Theme Ride Thursday: Celebrate the Beauty of the Earth with an Earth Day–Themed Ride

Did you know that April 22 marks Earth Day, a global celebration dedicated to honoring and protecting our planet? Since its first observance in 1970, sparked by Senator Gaylord Nelson and activist John McConnell, Earth Day has grown into a powerful movement for environmental awareness and sustainability.

What better way to pay tribute to Mother Earth than through the very act of cycling—one of the most environmentally friendly modes of transportation? Whether indoors or out, riding a bicycle connects us to the planet in a deeply meaningful way. This April, bring that connection into your cycling studio with an Earth Day–themed ride that celebrates the breathtaking beauty of nature and reminds us why protecting it matters.

We’ve created two bucket playlists to help you craft the perfect Earth Day ride, with over 500 songs to choose from (ICA members can find those at the end of this post):

• Earth Day/Nature/Trees (~320 songs): Includes classics like Joni Mitchell’s “Big Yellow Taxi” and Michael Jackson’s “Earth Song,” along with deeper cuts like Jack Johnson’s “The 3 Rs,” the Pixies’ “Monkey Gone to Heaven,” and Radiohead’s “Idioteque.”

• World/Change the World/Top of the World (~215 songs): A collection that stands strong on its own but also complements an Earth Day theme, filled with powerful messages of unity, hope, and global awareness.

We also have additional inspiration for your Earth Day ride, including songs themed around mountains, oceans, rivers, and flowers:

• Mountains. Our Mountain bucket playlist captures the majesty and challenge of peaks and rolling hills, perfect for climbs and soaring moments on your ride.
• Water. This post links to our bucket playlists about oceans, seas, waves, rivers, and waterfalls, helping you bring the flow and rhythm of water into your studio for Earth Day.
• Our Springtime and Flower bucket playlists reflect the blossoming of life that surrounds us this time of year. Tracks about flowers, sunshine, and new beginnings can enhance your ride and help riders feel even more connected to the rhythms of the Earth.

These can help you shape the terrain and storytelling of your ride, whether you’re climbing to breathtaking summits or flowing alongside the rhythm of the water.

Design a Ride That Brings the Earth into the Studio

Since we simulate the outdoor experience when we ride indoors, Earth Day is the perfect time to bring the beauty and diversity of our planet into your studio. Paint vivid pictures with your cues and let the music transport your riders. Use terrain, imagery, and emotion to evoke awe and gratitude for the world around us. Here are a few ideas to inspire your profile:

• Glide over rolling hills through golden farmland, where the breeze carries the scent of wildflowers and freshly turned soil.
• Climb long, winding ascents beneath towering trees, their canopy offering cool shade as the sun filters through the leaves.
• Ride along a rugged coastline, where waves crash below and sea spray mists your face.
• Feel the resistance of a headwind as you push across open plains, only to be gifted a tailwind on the way back that lifts and carries you forward.
• Descend into a lush valley beside a bubbling brook, the sound of water mingling with birdsong and the rhythm of your pedal strokes.
• Traverse sun-scorched desert roads, where heat rises off the pavement, and the horizon shimmers with promise.
• Wind through alpine meadows bursting with wildflowers, snow still clinging to the mountaintops in the distance.

Let the music enhance the sensory experience—some songs may evoke the sway of tall grasses, the warmth of sunlight, or the quiet strength of ancient forests. Engage all five senses with your coaching: the scent of pine, the coolness of mountain air, the sound of chirping birds, the color of a sunrise.

You can also choose to weave in a handful of songs that touch on environmental and climate change themes—tracks that reflect our relationship with the planet, from appreciation to awareness. This doesn’t have to turn your ride into a heavy or political statement; even just one or two thoughtfully placed songs can add depth and meaning, giving riders a moment to reflect.

This kind of ride doesn’t just honor the Earth—it reminds your riders of why it’s worth fighting for.

No Earth Day profile would be complete without a reflective cool-down. Marvin Gaye’s “Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)” is a poignant choice to bring your riders back to the present and reflect on how far we’ve come—and how far we still have to go.

Whoa, ah, mercy, mercy me
Ah, things ain’t what they used to be (ain’t what they used to be)
Where did all the blue skies go?
Poison is the wind that blows
From the north and south and east

Whoa mercy, mercy me, yeah
Ah, things ain’t what they used to be (ain’t what they used to be)
Oil wasted on the ocean and upon our seas
Fish full of mercury

Oh Jesus, yeah, mercy, mercy me, ah
Ah, things ain’t what they used to be (ain’t what they used to be)
Radiation underground and in the sky
Animals and birds who live nearby are dying

Hey, mercy, mercy me, oh
Hey, things ain’t what they used to be
What about this overcrowded land?
How much more abuse from man can she stand?

This song’s haunting lyrics are as relevant today as they were in 1971.

Here are a few additional songs from our Earth Day bucket playlist to inspire your ride and get you started.”

The 3 Rs, Jack Johnson, 2:54, 99 bpm
Light and catchy,  this track delivers a simple but powerful message: reduce, reuse, recycle. It’s versatile enough to use as a high-cadence spin-up or an easy recovery. Its playful tone keeps things from feeling heavy, while the message is a perfect nod to Earth Day—an easy reminder that small, everyday actions can make a meaningful difference.

Wake Up America, Miley Cyrus, 2:46, 146 bpm
Use this as a working interval or an easy-to-moderate bridge between harder efforts. With its steady 73 rpm tempo, riders can settle into a smooth cadence. Miley’s message is clear but approachable—a reminder that we all share this planet, and even small actions matter. It’s a great moment to reconnect with purpose.

We’re all in this together
It’s our home so let’s take care of it
You know that you want to
You know that you got to
Wake up, America
Tomorrow become the new day
And everything you do matters
Yeah, everything you do matters in some way.

Beds Are Burning, Midnight Oil, 4:18, 119 bpm
This iconic track carries both energy and meaning. Midnight Oil is well known for their protest songs and outspoken support of environmental and Indigenous issues, and this song reflects both. Originally written as a plea for the return of land to Indigenous Australians, its message also resonates more broadly as a call to care for the world we inhabit. Use it as a slow, progressive climb, adding resistance every minute or so as the intensity builds. Let the rhythm drive the effort while the underlying message adds depth to the work.

Mother Nature’s Son, The Beatles, 2:48, 84 bpm
A gentle, grounding track that fits beautifully as a recovery. At 84 rpm, encourage riders to soften their effort, breathe deeply, and reconnect with the calm, restorative side of nature. The lyrics and melody create a peaceful reset before the next challenge.

Oh What a World 2.0 –Earth Day Edition, Kacey Musgraves, 3:39, 95 bpm
This track celebrates the simple beauty of the world around us. It works well as a warm-up or steady endurance segment, allowing riders to ease into the ride while soaking in the uplifting, almost whimsical tone. A perfect way to set the stage for an Earth Day–inspired journey.

Blah Blah Blah, Armin van Burren, 3:04, 138 bpm
A high-energy track that taps into a very specific kind of frustration—the gap between words and action when it comes to protecting the planet. Many leaders talk about caring for the Earth, but as the lyrics remind us, it’s often just talk: blah blah blah, ya, ya, ya! Use this song as a powerful climb at 69 rpm, standing on the energetic surges (1:10–1:39 and 2:31–end). Let riders channel that exasperation into the pedals, transforming frustration into strength and forward momentum, making it a perfect Earth Day–themed burst of energy and motivation.