Time to celebrate and work a little, too, with lots of Earth Day events

Monday marks the 54^th Earth Day observance, and the Western Pennsylvania region has many different activities, educational opportunities and, of course, volunteer projects.  Here are a few that have come to the Pittsburgh Union Progress’ attention, starting this weekend through Monday and the rest of April.

The Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium will have a Wild Earth Day Saturday, with educational opportunities and a chance to meet representatives from the area’s environmental organizations. The event set for 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. is included with zoo admission.

The Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy has had a full schedule of free Earth Month activities on select Saturdays in April to encourage Pittsburghers to get outdoors, immerse themselves in nature and do their part to leave the environment better than they found it. This Saturday it’s happening in McKinley Park from noon-3 p.m., according to a news release. Families and individuals can take part in fun activities, games, face painting and nature crafts. The afternoon will include music, free food, balloon artists and more. Also featured will be solar-powered interactives by Zero Fossil, an African drumming and dance performance by Legacy Arts Project, and adopt a tree with Tree Pittsburgh. Venture Outdoors will be there, too, and other community organizations.

The 2024 festivities have been funded by The Jack Buncher Foundation with additional support from Giant Eagle. Community partners offering activities this year include the Carnegie Museum of Natural History, Outdoor Inclusion Coalition, Pittsburgh Festival Opera, Tree Pittsburgh and Soil Sisters.

To learn more, visit the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy’s website.  

Pittsburgh residents are encouraged to pick up free mulch from the city’s Christmas Tree Recycling program this Saturday and next at the Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium Overflow Parking Lot from dawn until dusk while supplies last.

Every year, the city of Pittsburgh recycles used Christmas trees into free natural and environmentally friendly mulch for all city residents. This past holiday season, the city of Pittsburgh diverted more than 2,300 Christmas trees from the landfill. 

Local Girl Scout troops and the city’s Environmental Services and Public Works Forestry divisions helped with the tree collection. “This is a great program that positively impacts our environment while helping residents and teaching valuable recycling lessons to our youth,” said recycling supervisor Vanessa Reaves. 

Residents must bring their own buckets, gloves and shovels. The mulch is great for landscaping and cover for acid-loving plants such as hydrangeas and dogwoods, according to the city. It is expected to go quickly.

The zoo overflow lot is the parking area to the right at the zoo entrance, 7370 Baker St., Pittsburgh 15206.

Protecting the environment and maintaining green space is a year-round commitment in Cranberry.

In celebration of that commitment and to involve the community, it will celebrate Earth Week with special events and educational programs, according to a news release. The celebration kicks off at 4 p.m. on Earth Day, Monday, at the Jaycees Shelter in Cranberry Township Community Park.

Township officials and representatives from the Cranberry Township Environmental Advisory Committee will offer remarks and highlight the stream restoration project and educational signage in the park.

Fifty backyard habitat starter kits will be given away during the event. Additionally, a raffle will be held for an upcycled art project created in Cranberry Library’s Makerspace. Teen participants collaborated with one another to create an art piece for the raffle. Tickets for the upcycled art project will be sold at the event for $2, cash only.

The activities continue at 6 p.m. Wednesday, April 24, with a Rain Barrel Demonstration and Workshop. Presented by the township and students from Haine Middle School, the program explores the advantages of owning a rain barrel and instructions for efficient use. The $40 registration fee includes the cost of a rain barrel. To register, call 724-776-4806 or stop by the township’s customer service office, 2525 Rochester Road, Suite 400, Cranberry Township 16066.

These public events follow a planned township employee Beautifying Cranberry program set for next Friday morning. Employees will clean up “Gateways to Cranberry” – high-traffic areas that tend to see high volumes of trash and debris.

For more information, visit cranberrytownship.org/earthweek.

Trail Pittsburgh will work in Frick Park this Saturday, starting at 9 a.m. According to a Facebook post, “We will primarily be working on rerouting a user-created trail between Trough and Rollercoaster to make it more sustainable long term and create a safer intersection with Lower Riverview trail. This event will cover much of the construction of the new section of trail and hopefully also restoration of the old one. This is a manual labor type activity with digging, raking and moving dirt via wheelbarrow.”

Anyone can help. Volunteers need to bring work gloves if they have them and water, and they will need to wear sturdy footwear. Tools will be provided. Reach out via the Facebook site to volunteer.

Finally, it’s not only Earth Day but each April, during National Park Week, the National Park Service and the National Park Foundation join together to celebrate national parks and programs across the country and encourage everyone to discover the nation’s diverse natural and cultural heritage. A week full of fun activities, this Saturday is the first day of National Park Week and it is a fee-free day, the perfect opportunity to explore new national parks. Lots of activities throughout the week let everyone enjoy the parks and nature.