Earth Day began in 1970 with a demonstration. Today, more than 1 billion people celebrate by working to amplify what’s good for the earth — and to mitigate what’s bad. Here in Philly, that means planting and growing native plants and trees, cleaning up streams and parks, learning new conservation practices, teaching kids to do the same — and, on occasion, having a drink or two. Philadelphia’s Earth Day stretches from the weekend before the holiday — officially April 22, a Tuesday — into weeks after.
Here’s our guide to events that celebrate and restore the Philadelphia part of the planet on and around Earth Day, plus things you can do any old day to make our city’s environment healthier.
EARTH DAY EVENTS IN PHILLY
Plant a tree. Pet a goat. See a movie. Buy some used clothes. Have a drink.
PHS TREE PLANTING, April 11-30, times vary
The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society has hundreds of trees that need to get into the ground within a single week. If you have four hours, you can become a volunteer Tree Tender. April 16 through 30, volunteers propagate trees by filling up trays, seeding and potting up seedlings. Register here.
ENVIRONATAL DAY, April 17, from 10am to 2pm
Bartram’s Garden teams up with Philadelphia Regional Center for Children’s Environmental Health, Clear Air Council, Nurturely and a Place for Ummi Maternity Care for a trail walk that highlights how air quality and the environment can impact mothers and infants. No registration required. Free. 5400 Lindbergh Boulevard
CONFLUENCE FILM FESTIVAL, April 17 and 24, from 5 to 8:30pm
The Academy of Natural Sciences hosts Confluence: Film Festival, the museum’s environmentally-focused film festival. The festival, which began April 3, features four more films at the Academy of Natural Sciences. Following each screening, attendees have the opportunity to participate in a panel discussion with filmmakers. $10 admission. Buy tickets here. 1900 Ben Franklin Parkway
EARTH DAY BELLS MILL ROAD CLEAN-UP, April 19, from 9am to noon
Friends of the Wissahickon gets Bells Mill Road closed from Lykens Lane to Germantown Avenue so volunteers can pick up litter along a mile stretch. Be prepared to hike and carry up to 20 pounds of trash. The group provides gloves, tools and instruction. You wear sturdy shoes and long pants, BYO water and be warned: porta potties only. Register here. Meet at Bells Mill Road and Forbidden Drive
SPRING FEST, April 19 from 10am to 2pm
Bartram’s Garden shows off its vast history and its botany during this annual event. Look for workshops on herbal cures, natural dyes and block printing, the launch of a new accessibility tool for visitors with blindness or low vision, a local heirloom seed marketplace, make-and-take seedling planting and kite making, — and their annual plant sale. Free. 5400 Lindbergh Boulevard
MUSHROOM AND FUNGI WALK AT GLEN FOERD, April 19 from 10:30am to 12:30pm
Join a member of the Philadelphia Mycology Club and North American Mycological Association for an exploration of the mysterious mushrooms growing on the wild grounds of a Northeast Philadelphia riverside mansion. $5. 5001 Grant Avenue
BUFFALO EXCHANGE EARTH DAY $1 SALE, April 19, from 11am
The chain resale shop hosts their annual Earth Day $1 Sale nationwide, including in Center City. Buffalo Exchange puts adult and juniors clothing, shoes and accessories on sale for just $1 apiece. Every dollar goes to American Wild Horse Conservation, an organization dedicated to protecting wild horses and burros on public lands. The sale is cash only. 1520 Chestnut Street
AWBURY ARBORETUM EARTH DAY CELEBRATION, April 19, from noon to 4pm
The farm — those goats! — is open, and there are plenty of opportunities to pitch in, watch demos, and, from noon to 2pm, forage for garlic mustard. Free. 6336 Ardleigh Street
A BROADER GREEN: EARTH DAY SERVICE PROJECT, April 22 from 10am to 2pm
Volunteers needed to join Temple Alumni and North Broad Renaissance, who’ll spend the actual holiday beautifying plant beds along North Broad Street. They supply the tools and the refreshments. BYO gardening gloves, if you like. Free. 699 N. Broad Street
DREXEL’S EARTHFEST, April 23, from 11am to 1pm
You don’t have to be a student to check out Drexel University’s block party of an Earth Day, replete with games, giveaways, free food, green student orgs, live music from Project EarthTone and sustainable banks and other businesses. (Rain date: April 24.) Free. 33rd Street and Lancaster Walk
CITY NATURE CHALLENGE, April 25-27
The goal of this national event: Document wildlife in less-than-wild spaces. But there’s more to it, from the Great Northeast to West Philly.
