Only a quarter of Americans know when Earth Day is, according to new research.
The survey of 2,000 American adults, conducted by Talker Research on behalf of Avocado Green Mattress, found that without context, 23% believed they could identify the specific date on which Earth Day is celebrated.
That was then put to the test: All respondents were asked to select the month and the day that Earth Day occurs yearly.
Fifty-seven percent correctly said Earth Day happens in April, but only 26% rightly chose April 22.
The survey also looked at respondents’ general knowledge of Earth Day — and how the holiday impacts their sustainable habits.
Younger generations claimed a higher familiarity with Earth Day and its history: 42% of millennials said they’re knowledgeable about it, compared to just 28% of baby boomers.
Millennials were also more likely to take sustainable actions on April 22: three in 10 said their behavior changed on Earth Day, compared to just 12% of baby boomers.
But for some Americans — especially younger respondents — this sustainable behavior isn’t long-lasting.
A third of all respondents admitted making a specific, temporary effort to be sustainable on Earth Day.
Broken down by age, 44% of millennials admitted their sustainable behavior was temporary for the holiday itself, compared to 26% of baby boomers.
“While it’s important to be sustainable on Earth Day, it’s equally important throughout the rest of the year,” said Laura Scott, director of brand marketing at Avocado Green Mattress. “To create real, long-lasting change, we need to think about how to incorporate eco-friendly actions into our daily lives, both on Earth Day and otherwise.”
When asked how they’d like to see Earth Day celebrated, respondents highlighted teaching about it in schools (55%), a need for people to learn how to be more sustainable (52%), and said the government should take the opportunity to focus on legislation to help the environment (35%).
Respondents are holding the government to a high standard when it comes to sustainability.
Sixty-nine percent of those surveyed believe it’s important for individuals to make sustainable decisions, while 77% said the same for the government.
But regardless of whether it’s the government or individual people making eco-friendly decisions, most respondents (79%) do believe that small daily habits can lead to systemic change.
“It’s encouraging that our research found Americans do believe little, sustainable habits can lead to broader change — that’s an important attitude to have as we all work to fight against the impact of climate change,” said Scott. “Any eco-friendly behavior you can implement in your daily life will help create change on a broad scale, and that’s something we should celebrate.”
How Are Americans Planning to Celebrate Earth Day?
Talker Research surveyed 2,000 general population Americans who have access to the internet; the survey was commissioned by Avocado Green Mattress and administered and conducted online by Talker Research between March 17–19, 2026.
