Whether you’re planning to spend the day planting trees, cleaning playgrounds, yoga posing, nature journaling, or learning about proper plastic disposal, give back to the planet this Earth Day by participating in one of the many eco-friendly happenings all over Charm City this weekend.

4/19: Baltimore Ravens and M&T Bank Earth Day 2018
Partner with more than 100 Ravens and M&T Bank staff members to help build a new football field in the Johnston Square and Ambrose Kennedy Park community. Roll up your sleeves to clean streets and remove concrete and leftover materials from demolished houses as part of the exciting revitalization. Ambrose Kennedy Park, 921 E. Chase St., 9 a.m.-12 p.m., 410-701-4268

4/21: Earth Day Playground Cleanup
Volunteers ages 2 and up are invited to help clean and play at the playgrounds at Patterson Park, where tools and refreshments will be provided. Friends of Patterson Park, 27 S. Patterson Park Ave., 9:30-11 a.m., 410-276-3676

4/21: Celebrate Earth Day! A (Cool) Progeny Play Date
Kids of all ages are invited to join The Waldorf School of Baltimore for the ultimate Earth Day Eve celebration that will include seed planting, hula hooping, ferret petting, beekeeping, a drumming circle, farm education, snacks, and live reggae music. The Waldorf School of Baltimore, 4801 Tamarind Road, 10 a.m.-12 p.m, $5, 410-367-6808

4/21: Earth Day Service Day
Students are encouraged to come out for a day of collecting urban bird data (and getting volunteer hours in) at Patterson Park, which is known to house over 200 different bird species. They’ll learn how to use binoculars, study breeds, and share their findings with the greater scientific community. Plus, there’s free lunch. Patterson Park Audubon Center, 2901 E. Baltimore St., 9-11:30 a.m., 410-558-2473

4/22: Earth Day with Waverly Street
Help WLIF 101.9 give the 32nd Street Farmers Market Lot a little makeover this Earth Day. You’ll be planting trees and flowers, weeding, mulching, and participating in a community clean-up walk, all the while enjoying live music, food, raffles, and other activities. Also, volunteers 21 and older will get a free beer courtesy of Peabody Heights Brewery. Waverly Main Street, 432 E. 32nd St., 10 a.m.-4 p.m., 410-889-8100

4/21: Professor Trash Wheel Blinded Me Wit Science-Launch Party
Speaking of Peabody Heights Brewery, the neighborhood bar is teaming up with Waterfront Partnership’s Healthy Harbor Initiative to debut its second-ever Trash Wheel-themed craft beer, “Professor Trash Wheel Blinded Me Wit Science” (named after Thomas Dolby’s  1982 hit song “She Blinded Me With Science”). The release will debut to the public during the Earth Day Launch Party, where guests will be able to enjoy specialty all-you-can-drink brews, food trucks, and ’80s jams. Proceeds from each beer will be go towards Waterfront Partnership’s Healthy Harbor Initiative. Peabody Heights Brewery, 401 East 30th St., 7-10 p.m., $30-35, 410-467-7837

4/21: Party for the Planet
Take a trip to the Maryland Zoo for an Earth Day-themed celebration among the animals that will include activities like penguin feeding, a chat about bear keeping, and a puppet show. The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore, 1 Safari Place, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Free-$11, 410-396-7102

4/21: Nature Fest at Catoctin Creek Park
Get out of the city and head to this Frederick County wonder for an Earth Day filled with crafts, campfire activities, face painting, live animals, and a walk on the sensory trail. Catoctin Creek Park, 2929 Sumantown Road, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Free, 301-600-2051

4/21: Real Food Farm
Best known for its mission combating food deserts in Baltimore, this local urban farm at Clifton Park is seeking volunteers to help with planting, weeding, and other projects on Earth Day Eve. Real Food Farm, 2801 St. Lo Dr., 9 a.m.-2 p.m., 443-531-8346

4/21-22: Earth Day Scavenger Hunt
Follow the clues on the map during an hour-long, self-guided hike around Oregon Ridge Park where you’ll learn the best Earth-care practices to date. Plus, you’ll receive a prize at the end. Oregon Ridge Nature Center, 13555 Beaver Dam Road, 10 a.m.-3 p.m., $2, 410-887-1815