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- Pennypack Park: The Academy of Natural Sciences brings experts to Northeast Philly to identify species and document biodiversity April 26 from 9 to 11am. Free. Rhawn Street and Holmehurst Avenue
- The Woodlands: BioBlitz with Green Philly, April 26 from 11am to 12:30pm, look and record birds and such in this historic nature space and cemetery, using the iNaturalist app. Free. 4000 Woodlands Avenue
- Observe City Nature Challenge at Nature’s Sanctuary, the Wissahickon Environmental Center sets up identification stations for fungi, trees, wildflowers, micro-life, creek life and birds between the Tree House and Harper’s Meadow (at the creek by Northwest Stables), April 26 from 1 to 3pm. Free. 3822 Ridge Avenue
- Cobbs Creek: The Academy of Natural Sciences leads a “city nature blitz” in this expansive West Philadelphia park April 26 from 2 to 5pm. Free. 1338 S. 59th Street
- West Fairmount Park: Guided Bird Walk on April 27 from 11am to 1:30pm, Wildlife photographer Troy Bynum offers a quick lesson in the iNaturalist app before leading a guided hike to look and listen for birds in open fields and forested areas. Free. Ohio House, 4700 States Drive
CELEBRATE TRAILS DAY, April 26, times vary
Parks and green spaces across the U.S. open and activate their trails for Celebrate Trails Day, sort of an all-free Earth Day offshoot. Here in town, those places include:
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- Cobbs Creek Watershed partners with the Clean Air Council for an on-trail festival, volunteering, horseback riding and more, from 10am to 2pm. 5836 Ashland Avenue
- Tacony Creek Park Trail celebrates “Birds of a Feather” with live mural painting, local artists, hands-on nature activities, food, music, from noon to 4pm. (Rain date: May 3.) Whitaker Avenue and E. Loudon Street
- Land and Poetry activates another park of Cobbs Creek Park from 2 to 4pm, hosting a poetry reading and open mic event presented by the Healing Through the Land grassroots initiative and We Walk PHL. Limited space available. 700 Cobbs Creek Parkway
LOTS GOING ON AT THE DISCOVERY CENTER, April 26 from 8am to 3pm
Start with a morning bird tour (8 to 10am, binoculars available to borrow) with the Delaware Valley Ornithological Club, an ornithology org that’s been around since 1890. Learn about softening your outdoor footprint in a Leave No Trace workshop (9am to noon). Join in the City Nature Challenge by BioBlitzing (10am to 3pm). Or, outdo them all and volunteer to help cut, remove and dispose of sections of old chain-link fencing, and install a new cable railing; work shoes recommended (10am to 3pm). Free. 3401 Reservoir Drive
NATUREPALOOZA, April 26, 11am to 3pm
The Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education is going big for its 60th Earth Day festival, offering a center-wide scavenger hunt, guided hikes, nature-based crafts and storytime, live music by Ants on a Log, live dance, local food trucks and those Philly goats — definitely a family-friendly event. Register here. Free. 8480 Hagy’s Mill Road
ECOFAIR, May 17, from noon to 6pm
Cherry Street Pier invites Green Philly over for an all-ages day of sustainability fun. For the kids: Storytelling and art activities. For everyone: A sustainable market, tables featuring local, action-oriented environmental orgs, Delaware River views. Register. Free; $5 suggested donation. 121 N. Columbus Boulevard
EARTH DAY OUTSIDE PHILADELPHIA
UPPER MERION TOWNSHIP EARTH DAY FESTIVAL, April 26, 11am to 2pm
The annual festival features activities for kids — including a petting zoo and pony rides — green demos and vendors (including of tree saplings), food trucks, a beer garden and more. Free. 175 W. Valley Forge Road, King of Prussia.
