Share on Facebook

A Trusted Friend in a Complicated World

35 Earth Day Quotes That Remind Us to Cherish the Planet

Earth Day is on April 22—celebrate the day with these Earth Day quotes that remind us to take care of our beautiful planet

paper cutout of earth surrounded by tiny paper handsPaula Daniëlse/Getty Images

Celebrate Earth Day by sharing these powerful Earth Day quotes

April 22, 2023 is Earth Day, a day to not only celebrate our love of the natural world but to acknowledge our duty to take care of and protect it. A great way to spread awareness about the day itself, as well as environmental conservation, is to share powerful Earth Day quotes that remind people about the issues our planet faces. Feel free to share these Earth Day quotes capture the majesty, fragility and irreplaceability of our planet. Then, take this Earth Day quiz to test how well you know Earth.

“The Earth is what we all have in common.” —Wendell Berry, novelist.rd.com, Getty Images

“The Earth is what we all have in common.”—Wendell Berry, novelist

"And forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet and the winds long to play with your hair." —Kahlil Gibran, writerrd.com, Getty Images

“And forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet and the winds long to play with your hair.”—Kahlil Gibran, writer

This is the difference between World Environment Day and Earth Day.

“Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.” —Albert Einstein, physicistrd.com, Getty Images

“Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.”—Albert Einstein, physicist

"When the last tree is cut, the last fish is caught, and the last river is polluted; when to breathe the air is sickening, you will realize, too late, that wealth is not in bank accounts and that you can’t eat money." —Alanis Obomsawin, Indigenous filmmakerrd.com, Getty Images

“When the last tree is cut, the last fish is caught, and the last river is polluted; when to breathe the air is sickening, you will realize, too late, that wealth is not in bank accounts and that you can’t eat money.”—Alanis Obomsawin, Indigenous filmmaker

“Time spent among trees is never time wasted.” —Katrina Mayer, writerrd.com, Getty Images

“Time spent among trees is never time wasted.”—Katrina Mayer, writer

Help make a difference with these reusable versions of things you use every day.

“Earth provides enough to satisfy every man’s need, but not every man’s greed.” —Mahatma Gandhi, lawyer and ethicist.rd.com, Getty Images

“Earth provides enough to satisfy every man’s need, but not every man’s greed.”—Mahatma Gandhi, lawyer, ethicist

Learn about the Earth’s littlest creatures that play a major role in the environment.

Earth Day should encourage us to reflect on what we are doing to make our planet a more sustainable and livable place.” —Scott Peters, Congressmanrd.com, Getty Images

“Earth Day should encourage us to reflect on what we are doing to make our planet a more sustainable and livable place.”—Scott Peters, Congressman

"The wealth of the nation is its air, water, soil, forests, minerals, rivers, lakes, oceans, scenic beauty, wildlife habitats, and biodiversity." —Gaylord Nelson, politician and environmentalistrd.com, Getty Images

“The wealth of the nation is its air, water, soil, forests, minerals, rivers, lakes, oceans, scenic beauty, wildlife habitats, and biodiversity.”—Gaylord Nelson, politician, environmentalist

“The more clearly we can focus our attention on the wonders and realities of the universe about us, the less taste we shall have for destruction.” —Rachel Carson, biologist and authorrd.com, Getty Images

“The more clearly we can focus our attention on the wonders and realities of the universe about us, the less taste we shall have for destruction.”—Rachel Carson, biologist, author

How many of these questions about Earth can you get right?

“An understanding of the natural world and what’s in it is a source of not only a great curiosity but great fulfillment.” —David Attenborough, historian.rd.com, Getty Images

“An understanding of the natural world and what’s in it is a source of not only a great curiosity but great fulfillment.”—David Attenborough, historian 

After reading these Earth Day quotes, bookmark these beautiful nature quotes.

"I felt my lungs inflate with the onrush of scenery—air, mountains, trees, people. I thought, 'This is what it is to be happy.'" —Sylvia Plath, poetrd.com, Getty Images

“I felt my lungs inflate with the onrush of scenery—air, mountains, trees, people. I thought, ‘This is what it is to be happy.'”—Sylvia Plath, poet

“One of the first conditions of happiness is that the link between man and nature shall not be broken.” —Leo Tolstoy, writerrd.com, Getty Images

“One of the first conditions of happiness is that the link between man and nature shall not be broken.”—Leo Tolstoy, writer

Read these gratitude quotes that remind us to be grateful each day.

Earth Day Quote By Amit Rayrd.com, getty images

“Let every breath, every word, and every step make the mother earth proud of us.”—Amit Ray, author

Earth Day Quote By Chief Seattlerd.com, getty images

“Humankind has not woven the web of life. We are but one thread within it. Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves. All things are bound together; all things connect.”—Chief Seattle

These powerful photos show that the Earth still needs our help.

Earth Day Quotes By Lady Bird Johnsonrd.com, getty images

“The environment is where we all meet, where we all have a mutual interest; it is the one thing all of us share.”—Lady Bird Johnson, former First Lady

“To leave the world better than you found it, sometimes you have to pick up other people’s trash.” —Bill Nye, engineer and Science Guyrd.com, Getty Images

“To leave the world better than you found it, sometimes you have to pick up other people’s trash.”—Bill Nye, engineer and Science Guy

Bookmark these fall quotes that truly capture the beauty of the season.