4/22: Earth Day Family Yoga
Kids ages 5-10 are welcome to come to yoga class with mom or dad for a partner-pose session themed around Mother Earth and all of her creatures. All levels and abilities are welcome. Lift Yoga + Strength. 202 E. Madison St., 3-3:45 p.m., Free-$25, 443-873-3269

4/22: Earth Day Festival 2018
Pollinator tours, a seed ball station, a rain barrel workshop, and a children’s nature library are just a few of the many happenings taking place at Herring Run Nursery this Earth Day. Also, expect to bring home a free tree. Herring Run Nursery, 6131 Hillen Road, 10 a.m.-3 p.m., 844-756-8688

4/22: Echotopia: Earth Day Every Day Pop-Up
To promote the green approach in everyday living, B. Willow will be hosting a pop-up at its Remington garden shop that features Echotopia’s trash-free kitchen and bath cleaning product line. All supply items are eco-friendly, aroma therapeutic, and ethically sourced from organic gardens. B. Willow, 220 West 27th, 11 a.m.-3 p.m., 443-873-8414

4/22: Earth Day Fundraiser: Hangout and Potluck at Hidden Harvest
Join Hidden Harvest Farm for the ultimate “no work required” celebration where you can enjoy the rural grounds, food, socializing, and live acoustic performances by Free Bird Society, Middle Kid, and Leena Rhodes of Middle Lungs. Donations of $5-$20 will be collected—which will help with the farm’s operating costs and give you access to the potluck. Hidden Harvest Farm, 1825 N. Calvert St., 2-6 p.m.

4/22: Earth Day with Dovecote Cafe
The neighborhood cafe in Reservoir Hill will be paying tribute to farmers, conservationists, and herbalists with a specialty event featuring local produce and honey, a live petting zoo, face painting, and educational seminars for home gardeners and house-plant enthusiasts. Dovecote Cafe, 2501 Madison Ave., 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Free, 443-961-8677

4/22: Nature Journaling
Grab your gear for yet another hike (this time, a slower one) that will challenge you to hone your observation and meditation skills as you walk and journal your way through the woods. Oregon Ridge Nature Center, 13555 Beaver Dam Road, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., $4-$6, 410-887-1815

4/22: Annapolis Earth Day Celebration
Take advantage of the free cyclist valet and pedal over to Chesapeake Bay Brewing Company to celebrate “End Plastic Pollution,” an event where you’ll learn about proper plastic disposal along with the benefits of bird and bat feeders. Plus, there will be food, vendors, activities, and informational sessions hosted by local environmental nonprofits. Chesapeake Bay Brewing Company, 114 West St., 2-6 p.m., $5, 410-268-0000

4/28: Mayor Catherine E. Pugh’s Spring Cleanup
Grab your gardening gloves and join more than 235 communities for the city’s 18th annual spring cleanup event, where locals are encouraged to sweep, rake, and plant with their neighbors to beautify Baltimore for springtime. Baltimore City Department of Public Works, 100 N. Holliday St., 9 a.m., Free, 410-396-3310

4/28: Earth Day Stream Clean-Up
Clean up litter from local trails and streams, and learn how to turn the found objects into crafts. Carrie Murray Nature Center, 1901 Ridgetop Rd. 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Free. 410-396-0808

When the first Earth Day was held on April 22, 1970, America’s natural landscape seemed under siege. There was not yet an EPA, and key environmental regulations like the Clean Air Act and the Clean Water Act were in their infancies. The previous year, in Ohio, an oil spill—and decades of unchecked pollution—caused the Cuyahoga River to catch fire, and not even for the first time. Here in Maryland, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation was just two years old. We’ve come a long way since then—or maybe we haven’t—but one thing is for sure, it’s always a good idea to spend some time in nature. So whether that means a hike in the woods, attending a street festival, or rolling up your sleeves for a stream cleanup, we’ve got an local Earth Day event to help you connect with Mother Earth. 

