Get Involved this Earth Day

The Earth Day tradition began on April 22, 1970, when 20 million Americans celebrated the first Earth Day. Over the past 39 years, Earth Day has grown into a global event.

Earth Day in the Chesapeake region is a day to take action to help restore the Chesapeake Bay. You can celebrate Earth Day by planting a tree, picking up trash in your neighborhood or attending an event.

Many Earth Day events are taking place throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed this April. Check out this sampling of Earth Day cleanups, festivals and celebrations to find an event near you. And if you know of an Earth Day event that we have not included on this list, add it in the comments!

Washington, D.C.

• April 17-19: Green Apple Festival, Earth Day on the National Mall
• April 18: Anacostia Watershed Earth Day Cleanup and Rally, Bladensburg
• April 18: Earth Day Clean Up at National Zoo
• April 18: Clean-up at bald eagle habitat (4660 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave SW) by EPA and Earh Conservation Corps
• April 22: Shoreline cleanup at Anacostia Park by Earth Conservation Corps (9 a.m.-1 p.m. -- meet at parking lot near skating rink)

Maryland

• April 11: Litter Pickup at Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge
• April 11: Planting at Loch Raven Reservoir, Towson
• April 18: Bay Day at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum, St. Michaels
• April 18: Earth Day Celebration of the Baltimore Aquarium, Baltimore
• April 18: Baltimore EcoFestival at Druid Hill Park, Baltimore
• April 18: GreenScape at Amos Garrett Park sponsored by Spa Creek Conservancy, Annapolis
• April 18: West/Rhode Riverkeeper’s Spring Paddle, Annapolis
• April 18: Earth Day Festival at Quiet Waters Park, Annapolis
• April 18: Walk for the Woods by Scenic Rivers Land Trust, Crownsville
• April 18: Earth Day Event, Severna Park
• April 25: Oxford Day, Oxford
• April 25: Label the Watershed, Bethesda
• April 25: Big Green Trail Day, Annapolis
• April 25: South River Watershed Snapshot, Annapolis
• April 25: West/Rhode River Snapshot, Edgewater

Virginia

• April 18: Earth Day in Richmond
• April 24: Earth Day Celebration at Douthat State Park
• April 25: Earth Day at Nauticus, Norfolk
• April 25: Alexandria Earth Day 2009, Alexandria
• April 25: Celebrate Earth Day with Action, James River
• May 3: Virginia Beach Earth Day, Virginia Beach

Pennsylvania

• April 25: Great PA Clean Up, Statewide

West Virginia

• April 18: Berkeley County Earth Day, Martinsburg