NPG Launches Earth Day Population Awareness Campaign
New initiative provides resources to schools and government leaders to highlight the environmental impact of U.S. population growth.
Negative Population Growth has initiated a national educational campaign for Earth Day 2026 to address the relationship between population size and environmental sustainability.
The outreach follows U.S. Census Bureau data indicating the national population rose by approximately 1.8 million people from July 2024 to July 2025. While the growth rate is roughly 0.5%, NPG representatives stated the annual addition of nearly 2 million people increases pressure on natural resources and domestic ecosystems.
As part of the campaign, the organization is contacting all state governors and the mayors of the 250 largest U.S. cities. The initiative encourages officials to include population trends in their Earth Day programming and public addresses.
The campaign also focuses on classroom engagement. NPG is distributing Earth Day posters and student fact sheets to more than 1,500 middle and high school teachers. These materials are intended to help educators integrate discussions regarding population density and resource management into their curriculum.
“The goal of this campaign is to ensure that population trends remain part of the national conversation about environmental sustainability and long-term resource management,” Executive Director Craig Lewis said.
The 2026 initiative includes print advertisements in national publications to highlight the environmental implications of growth. Founded in 1972, NPG advocates for policies aimed at stabilizing the U.S. population at lower levels to achieve a sustainable balance with natural resources.
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Jesse Jacobs is Assistant Editor of EPOnline.com.
