Wednesday marks the 56th anniversary of Earth Day, a global event that celebrates the birth of the modern environmental movement. There are many ways to mark the occasion, from official gatherings to individual acts such as tree planting or recycling, so we’ve rounded up some of the activities happening around the country today.
This year’s official theme for Earth Day is “Our Power, Our Planet” and the Earthday.org website explains that “Progress does not happen in silence. It happens when people show up.”
There are more than 10,000 events listed on the site around the world. “Community cleanups, teach-ins, peaceful demonstrations, tree planting, voter registration, town hall meetings, community organizing – every action strengthens the movement,” the site says.
Examples of events include drive-through recycling of electronics, paints and other materials, document shredding, community cleanups, tree plantings, plant swaps, eco-fairs and more.
A number of the events took place the weekend before the actual day, including New York City’s Earth Day Initiative Festival in Union Square on Sunday, which featured exhibits, children’s activities, green living experts and live performances. Saturday was NYC’s Car-Free Earth Day, in which select streets were closed to cars to encourage walking and biking.
Los Angeles held a major eco-festival on Saturday at Pan Pacific Park. On Sunday, the city’s Natural History Museum featured a special day of festivities. In Washington, DC, the nation’s capitol celebrated the 2nd Annual Earth Day Walk & Green Expo on Saturday. The event on the National Mall included a 5K walk, exhibitors and workshops.
In the waste management space, on Saturday, Meridian Waste hosted its first public event at Noble Hill landfill in Etowah County, Alabama. “We welcome our guests to celebrate Earth Day with us and learn about the vital work performed at our landfill,” Meridian Waste’s Alabama area president, Charlie Robertson, said in a statement previewing the day. “With delicious food and fun activities planned, it is going to be a great time for all ages.”
The event featured Earth Day-themed crafts and activities, pony rides and the chance to see environmental services trucks up close.
Don’t worry if you missed those events or others around the world – there are still plenty of things to do today and throughout the month of April. Here’s a selection of offerings to give you an idea. Check out Earhday.org’s map for listings near you.
West Palm Beach, Florida (April 22). This coastal cleanup event includes both land- and kayak-based efforts.
Okmulgee, Oklahoma (April 24). The Muscogee Nation Office of Environmental Services is offering a recycling collection day, including free document shredding and electronic recycling. On May 1, the office is hosting a community cleanup.
San Francisco, California (April 22). Join the Golden Gate National Parks Volunteer Program and “help restore and maintain historic landscapes and cultural resources along the shoreline of San Francisco by supporting vegetation removal, native planting, beach clean-up and sand removal.”
Boston, Massachusetts (April 22). Visit Boston Public Market on Wednesday for a family-friendly Earth Day celebration featuring vendor demonstrations, kid-friendly workshops and hands-on crafts.