Cleanup Events 

Patterson Park hosts a park cleanup beginning at 9 a.m. Participants should meet at the white house prepared to mulch trees, pick up trash and leaves, garden, and edge walkways.

Oregon Ridge Nature Center marks Earth Day with a “Love Your Mother Earth” celebration with trail cleanup and a tree-hugging contest complete with prizes. Event is free and runs Saturday and Sunday from 1-3 p.m. 

Carrie Murray Nature Center in Leakin Park will host an all-ages “Clean up the Gwynns Falls Trail” event on Saturday from 12-2 p.m. 

Civic Works, a local job-training and sustainability nonprofit, invites volunteers to its campus in Clifton Park for several Earth Day activities from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Volunteers can help mulch pathways, plant new trees, remove invasive plants, build a pollinator garden, or assemble decorative mosaic stepping stones.    

Druid Hill Park will host its monthly 4th Saturday workday from 10 a.m.-12 p.m. Come prepared to clear debris/leaves/trash off the paths and mulch a garden (in preparation for next weekend’s Charm City Bluegrass Festival). 

Pigtown will host its 5th annual Bloom the Boulevard on Saturday from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Attendees are invited to help collect litter, plant flowers and trees, and spread mulch along the 700-1300 blocks of Washington Boulevard. Participation will earn you a $10 credit toward your city stormwater fee, and there will be an after party at Cheat Day Bar & Grill.

Blue Water Baltimore, Baltimore City’s watershed watchdog group, will host several events, including a cleanup at Herring Run Park on Saturday, from 10 a.m.-12 p.m. and a make-your-own rain barrel workshop at Herring Run Nursery from 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.  

Many of these cleanup events are part of Project Clean Stream, a bay-wide effort to collect 100,000 pounds of trash from local waterways by June 9. Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay has an interactive map that lists all area cleanup sites and events. 

And next weekend, on April 29 from 9 a.m.-1 p.m., is the Mayor’s annual Spring Cleanup. Participating residents can earn credits toward their stormwater fee. Communities and individuals are encouraged to register by calling 311.   

Plant Sales

Concurrent with Pigtown’s Bloom the Boulevard, the neighborhood will host its annual Flower Sale offering annuals and perennials for gardens or planters. Everything is under $7. 

Herring Run Nursery is Blue Water Baltimore’s native plant nursery, and a great local resource for eco-conscious gardeners. In honor of Earth Day, the nursery will be giving away native species of trees to its customers on Saturday morning (while supplies last). There will also be 250 native species of trees, shrubs, vines, flowers, and plants for sale. Hours are 10 a.m.-3 p.m. 

Festivals

University of Maryland Baltimore is throwing its 2nd annual Neighborhood Spring Festival, Saturday, April 22, 2017, on the 800 Block of W. Baltimore Street, from 11a.m.-2 p.m. Festivities will include live music and dance performances, taekwondo and outdoor zumba, local food and craft vendors, and Earth Day activities, as well as free health and dental screenings, HIV and Hepatitis C testing, mental health resources, and legal advice. 

Hikes 

Scenic Rivers Land Trust and the Anne Arundel County Department of Recreation and Parks are partnering for the 12th Annual Walk for the Woods on Saturday. From 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., the public is invited to the Bacon Ridge Natural Area in Crownsville for feature guided hikes, educational programming, and a chance to explore the county owned property that is not always open to the public. The event is free and dogs are welcome after 10 a.m. Rain date is Sunday, April 23. 

Kids

After the grownups finish tidying up Patterson Park, kids can convene at the playground at 10 a.m. for fun and games. 

Francis Scott Key Elementary/Middle School in Locust Point will host a free Earth Day Mommy and Me class on Saturday from 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. The event is geared toward children ages 2-5 who are not already enrolled in the school. There will be a craft, snack, and playground activities. 

Surrounded by the steel and cement of Baltimore’s urban landscape, it’s easy to forget that natural wonders like the Appalachian Mountains and Chesapeake Bay are within our reach. This Earth Day (April 22), take the opportunity to give back to the environment.

