Shoutout to planet Earth for keeping us all grounded. Let’s celebrate.
Monday, April 22 marks Earth Day — an annual holiday that is celebrated by more than a billion people across 190+ countries .
This year’s theme is “Planet vs. Plastics,” and it calls for commitment to end plastics, and reducing all plastics by 60% by 2040. Some of the goals include:
- Raising awareness of the health risks of plastics
- Phasing out all single-use plastics
- Ending plastic pollution
- Ending fast fashion
Ready to get your hands dirty and volunteer with a local environmental organization? Look no further.
Lowcountry Earth Week is a week-long celebration that offers volunteer opportunities, nature activities, seminars, workshops, and festivals and lasts until Sunday, April 28.
Events
Monday, April 22
- Learn to compost home food scraps | 12-1 p.m. | Free
- Care for Gadsden Creek Clean-up | 3-4:30 p.m. | Free
- IOP Litter Sweep | 5:30-7 p.m. | Free
Tuesday, April 23
- Oyster shell/trash sorting | 1-3 p.m. | Free
- “Common Ground” screening + Panel discussion | 5:30-8 p.m. | Free
Wednesday, April 24
- Mount Pleasant Waterworks Community Plant Tour | 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. | Free
- Painting at the Angel Oak | 10 a.m.-12 p.m. | Free
Explore 20+ events from 50 local organizations.
The week will end with a family-friendly Earth Week celebration and exhibition at Holy City Brewing on Sunday, April 28, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Additionally, here are a few must-know facts about the history of Earth Day:
- Senator Gaylord Nelson spearheaded the creation of Earth Day after witnessing an oil spill in Santa Barbara, CA. Under his leadership, the first Earth Day was in 1970 .
- The first Earth Day sparked an outpouring of environmental activism, and less than six months later , the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the US Environmental Protection Agency were formed.
- Earth Day went global in 1990 .