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4.21.21- Happy Anniversary to OneGreenThing!

Updated: Apr 23

It's OneGreenThing's fourth anniversary!


We kicked off our organization on April 21, 2021, right after analarming milestone hit on April 4, 2021. That’s when the Mauna Loa Observatory reported a record-breaking 421 ppm of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.


Mauna Loa has been keeping tabs on CO2 levels since the 1950s, back when we were at 315 ppm. Hitting 421 ppm now shows that we’re on track to double atmospheric carbon levels from pre-industrial times by 2060. If we don’t tackle climate change, this could mean a temperature rise of about 4.1 to 8.1 degrees Fahrenheit. It’s definitely a "wake-up" call for all of us to step up and take action.



In April 2021, I noticed that a lot of young folks were feeling anxious about the climate crisis and the future we’re leaving behind. I realized that it was time to dig into the research on "eco-anxiety" and how the climate crisis affects mental health, plus find ways to help more people feel connected to climate action.


My colleague Emily Fowler, Chief of Start Up at OneGreenThing and I had a lot of chats during the pandemic about how our kids were pushing us to step up our advocacy game. We also noticed how the unchecked power of the fossil fuel industry and the gridlock in Congress over climate action were really affecting our kids' views on the future.

As Gen Xers, we thought we were the most cynical generation, but we were wrong. Our kids are way more skeptical, less trusting of the government, and much more aware of their own impact. They've inspired us to do more.


With the support of the dynamic OGT board of directors, national advisory council, and Gen Z council, and Chief of Start Up Emily Fowler, on 4.21.21, we shared the mission of OneGreenThing with the world.


Our goal is to tackle eco-anxiety through joyful daily action, creating culture change for climate solutions.


The day that we launched this new nonprofit in 2021, I received my book deal to write and publish One Green Thing: Discover Your Hidden Power to Help Save the Planet. Harper Horizon, a Harper Collins imprint, published it on April 19, 2022.


In year one, I wrote the book and also worked with Emily and the board to lay the groundwork for the nonprofit. Year two was focused on getting the message out that the climate crisis is the biggest crisis of our time and we all have a unique role to play.


Year three of OneGreenThing (2023 to 2024) had us focus on your educational programming and operations.


Year four of OneGreenThing (2024 to 2025) we'll be focusing on going to scale and connecting more people with our mission and programs.


The last four years have been a whirlwind. Thank you for the support for our mission, the excitement about our hopeful message in the work of our nonprofit and my books. Of course, we are grateful for the generous donations of people from around the country and to the thousands that have joined our community.



Here are a few highlights:





Since the launch of OneGreenThing two years ago, our start up nonprofit has:


  • Engaged more than 9000 individuals globally who have completed the Service Superpower (TM) assessment to discover their unique roles in climate action. From having no digital followers, we now connect with nearly 40,000 people on our platforms, and this number continues to grow daily.

  • Our work has been featured in national media coverage, reaching more than 20 million people through outlets like NBC News, CBS, Good Morning America, The Guardian, Real Simple, Shondaland, New York Times, Teen Vogue, as well as various podcasts and local TV across the country.

  • Conducted a Climate & Democracy Leadership Intensive for Gen Z and organized more educational, interactive online workshops on topics such as climate action involvement, creating your eco-action plan, sustainable fashion, reducing food waste, and additional workshops on living a greener, more joyful life.

  • Participated in and spoke at events like the Clinton Global Initiative, TEDxBoston, Silicon Valley Reads, the World Happiness Summit, and engaged with businesses, universities, schools, and bookstores nationwide to promote our mission.

  • Offered online, free educational tools such as the OneGreenThing Bullet Journal, the Joy Tracker, meditations, and discussion guides to encourage intergenerational, multicultural learning, dialogue, and action on eco-anxiety.


Today's (4/21/25) reading is 430 ppm of atmospheric carbon dioxide.


The new Administration means that it's no longer business as usual for sustainability. Programs and people we care about in environmental protection and climate action are at risk.

We've have lot of work ahead, but we CAN build a greener, healthier, and just future and become the amazing ancestors our future loved ones deserve.


Thanks for being part of our community! We really NEED you in this movement. Keep up your daily sustainability practice—just one green thing—and help us shift the culture toward the big policy changes we need.

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