Kathryn Gentile
Hometown Weekly Correspondent
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Earth Day, a day to celebrate the planet we live on and pledge to protect it, is only two weeks away. There are many ways to celebrate this day, from planting flowers to learning about the earth to simply getting outside and enjoying nature. However, if you’re interested in celebrating with others, there are a number of events that can bring us all together for this day.
In Westwood, Hale Education is partnering with Westwood Environmental Action and the Town of Westwood DPW for a community cleanup. For the entire month of April, residents and visitors alike are welcomed to help keep Westwood clean by picking up trash in a number of locations across town. Participants are asked to place all the trash they collect in bags by the side of the road and to email the location of the bags to westwoodenvironment@gmail.com on the day they finish.
The Westwood DPW will then pick up the trash bags and properly dispose of them the following day. All available locations for this cleanup can be found through the registration link on Hale Education’s website. Additionally, gloves and trash bags can be picked up at Hale Education’s office on 80 Carby Street and litter grabbing tools are available for borrowing.
Dover is helping to clean up the Charles River this month as well. The Conservation Commission and the Sustainability Committee, in partnership with the Charles River Watershed Association, have banded together to keep the Charles River free of trash. On April 24th and 25th, volunteers from all over the state will come together up and down the banks of the Charles River to help keep it clean. While registration in Dover has already filled up for this year, there are still opportunities to help at various points along the river. All registration opportunities can be found on the charlesrivercleanup.org website. This will be the 27th Annual Charles River Earth Day Cleanup. If you are from Dover, or any town that surrounds the River, check out the registration information on their website or email Marielena Lima at mlima@crwa.org for more information.
In Wellesley, Temple Beth Elohim plans to show their care for the world at Guernsey Sanctuary. Working alongside the Wellesley Conservation Land Trust, the Temple will be removing invasive plants to ensure the plants whose natural habitat is in the Sanctuary can thrive. This Earth Day celebration will take place on April 25th from 10 AM to 12 PM. Volunteers are asked to wear work clothes and gloves to keep themselves safe and equipped. If you’re interested in helping, check out Temple Beth Elohim’s website for more information about registering.
If you want to celebrate Earth Day in a way that involves a little less cleaning, check out the Earth Day Craft Night in Walpole on April 22nd! Chick-Fil-A Walpole will be hosting their celebration from 5 PM to 6:30 PM on Earth Day itself. At this event, participants will be able to decorate flower pots and plant “something special to take home”. You can RSVP for this event through EventBrite.
Finally, Blue Hills Observatory and Science Center in Milton is hosting The Earth Day Climb for a Better Tomorrow, their annual fundraiser for this planet we live on. Blue Hills invites hundreds of people to hike Blue Hills from 10 AM to 3 PM or run a 5k starting at 11 AM on April 18th. You can register on bluehill.org for a registration fee of $25, but further fundraising is always encouraged. They hope to raise at least $50k, with the funds going towards field trips, internships, mentorships, and career pathways in the support of the environment.
There are a multitude of ways to celebrate this Earth Day. Protecting our planet, whether through cleanups, fundraising, or simply getting to know it better, will always be a noble cause, regardless of the day of year. Whether you connect with the Earth with your community or by yourself this Earth Day, we encourage you to spend the day enjoying the spring weather and the beauty of our Earth.