PROJECT CLEAN STREAM
4/9: Lake Roland, 1000 Lakeside Dr. 9 a.m.-12 p.m. Free. 410-887-4156. Help the Habitat and Trail team clean up Lake Roland’s shore, and, if you can, BYOB (bring your own boat!).

EARTH DAY PLANTING PARTY
4/23: Enoch Pratt Free Library, 400 E. 33rd St. 2-4 p.m. Free. 410-396-6053. Decorate a pot with your kids and sow your own family plant.

TREEHUGGER 5K
4/10: Irvine Nature Center, 11201 Garrison Forest Rd., Owings Mills. 8-11 a.m. $15-40. 443­738-9200. Walk or jog through the scenic Caves Valley region to benefit the nature center’s environmental education work.

LOVE YOUR MOTHER EARTH
4/16-17: Oregon Ridge Nature Center, 13555 Beaver Dam Rd., Cockeysville. 1-3 p.m. Free. 410-887-1815. Spend the afternoon cleaning up the park and participating in a tree-hugging contest.

NATURE FEST
4/23: Catoctin Creek Park, 2929 Sumantown Rd., Middletown. 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Free. 301-600-2051. Delve into local wildlife of Frederick County with nature walks, animal presentations, and campfire activities.

SAVING THE PLACES WE LOVE
4/8: Cromwell Valley Park, 2002 Cromwell Bridge Rd., Parkville. 7-9 p.m. $10-15. 410-887-2503. Join author and conservationist Ned Tillman as he discusses what we need to preserve the Chesapeake Bay.

AQUARIUM PARTY FOR THE PLANET
4/22: National Aquarium, 501 E. Pratt St. 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Free with admission. 410-576-3800. For one day at the Aquarium, enjoy activities, presentations, and animal encounters that encourage planet-friendly practices.

ZOO PARTY FOR THE PLANET
4/24: The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore, 1876 Mansion House Dr. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Free with zoo admission. 443-552-5276. Head to the zoo to discover simple ways to help make the earth more green and healthy.

Witnessing a massive, 3-million gallon, oil tanker spill off the coast of Santa Barbara in 1969, then-Wisconsin Sen. Gaylord Nelson found inspiration.

In the book he later wrote, Beyond Earth Day, Nelson says he got the idea to launch the first “Earth Day” while on an environmental tour out west that summer when teach-ins against the Vietnam War were gaining popularity.

“Why not organize a huge, grassroots protest about what’s happening to our environment?” Nelson recalled thinking. “A national teach-in on the environment” for the national media and elected officials. “The environmental deterioration was all around us, and everyone seemed to notice except the political establishment,” Nelson wrote.

Other disturbing images along with the Santa Barbara spill, of urban smog, of oil, grease, and trash fires on Cleveland’s Cuyahoga River, of a dying Lake Erie, of the pesticides killing backyard birds, had also come to the country’s attention, and Rachel Carson’s 1962 book, Silent Spring, had somewhat set the stage for action. Ultimately, the first Earth Day on April 22, 1970, attracted some 20 million people—1 out of 10 of all Americans—to demonstrations, rallies, lectures and marches across the country. In a feat that would seem impossible in these more partisan times, Nelson had convinced Rep. Pete McCloskey, a conservation-minded Republican, to serve as co-chair.

Nelson later said that the April 22 date was chosen because it fell between midterm and final exams on college campuses—and also before the summer break for primary and high schools.

More than 1,500 colleges and universities, 10,000 grade schools and high schools, and 2,000 community groups joined in, organizing events. Two of Nelson’s friends from the labor movement, United Auto Workers president Walter Reuther and American Federation of Labor president George Meany, in a fairly bold moves at the time, kicked in with donations.

Eventually, the rallies lead to passage of the Clean Air, Clean Water and Endangered Species Acts.

In 1990, Earth Day went global, mobilizing 200 million people in 141 countries. Today, more than 1 billion people now participate in Earth Day activities each year, making it the largest civic observance in the world, according to the Earth Day Network, an environmental group founded by some of the original Earth Day organizers.

