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Companies across the signage sector have put out messages promoting sustainable practices as part of World Earth Day celebrations which are taking place today
Companies across the UK signage and graphics industries have celebrated World Earth Day by highlighting sustainable practices and promoting environmental consciousness.
Today (April 22nd) marks the 55th anniversary of Earth Day, an annual international event designed to demonstrate support for environmental protection.
As part of the worldwide campaign, out-of-home (OOH) and digital out-of-home (DOOH) advertising agency, Ocean Outdoor, has launched a national campaign across 61 of its UK roadside and city centre screens.
The campaign, promotes Earth Day’s global message – ‘our power, our planet’. Messages will appear on the DOOH billboards throughout the day in eight cities, supporting Earth Day’s 2025 campaign to unite behind renewable energy, tripling the global generation of clean electricity by 2030.
Every screen involved in Ocean’s campaign is 100% powered by renewable sources every day of the year.
The public has also been invited to the unveiling of a ‘mosaic’ display representing the iconic image of Earth rising above the horizon of the Moon, taken during NASA’s Apollo 8 space mission.
The display will be unveiled at 7pm (April 22nd) at Piccadilly Lights. The mosaic is made up of children’s artwork depicting what the ocean and planet means to them, with screen space donated by Landsec.
Presented by non-profit, Space for a Better World, the 7pm display forms part of a three-day sea and space art immersive exhibition hosted by Landsec’s events venue. The exhibition, which has been open to the public since April 20th, is located beneath the screen in Piccadilly Circus.
Ocean is also giving media space throughout the month to the Canal & River Trust as part of its Drops in the Ocean programme, which supports a range of environmental charities. The brand awareness campaign features the wildlife that can be seen on the 2,000 miles of UK waterways the charity works to protect.
Print manufacturer, Epson UK, has also released a detailed statement promoting Earth Day and outlining its environmental stance.
The statement, attributed to Phil McMullin, head of sales in Commercial & Industrial Printing at Epson UK, says: “Striking a balance between environmental responsibility and economic viability is a challenge now faced by organisations globally, whatever their size and industry.
“Earth Day is a pertinent reminder of how operations impact the environment, often revealing a legacy of unsustainable practices and inefficient equipment.”
The statement particularly highlights the environmental impact of the textile business, with the environmental consequences of the industry being labelled as “shocking”.
According to a study commissioned by Epson, 35 trillion litres of water – the equivalent to draining the River Thames fifteen times over – is needed to produce the combined number of clothes in UK wardrobes. The study estimates that 634,510 litres are required across production, finishing, and dyeing to create the garments owned by the average British consumer.
Epson has made environmental impact a key focus of its recent releases in the textile market, including its recently released Monna Lisa ML-16000JQ jacquard textile printer and SC-G6000 direct-to-film (DTF) printer.
The solutions have been designed to provide added automation features, reduced water and energy requirements, an increase in on-demand features, and compliance with stringent environmental standards, all to reduce their environmental impact.
McMullin continues: “Without doubt, the textile industry faces massive environmental and regulatory challenges and identifying where to start can be daunting.
“However, thinking imaginatively and seeking out like-minded partners can bring about exciting new solutions to the long-standing issues of waste and pollution.”
McMullin also highlights the sustainable practices of the wider Epson group. The company transitioned to 100% renewable electricity at all Epson group sites worldwide and is expected to reduce annual carbon dioxide emissions by approximately 400,000 tonnes.
Epson has pledged to reduce the total emissions of its products by 2030, investing €770m (£662m), to spend by 2030, on decarbonisation, resource recycling, and an accelerated programme to develop environmental technologies.
McMullin concludes: “The burden isn’t on one global organisation, but on all of us individually. So, for Earth Day 2025 I encourage my colleagues, competitors, and industry peers to all consider how to adopt more environmentally conscious practices in their individual roles.”
A range of signage companies and professionals have also take to social media to promote environmental practices on Earth Day.
Canon EMEA has highlighted the clean-up work that colleagues in its Amstelveen office in the Netherlands undertook to celebrate Earth Day, with members of staff collecting litter in the local area.
Cora Graphics has highlighted its support of green initiatives, stating: “Reducing waste and embracing sustainability isn’t just a trend – it’s a necessity. Protecting our planet means making mindful choices that support a cleaner, greener future for everyone.”
Speaking on LinkedIn, Signs Express Falkirk also said: “We are currently on our journey to becoming a more sustainably business.
“From sustainable materials to proper disposal of materials, we are continuously evolving, adapting, and integrating sustainable practices into every aspect of our operations. Join us in celebrating World Earth Day as we continue our commitment to sustainable signage solutions.”
