Friday, April 22 is Earth Day, a celebration of environmental protection throughout the nation and across the globe. The Energy Department is committed to addressing the country’s environmental challenges by advancing transformative science and high-impact technologies.

However, the only way these clean energy technologies can protect the planet is through the leadership of people who take small actions every day to bring about big changes that will last for generations.

In the video above, we highlight just a few of these inspiring men and women:

• Mallory Lindgren of Westwood Professional Services in Minneapolis, who mentors young people to get them excited about renewable energy and careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
• Aaron Sebens, an educator at Central Park School for Children in Durham, North Carolina, who taught his fourth grade students about renewable energy by making their classroom solar powered.
• Dr. Rhonda Jordan, an energy specialist at the World Bank in Washington, D.C., who co-founded a Tanzania-based startup that provides energy services for residents who are not connected to the grid.

Watch the video above for more inspirational individuals who do small acts day in and day out that make our clean energy future a reality. 

How can I participate?

Follow us on Twitter and Energy.gov all week long for more #EarthWeek coverage!