Earth Day is an annual event celebrated on April 22nd to raise awareness and encourage action to protect the environment. Across the country, an estimated 20 million people participate in Earth Day activities annually. Only tens of thousands of those participants live in Pennsylvania. Have you ever wondered how you can help make a difference in the community? 

Across central PA, many local parks and organizations will be holding events you can participate in.  Prince Gallitzin State Park is celebrating on Saturday, April 26, from 9 am to 2 pm. Participants will pick up litter, do trail work, and plant trees. Anyone who participates will get lunch and water. If you can’t make it to the celebration but still want to help, don’t fret. Help Black Moshannon State Park stay beautiful! Black Moshannon is holding an event that includes winter debris removal, painting, trail maintenance, and litter pick-up. Pre-registration is required. A third option is at the arboretum in State College. There are programs for all ages. For younger kids, there will be a nature-free play and programming around the arboretum’s new Artmis Moon Tree. Adults will enjoy mindful nature journaling and environmental trivia. These events will take place on Saturday, April 19, from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm. 

If you cannot attend one of these events but still would like to help keep our Earth clean, don’t worry. You can do many things at home that just take an extra second of your day. You can start by using a reusable water bottle. It only takes seconds to fill up and avoids using extra plastic. You can start recycling. Start by sorting paper, plastic, glass, and other materials. You can take these items to the recycling bins in Kylertown or Phillipsburg. 

Local cleanup events on Earth Day are important in bringing our community together and supporting environmental awareness. When participating in these activities, you help keep our earth clean and beautiful for generations to come.