Earth Day: Our Power, Our Planet

Behind every resilient community, restored waterway and informed environmental decision is a team doing the work — often quietly, always with purpose.

Earth Day 2026’s theme, “Our Power, Our Planet,” puts the spotlight where it belongs: on people and communities driving meaningful environmental action. It’s a powerful reminder that renewable energy, resilience and sustainability don’t happen on their own—they are shaped by individuals who bring science, data and lived experience together in service of the planet.

This Earth Day, we’re highlighting our planet. In this roundtable, three of our experts reflect on why Earth Day matters to them; how their work supports community resilience and environmental stewardship; and what it looks like behind the scenes to turn environmental responsibility into real‑world impact.

Nabil Bawany Team Lead, Water Sciences Central and South and Chemistry Director Tampa, Florida Bawany supports water resources and environmental projects, delivering technical leadership, mentoring multidisciplinary teams and advancing sustainable solutions that support water resilience, environmental stewardship and community needs.

Elizabeth Denly Vice President, PFAS Initiative Leader and Chemistry Director Lowell, Massachusetts Denly supports industrial and commercial clients with PFAS risk and readiness strategies, helping organizations assess, manage and mitigate liabilities through systematic risk evaluation, regulatory preparedness and coordination with environmental health and safety teams.

Jenna McGee Assistant Vice President, Water Resources Engineering Herndon, Virginia McGee specializes in flood risk analysis, surface water challenges and digital enablement across engineering and program delivery, helping teams work more efficiently and make better use of data in resilience-focused projects.

Bawany: I focus on vulnerability assessments, stormwater solutions, environmental restoration and climate adaptation, primarily supporting communities in the Tampa Bay region. I work closely with local governments to address the impacts of sea level rise and climate change, including sunny day flooding, rising groundwater and heavier, more frequent rainfall. A key part of my role is helping clients translate science and data into real-world decisions, from planning studies and capital programs to community-wide resilience strategies. This helps them reduce flood risk today while preparing for future conditions.

Denly: I serve as one of WSP’s PFAS initiative leaders, and a chemistry director, supporting a wide range of PFAS-related programs for industrial and commercial clients. I help organizations understand their potential PFAS risk profiles and develop strategies to manage, reduce, or where possible, eliminate associated liabilities. With PFAS regulations expanding, clients must prepare for evolving requirements related to regulatory compliance reporting, wastewater effluent permitting and state-level reporting, labeling and product restrictions. I helped develop a systematic methodology to assess, prioritize and manage PFAS liabilities through detailed supply chain evaluations to identify potential exposure risks from current operations, historical use or PFAS-containing materials.

McGee: My digital expertise has evolved from Excel VBA to Python-based geoprocessing and now to building solutions with the Microsoft Power Platform. While the tools have changed, my focus remains on working with data, automating repetitive tasks and improving how teams operate. As a water resources engineer, my work centers on surface water challenges such as flood risk analysis, water quality and program delivery. Enabling teams to use data better — from technical analysis through program management and reporting — is central to my role.

Bawany: My flood resilience work helps communities understand their risks and make informed, long-term decisions that protect people, infrastructure and the environment. I work with local governments to assess how sea level rise, storm surge and intense rainfall interact with existing systems and future growth. Through vulnerability assessments and adaptation planning, I help translate complex flood data into clear, actionable strategies that prioritize investments, guide realistic solutions, and support long-term resilience and quality of life.

Denly: Helping our clients manage and mitigate potential PFAS risks is one step toward improving the environment and providing them with an opportunity to be part of this improvement in the local communities where they operate. This could include reducing PFAS in wastewater discharges which are directed at local municipal publicly owned treatment works (POTWs), allowing the local POTW to reduce PFAS load discharged into our waters and in the biosolids essential to our farming communities.

McGee: As part of the PTS ARC Joint Venture (Production and Technical Services – Advancing Resilience in Communities), our work directly supports FEMA’s mission to “assess risk and disaster resilience so that decision makers, responders and community members can take informed action to reduce risk and increase resilience.” The ARC name — Advancing Resilience in Communities — was intentionally chosen to reinforce this connection between our daily work and broader community outcomes.

The digital solutions I help design and support are part of underlying systems that enable more informed decisions, better coordination and stronger, more resilient communities.

Bawany: Earth Day highlights the simple truth that places we live and work don’t take care of themselves. As an engineer, I understand the need to balance growth, infrastructure and environmental challenges — often without perfect solutions. Recently becoming a dad has made this feel more personal, especially when thinking about the long-term future of the Tampa Bay region. For me, Earth Day is less about big statements and more about making thoughtful, practical decisions over time that help communities function while protecting what makes this area special.

Denly: Earth Day raises awareness of environmental issues such as contamination and pollution, while also engaging children in learning about the environment they will one day be responsible for. It brings communities together to act through simple, meaningful efforts like cleanup activities, tree planting and education. In the context of PFAS, helping clients understand and manage their potential risks and liabilities is one small but important way to protect the environment and support the broader goals of Earth Day.

McGee: Earth Day reminds us that we’re working toward more than a paycheck — we’re building resilient communities that balance modern needs with responsible environmental stewardship. These efforts ensure people can continue to experience and benefit from the natural world. The Earth is incredibly beautiful, and we have the power to protect or diminish that legacy. While individual actions may feel small, I believe many intentional efforts, taken together, can lead to meaningful and lasting change.