Earth Day Quote By Lucy Maud Montgomeryrd.com, getty images

“Dear old world, You are very lovely, and I am glad to be alive in you.”—Lucy Maud Montgomery, author

There is a pleasure in the pathless woods. There is a rapture on the lonely shore. There is society, where none intrudes by the deep sea, and music in its roar. I love not man the less, but nature more.” —Lord Byron, poetrd.com, Getty Images

“There is a pleasure in the pathless woods. There is a rapture on the lonely shore. There is society, where none intrudes by the deep sea, and music in its roar. I love not man the less, but nature more.”—Lord Byron, poet

Since Earth Day is in April, these Earth Day quotes go perfectly with these spring quotes to celebrate the season.

Earth Day Quote From A Sioux Prayerrd.com, getty images

“Teach us to walk the soft earth as relatives to all that live.”—Sioux prayer

Earth Day Quote By Pope John Paul Iird.com, getty images

“The earth will not continue to offer its harvest, except with faithful stewardship. We cannot say we love the land and then take steps to destroy it for use by future generations.”—Pope John Paul II

These Earth Day quotes are great—and so are these beautiful summer quotes.

“I really wonder what gives us the right to wreck this poor planet of ours.” —Kurt Vonnegut Jr., writerrd.com, Getty Images

“I really wonder what gives us the right to wreck this poor planet of ours.”—Kurt Vonnegut Jr., writer

“The earth has music for those who listen.” —William Shakespeare, playwrightrd.com, Getty Images

“The earth has music for those who listen.”—William Shakespeare, playwright 

“Nature is painting for us, day after day, pictures of infinite beauty.” —John Ruskin, art criticrd.com, Getty Images

“Nature is painting for us, day after day, pictures of infinite beauty.”—John Ruskin, art critic

Get a laugh with the funniest quotes of all time.

Earth Day Quote By Jane Goodallrd.com, getty images

“You cannot get through a single day without having an impact on the world around you. What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of a difference you want to make.”Jane Goodall, primatologist and anthropologist

“What’s the use of a fine house if you haven’t got a tolerable planet to put it on?” —Henry David Thoreau, naturalist and writerrd.com, Getty Images

“What’s the use of a fine house if you haven’t got a tolerable planet to put it on?”—Henry David Thoreau, naturalist, writer

Earth Day Quote By Franklin D Rooseveltrd.com, getty images

“A nation that destroys its soils destroys itself. Forests are the lungs of our land, purifying the air and giving fresh strength to our people.”—Franklin D. Roosevelt, 32nd president of the United States

Check out these other quotes from U.S. presidents.

“We have forgotten how to be good guests, how to walk lightly on the earth as its other creatures do.” —Barbara Ward, economist and writerrd.com, Getty Images

“We have forgotten how to be good guests, how to walk lightly on the earth as its other creatures do.”—Barbara Ward, economist, writer

Earth Day Quote By Marshall Mcluhanrd.com, getty images

“There are no passengers on spaceship earth. We are all crew.”—Marshall McLuhan, philosopher

Earth Day Quote By John Muirrd.com, getty images

“Break clear away once in a while, and climb a mountain or spend a week in the woods. Wash your spirit clean.”—John Muir, naturalist

“… do something. Pay your rent for the privilege of living on this beautiful, blue-green, living Earth.” —Dave Foreman, environmentalist and authord.com, Getty Images

“Do something. Pay your rent for the privilege of living on this beautiful, blue-green, living Earth.”—Dave Foreman, environmentalist, and author

“A true conservationist is a man who knows that the world is not given by his fathers, but borrowed from his children.” —John James Audubon, naturalist.rd.com, Getty Images

“A true conservationist is a man who knows that the world is not given by his fathers but borrowed from his children.”—John James Audubon, naturalist

Earth Day Quote By Rabindranath Tagorerd.com, getty images

“Trees are the earth’s endless effort to speak to the listening heaven.”—Rabindranath Tagore, poet

Earth Day Quote By Ralph Waldo Emersonrd.com, getty images

“The earth laughs in flowers.”—Ralph Waldo Emerson, essayist

Earth Day Quote By Olivia Newton Johnrd.com, getty image

“I feel very passionately that we need to take care of the planet and everything on it. Whether it’s saving the Amazon or just being kind to those around you, we need to take care of each other and Mother Earth.”—Olivia Newton-John, actress

Earth Day Quote By Evo Moralesrd.com, getty images

“Sooner or later, we will have to recognize that the earth has rights, too, to live without pollution. What mankind must know is that human beings cannot live without Mother Earth, but the planet can live without humans.”—Evo Morales, former president of Bolivia

Meghan Jones
Meghan Jones is a word nerd who has been writing for RD.com since 2017. You can find her byline on pieces about grammar, fun facts, the meanings of various head-scratching words and phrases, and more. Meghan graduated from Marist College with a Bachelor of Arts in English in 2017; her creative nonfiction piece “Anticipation” was published in the Spring 2017 issue of Angles literary magazine.