NEW YORK—Every year for the past 51 years, April 22 has been a day to honor, celebrate and protect our planet Earth. First founded in 1970, Earth Day marks the anniversary of the founding of the modern environmental movement, and offers us a day to think about how we treat the planet we call home. It is a day for action, legislation and reflection for everyone—including the optical community.

This year, eyewear and eyecare companies large and small got involved with Earth Day in their own ways, and many ECPs also took to social media to share how they do their best in their practices to be kinder to the Earth. This weekend, we’re taking a look at just some of these Earth Day Celebrations.

On Earth Day, the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB) declared a Climate Emergency and released a Call to Action for Environmentally Sustainable Practices in the Eye Health Sector. Alongside the call to action the group also produced a Guide for Environmentally Sustainable Practices in the Eye Health Sector

Earlier this week, Kenmark Eyewear, Charmant,  and Etnia Barcelona announced Earth Day programs, which VMAIL reported on Thursday. Kenmark donated a portion of all sales to the National Forest Foundation, while Charmant’s Eddie Bauer continued its long-standing partnership with American Forests and will donate a portion of every Eddie Bauer Eyewear sold from April 1 through April 30, 2021, up to $1,000.

Etnia Barcelona launched #BeAnArtist of a Better Tomorrow, a new campaign that aims to serve as a call-to-action for Etnia Barcelona fans everywhere with the main goal of making the world a better place today, tomorrow, and every day to come. The campaign coincides with Etnia Barcelona’s SS21 collection, made of natural materials.

On Earth Day, Luxottica’s Arnette announced the launch of a limited edition sun style made of bio-based plastic and lenses. The special style featured a custom green drip effect on a black frame, with a temple inscription reading “you are wearing part of the solution.” The frames were exclusively available on Instagram checkout, and limited to 100 pairs.

Eco, from Modo, celebrated Earth Day by doubling its Better for the Planet campaign. Normally, Eco plants one tree for every frame purchased, but doubled that commitment on Earth Day to plant two trees for every purchased frame throughout Earth Week. The tree planting happens through a partnership with Trees for the Future—so far, Eco has helped plant over 2.5 million trees with this partnership.

CooperVision celebrated Earth Day by launching a sustainability toolkit specifically for eyecare practices. The toolkit aims to support ECPs interested in implementing or enhancing their own sustainability efforts, and complements the recently introduced clariti 1 day net plastic neutral initiative. The tools include educational infographics and videos, patient communication materials such as e-mail templates and website assets, and a broad range of ideas for making practices more “green.” The entire kit is available for download online here.

Melissa Kiewe, vice president of marketing, Americas, for CooperVision, said, “These shared values indicate that many ECPs will benefit from resources to help educate and connect with their patients through sustainability. CooperVision is continuously evaluating and innovating to expand our steadfast commitment to sustainability, and our partnership with like-minded practices will only strengthen our collective impact.”

Here is a small sampling of all the ways the optical community stepped up to celebrate Earth Day this year.



Genusee spent Earth Day sharing information about its circular economy, recognizing its community of “changemakers,” and sharing the voices of teenagers from Flint, Michigan, where the company is based. Image via genusee_official on Instagram.



WestGroupe shared some of its environmental practices on Instagram, including recyclable packaging and new collections using biodegradable acetate. Image via westgroupe on Instagram.



The Essilor Vision Foundation shared some Earth Day resources specifically for kids, available online here.



The team at Binyon Vision Center in Bellingham, Washington, celebrated Earth Day by explaining how to get involved with their contact lens recycling program. Image via binyonvision on Instagram.



The Invision Optometry team in San Francisco also shared information about their contact lens recycling program. Image via invisionsf on Instagram.



The team at Eyes of Cresta Bella in San Antonio, Texas, celebrated Earth Day by sharing information about Eco, as well as its contact lens recycling program. Image via eyesofcrestabella on Instagram.



In Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, the Vision Seaside team was excited to share that Clairti 1 Day, which they carry, has gone plastic neutral. Image via visionseaside on Instagram.



And, of course, you need to have a little fun with the holiday too, like the team at Coeur d’Alene Vision Source in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. Image via cda_vision_source on Instagram.