Every day Is Earth Day for Cherokee Nation

Stewardship of the earth is at the center of Cherokee culture. It comes out of the understanding that every decision we make shapes the world our children and grandchildren will inherit. True stewardship is a year-round and lifelong commitment, becoming more important in the face of unacceptable environmental degradation and human-driven climate change.

We recently celebrated Earth Day and renewed our promise to be proactive protectors of the natural world. Cherokee Nation continues to lead with purpose and vision, guided by our belief that every day should be Earth Day.

We deepened that commitment through a new executive order expanding environmental sustainability efforts across Cherokee Nation government operations. Our actions include eliminating polystyrene foam products from all departments and events, reducing paper use, and launching a food waste management task force to support both environmental health and food security within the Cherokee Nation Reservation.

We also rolled out a new strategic energy plan to advance energy efficiency, renewable energy, reliable transportation and disaster resiliency for all citizens. The plan envisions a future in which our energy is clean, smart and equitable, reducing our carbon footprint while ensuring that the Cherokee Nation becomes an even better place to live, work and enjoy the natural world. The Cherokee Nation’sClean Energy and Environmental Task Force, established in 2024, has provided a strategic roadmap for how we meet today’s challenges and prepare for tomorrow.

Our workforce continues to lead, and they have encouraged us to involve them individually on our sustainability mission. Beginning May 5, Cherokee Nation employees will gain access to our recycling facility to recycle their own paper and cardboard waste.

These steps are about more than policy. They are about building the future of our people while remembering our ancestors, understanding the land and its bounty, and respecting the limits it can sustain. We stand on the foundation that was built by those who came before us, but it is now our responsibility to carry that wisdom forward for the next generation.

Environmental stewardship, at its core, is about balance. It is about recognizing that even small changes, like reducing single-use plastics or improving recycling access, can make a significant difference when we act collectively. Together, with the leadership of ourNatural Resources department, the support from the Council of the Cherokee Nation, and partnerships at every level of government from municipal to state to federal, we are finding allies and making great strides in the critical work of sustainability.

We must also confront a grim reality: The planet is getting hotter as a result of human-driven climate change. We are already feeling the impact, including experiencing the 10 hottest days in recorded history for the last 10 consecutive years and measuring alarming atmospheric carbon dioxide levels and a measurable increase in violent weather episode. Governments, the private sector and other institutions worldwide are presently falling behind goals to avoid devastating and irreparable damage to our planet by the end of this century.

In the face of unchecked human-driven climate change, Cherokee Nation remains committed, for the sake of our own future, to speak honestly about these issues. We remain committed to do our part to stem the tide and encourage local, state, tribal, national and international policies and efforts to do the same.

The choices we make today will ripple across time. Our elders planted trees whose shade they would never sit beneath, trusting that future generations would benefit. And we are called to do the same – to lead by example and to invest in clean energy, climate resilience and environmental justice not as an afterthought, but as a central part of our shared vision for our land and resources.

The question we continue to ask ourselves is this: What kind of world are we building for our children, and for their children after them? I am proud that within the Cherokee Nation, our answer is simple and clear. We are building a future rooted in responsibility, respect and hope.