Our Power, Our Planet: Haller Marks Earth Day 2025

The first Earth Day in April 1970 was prompted by an oil spill in Santa Barbara, California, which spurred US Senator Gaylord Nelson to call for public action. Nelson recruited Denis Hayes, a young activist involved in the anti-war movement, to organise campus teach-ins and protests. Hayes’ scaling of the initiative was so successful that the first Earth Day rallied 10% of the total American population to action.

The movement would go on to become the largest secular day of protest in the world, with over 1 billion people expected to participate in Earth Day this year. The power of the initiative lies in its ability to unite individuals with a common purpose to overcome even the most entrenched systems and industries. In the face of an ever-deepening environmental crisis, and governments around the world rejecting responsibility for upholding environmental goals, Earth Day 2025 is more critical than ever.

One of the biggest differences between Earth Day in 1970 and 2025 is that we now possess the solutions to some of the greatest environmental challenges we face. Fifty-five years ago, a world run entirely on renewable energy was a distant pipe dream. Today, it is a potential reality.

We have the technology needed to create clean, inexpensive, and unlimited energy for the entire planet through renewable solar, wind, and other technologies. The theme of Earth Day 2025 is Our Power, Our Planet, inviting people around the world to unite behind the potential of renewable energy and triple the generation of clean energy by 2030.

The cost of producing clean energy has fallen dramatically over the past ten years. Solar module prices fell by up to 93% between 2010 and 2020, and innovations have enabled the production of solar and wind power in new locations and under a greater range of climatic conditions. Renewable energy represents a huge economic opportunity, with projections suggesting it could create 14 million new jobs globally.

Switching to renewable energy not only has positive environmental impacts—reducing greenhouse gas emissions and curbing global warming—but also significant human health benefits.

Climate change is linked to health issues caused by heat waves, floods, and the spread of infectious diseases. Burning fossil fuels leads to air pollution, which is associated with heart attacks, respiratory disorders, strokes, and asthma. Water pollution from non-renewable energy production also puts populations at higher risk of waterborne diseases.

Making the move to renewable energy will not be without its challenges, but Kenya serves as an example of a country making huge strides towards a clean energy future. 

Kenya: A Geothermal Energy Leader 

Kenya sources nearly 91% of its energy from renewable sources, with geothermal energy accounting for nearly half of the country’s electricity generation. The country has boosted geothermal energy capacity by 375% from 2010 to 2022. 

Emitting 97% fewer acid rain-causing compounds and 99% less carbon dioxide than fossil fuel power, geothermal energy also puts less strain on the electricity grid and can help to mitigate blackouts. Unlike solar and wind power, geothermal energy production is not reliant on climatic conditions and is available around the clock in reliable quantities.

Kenya has more geothermal power capacity under construction than any other country in the world and plans to double its geothermal power output by 2030 as part of the country’s ambitious green energy goals.

For Africa as a whole, Kenya’s leadership in expanding East Africa’s geothermal capacity could enable several economies to tap into increased volumes of emissions-free electricity while providing the entire continent with greater energy independence.

Despite Africa having an estimated 40% of the world’s renewable resources, only $60 billion—or 2% of the $3 trillion worth of renewable energy investments in the last decade—have been directed towards the continent. Ensuring that Kenya’s geothermal projects succeed will require international investment and support, alongside national initiatives to achieve the 2030 goals.

Supporting Renewable Energy at a Small Scale: The Haller Foundation

3.8 billion people do not meet the Modern Energy Minimum - meaning their per capita electricity usage is under 1000 kilowatt hours - which is the threshold for mitigating poverty. 

Smallholder farmers are often disconnected from the main electricity grid, and rely on kerosene burners or fossil fuel powered generators for light and energy. 

The Haller Foundation has worked to improve access to renewable energy among smallholder communities, with solar panels installed at our education centre, and on the eco-loos built for communities as part of our WASH initiatives. 

We also partnered with DeciWatt to give smallholder farmers access to NowLights, which provide electricity through human effort. 

To learn more about our initiatives, and how you can partner with Haller, follow us across social media.