial flavors and fragrances altogether," said Michelle Waring, Steward for Sustainability and Everyday Good at Tom's of Maine.

Support organizations doing the work

American Forests, the oldest national forest conservation organization in the country, reforested more than 240,000 acres in 2024 alone. Additionally, their Tree Equity movement has expanded to more than 1,000 U.S. communities, working to ensure everyone has equitable access to green spaces and the benefits trees provide.

Tom's of Maine is backing that work through a three-year partnership with American Forests, reflecting the brand's broader commitment to protecting nature for generations to come. Finding an organization with a mission aligned with your values and supporting it — as Tom's has — is how a personal value becomes collective impact.

Small choices, real impact

Everyday decisions don't always feel like environmental actions. But collectively, they shape the world around us — and when millions of people make them with intention, progress adds up.

To learn more about Tom's of Maine's ingredient sourcing, safety standards and sustainability commitments, visit www.tomsofmaine.com and www.tomsofmaine.com/pages/our-mission.

¹ Tube recyclability varies by community; check locally. TerraCycle program participation is limited.