RECYCLING DRIVE-THRU, April 27, 11am to 2pm (or when trucks are full)
One day after their Earth Day Festival, Upper Merion Township holds their fourth annual recycling drive-thru. The event includes paper shredding and e-waste collection through PAR Recycle Works (fee for some larger e-waste items). Free. In the Upper Merion Middle School Parking Lot, 450 Keebler Road, King of Prussia
BUCKS COUNTY AUDUBON SOCIETY EARTH
DAY FESTIVAL, May 3, 10:30am to 3:30pm
The Honey Hollow Environmental Education Center offers a petting zoo, eco-friendly vendors, plus super earthy activities like a nature walk, selfies with animals, animal talks and a bug hunt. Free; donation requested. 2877 Creamery Road, Solebury
EVERY DAY IS EARTH DAY
Celebrate Earth Day every day by working toward our livable, sustainable future. Here are nine ways every Philadelphia Citizen can contribute:
1. Don’t give in to “climate doomism”
As one of the most famous climatologists of our times — Penn professor Michael E. Mann — reminds us repeatedly in his work: “The reality is, if the science told me that we are f’ed, and there’s nothing we can do about it, I would have to be truthful about that. But the fact is, we can very much do something about it.”
2. Shop at farmers markets
So many reasons to shop local farmers markets, many of which have opened for the season:
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- Locally grown food has a much smaller carbon footprint than food shipped from around the country / world — and tends to be much fresher.
- Small farms that come to markets tend to practice more sustainable farming practices, prioritizing soil health, biodiversity, and the reduction of chemical pollutants.
- Less packaging reduces waste and energy required to produce and dispose of packaging materials.
- In-season food tastes better!
- It feels great to get outside, interact with the people who produce your food, and discover something new-to-you to eat.
In and around Philadelphia, we have plenty of opportunities to purchase local produce and mingle with our neighbors.
3. Grow your own food
You might think that you don’t have enough space to garden here in the city, but you would be wrong! Whether you have a window box or a backyard, you can help reduce the enormous carbon footprint and waste that commercial agriculture and food processing leave behind by growing your own fresh herbs, vegetables, and fruits — which also helps mitigate climate change.
4. Shop at local, sustainable shops
Financial activism is more than just boycotts. You can put your money where your mouth is by supporting local businesses and companies that operate sustainably and responsibly. Invest where you live by purchasing goods and services from businesses based in your community. Shop businesses that put people, community, and the earth before profits. You vote in elections. Now vote with your wallet.
More businesses: Sustainable Business Network’s guide to 13 sustainable businesses in Philadelphia
5. Clean up your hood
Don’t relegate your cleanup efforts to one of those designated cleanup days, including Earth Day. Sadly, our litter-riddled, dumped-upon city needs cleaning up all the time. Do it on your own time, or on a schedule. Here’s how.
6. Ditch fossil fuels for pedal power
Those who can bike — and can do it safely — make getting around town easy and fun. No parking!
7. Stop throwing stuff away / buying new crap
Given that the U.S. recycling system is pretty broken, we can take recycle-reuse-reduce into our own hands, thanks to the social media black market of household goods (and then some). Stop the flow of junk into landfills! Don’t toss that old furniture, lamp, Tupperware set, unused pet supplies, or books in the trash — give them a second life. And, don’t head straight to Target / IKEA / HomeGoods the next time you need something new. Instead, buy … nothing!
8. Mitigate climate change in your daily life
It’s easier than you think. Fifty ways how you can do it.
9. Vote.
All of these are good steps to take to live healthier, make a cleaner and more beautiful city, and do our parts to mitigate the effects of climate change. But the reality, as Mann says, is that 70 percent of the world’s carbon emissions come from just 100 companies worldwide. They get away with it because policymakers let them. Does that matter to you? Then, vote for candidates who pledge to do something about it. (Start local, by casting a ballot in the municipal primary on May 20.)
