Boston has long been known for its commitment to preserving green space. The Boston Common, The Public Garden, the Emerald Necklace, the creation of the Charles River Basin, the clean-up of Boston Harbor, the revitalization of the Waterfront, the completion of Big Dig and the opening of the Rose Kennedy Greenway are but a few examples of the Commonwealth and the City’s dedication to public, open space throughout the years. All of these improvements were made possible through the commitment of a number of non-profit organizations that work hand in hand with our local, state and national government to keep our parks and open spaces in shape.

For Earth Day 2013, five of these non-profits (the Charles River Conservancy, the Emerald Necklace Conservancy, the Esplanade Association, the Friends of Public Garden, and the Rose Kennedy Greenway Conservancy) are joining forces to bring 5% for Earth Day to Boston. The campaign, which has seen three years of success in Austin, TX and expanded to the Houston, TX area in 2012, will ask Boston-area retailers to donate 5% of their gross proceeds on Monday April 22, 2013 to a coalition of non-profits that support projects in Boston’s parks and open spaces.

Kickass Cupcakes, Roxy’s Grilled Cheese, Momogoose, Mei Mei Street Kitchen, Henrietta’s Table, SkinHealth Centers, Shuckin Truck, and The Chubby Chickpea are among the participating businesses. Go to www.give5Boston.org for a complete list.