This Earth Day, Let’s Make Some Changes

At LOCAL, we believe change starts small—and scales fast. Earth Day is a great time to reflect on that. Earth Day isn’t about guilt-tripping or going zero-waste overnight. It’s about: Pause. Perspective. Participation.

“In the modern American economy, much of our work happens behind screens. We move data, hold meetings, send emails, build brands…all from laptops. We’ve offshored much of the physical labor that used to root us in our communities,” says Nicholas Roth, LOCAL’s Director of Consulting, and environmental advocate.

And while that has driven innovation and growth, it’s also created a strange kind of distance—from the earth, and from each other.

That’s why every year, LOCAL sets out to volunteer at the Metro Atlanta Urban Farm, in support of our own local, community-driven initiatives. We get to reconnect both with Mother Earth - planting, maintaining and harvesting produce - and with each other through a shared experience. We’re simultaneously stewarding the planet, and creating connections and memories that impact our relational health in the workplace.

So this Earth Day, let’s get a little muddy

“We live in a world of remote teams, Slack notifications, Google Docs, and cloud servers. It’s fast. Scalable. Efficient. But it also means we’ve drifted. From our hands. From our land. And from the tangible roots of community and contribution that once grounded people’s day-to-day lives " says Nick.

Whether it’s taking the day to go out on a field trip to your local community garden, or spending a morning picking up trash at your local parks - intentional time outside as a team to contribute to something bigger than yourself creates impact both in the community and within your team.

“There’s a cultural aspect of going out and doing something with your team. Especially when you’re all there together, reconnecting with what’s essential,” Nick added.

We’re issuing a challenge to ourselves—and to the companies we work with:

So how do we do it? It’s not rocket science. It’s simple, but not easy. 

Step away from the screen. Step outside. And step back into the world around you.

Literally.

🌱 Plant something. Even if it’s a small herb in a windowsill pot.
🧤 Pick up trash in your neighborhood. 10 minutes makes a big difference.
🌳 Volunteer as a team. Find a local green initiative and plug in.
🧠 Take your next brainstorm outdoors. Nature unlocks fresh thinking.
🥾 Go on a hike. Get out, get active, get motivated. Then snap a pic!
💬 Talk about it. Post what you’re doing, share ideas, build momentum.

These aren’t tasks on a to-do list. They’re acts of reconnection.

And in our work—building culture, facilitating transformation, guiding teams through change—that reconnection is everything.