It’s almost too funny to believe, in hindsight, but the date of the event caught the attention of the John Birch Society, which alleged the event was a poor attempt to conceal what the rallies really were: a communist plot to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Lenin’s birthday.

But after the first celebration in 1970, The New York Times reported, “Conservatives were for it. Liberals were for it. Democrats, Republicans and independents were for it. So were the ins, the outs, the executive and legislative branches of government.”

Nelson, who passed away in 2005, said he believed the support of these groups would be critical to any successful demonstration on behalf of the environment. He recalled launching the whole show in 1970 with just $185,000

“It’s hard to know when you stand on the brink of incredible change,” Jamie Henn, co-founder of 350.org, recently wrote. “But as today’s climate crisis threatens to spin out of control, Earth Day should give us hope. When the right conditions arise, we can still come together to do extraordinary things.”

With Earth Day quickly approaching on April 22, it’s time to get outside, take a breath of fresh air, admire the spring flowers, and thank our special planet for all of its Earthly essentials. Show your gratitude with one of these five eco-friendly events.

APR. 18: ECOFEST
Druid Hill Park, 2600 Madison Ave. 12-5 p.m. Free. baltimoregreenworks.com.

The 12th annual EcoFest is the kick-off for Baltimore Green Week, a weeklong celebration full of environmentally conscious events from April 18-25, organized by the local environmental nonprofit, Baltimore Greenworks. Whether you want to take part in tree planting, relax on the lush lawn of this local park, or jam out to some live music, the afternoon festival will be full of fun for the entire community, with local bands, workshops, vendors, food, and TreeBaltimore’s native sapling giveaway for you to plant in your very own yard.

APR. 22: ECOBASH
Maryland Science Center, 601 Light St. 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Free-$18.95. 410-685-5225. mdsci.org.

Head to the Science Center on Earth Day and explore the—you guessed it— scientific side of being eco-conscious, like wind turbines, infrared cameras, water testing, solar power, and more. Learn about the environment with lots of hands-on activities, like water testing, kite sailing, and melting marshmallows with the sun. While you’re there, check out some of the center’s regular features, like seed-planting on the green roof or sky-gazing through special telescope filters.

APR. 22: EARTH DAY CELEBRATION
The National Aquarium in Baltimore, 501 E. Pratt St. 10 a.m.-3 p.m. $21.95-34.95. aqua.org.

The National Aquarium understands the importance of keeping the planet healthy, especially when it comes to its waterways, like our very own Chesapeake Bay. This educational celebration offers lessons on green practices, as well as games and activities that teach you fun ways to reduce your personal carbon footprint. While you’re at it, explore the various underwater exhibits and check in on some of the actual marine life you just learned to protect.

APR. 24: BLACK IS THE NEW GREEN
Union Craft Brewing, 1700 Union Ave. Free. 6-8 p.m. 410-467-0290. blackisthenewgreen.com.

If trivia and beer (especially a UCB Duckpin…) is your kind of celebration, make your way to Woodberry and cheers to our local habitat with some house-made craft beer. The party will be hosted by Baltimore Green Drinks, a social, monthly meet-up group focused on keeping Charm City clean and sustainable, and feature Black is the New Green, a local organization dedicated to spreading eco-consciousness. Together, they’ll test your green knowledge, with the help of a UCB happy hour for a little liquid courage. With a focus on BGD’s upcoming Eco-Hustle, an eco-education scavenger hunt at the Baltimore Community Toolbank on May 9, the winners will score highly coveted goods, like free team registration to the event, as well as brewery loot.

APR. 25: PARTY FOR THE PLANET
The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore, 1876 Mansion House Dr. 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Free-$18. 410-396-7102. marylandzoo.org.

While enjoying a springtime Saturday at the Maryland Zoo, stop by this exciting environmental event. It has a little something for the whole family, with Bike Maryland workshops, a pen recycling station, puppet shows, and, for all those green thumbs out there, a seedling giveaway from the zoo’s Bur Oak, which is a native Maryland tree species. All the while, Baltimore’s Satyr Hill Band will be performing its bluegrass tunes.