The 52 annual observance of Earth Day is Friday, April 22, and events are happening around the city to demonstrate support for the protection of the environment. We’ve rounded up some events to help get you more in touch with Mother Earth.
Lenox Square in Buckhead is celebrating Earth Day on Friday, April 22 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. with its annual electronics recycling event in addition to its numerous retailers who host their own sustainable programs. Participating stores include Kiehl’s, Madewell, The North Face and more which will offer giveaways, raffles, complimentary consultations and samples as well as raising awareness for recycling programs and other sustainable measures. Additionally, Lenox Square has partnered with E’Naiyah – a recent SCAD graduate, Atlanta resident and sustainable fashion designer – to support a young entrepreneur by displaying her couture and runway designs which repurpose recycled denim.
MARTA is celebrating Earth Day on Friday by launching its first electric bus. An event will be held at Edgewood/Candler Park rail station from 11 a.m. to noon to get the first bus on the road. Three electric buses will be put into service on Sunday, May 1, on Routes 2 and 102. Three additional electric buses will be put into service at a later date, and MARTA recently received federal funding to purchase six more.
Blue Heron Nature Preserve in Buckhead is hosting a volunteer clean-up to remove invasive plants and connect with our land on Friday. The Earth Day celebration will continue on Saturday at 2 p.m. with the opening of Light as a Feather: Blue Heron’s Art of Nature 2022 Exhibition. Curated by Blue Heron Artist-in-Residence KTauches, this 8th annual exhibition features 10 provocative, environmentally-focused artworks and 1 collaborative performance.
Ponce City Market in Old Fourth Ward will be buzzing with events to mark Earth Day on Saturday. Here’s a few to check out:
- Atlanta Green Market Fair will host over 40 local “green” businesses in a pop-up style market, live music, and educational environmental programming. Activities will kick off on Saturday at 9 a.m. with Yoga on The Yard. Following, the market will be open from 10 a.m. to 6p.m.Following Earth Day weekend, Atlanta Green Market will host ongoing, weekly pop-up markets around Atlanta featuring many of the same brands. The event is sponsored by Greencom.
- Georgia Forestry Foundation will bring awareness to the benefits our state’s forests provide to clean air, clean water, wildlife habitat and sustainable products. Stationed in the third floor trestle, the breezeway connecting Ponce City Market to the Atlanta BeltLine’s Eastside Trail, they will showcase exhibits from partners at Chattahoochee Nature Center, Georgia Audubon, Georgia Conservancy, Georgia Forestry Commission, Georgia Public Broadcasting’s Virtual Reality Lab, Trees Atlanta, Trust for Public Land and Georgia Tech’s Digital Building Lab. Plus, visitors will be able to experience forests through virtual reality Oculus Go headsets, interact with live animals from Chattahoochee Nature Center, hang out with Smokey Bear, enjoy music and family-friendly activities, and learn about eco-friendly product alternatives made possible through sustainable forestry.
- SustainAble Home Goods’ “Sustainable Switches” Free99Fridge Donation Drive (Fri., Apr. 22 – Sun., Apr. 24) – Throughout Earth Day Weekend, SustainAble Home Goods is hosting a “Sustainable Switches” event, where customers can bring items to donate to Free99Fridge – an Atlanta-based grassroots organization committed to fighting for food justice and addressing the needs of our neighbors through mutual aid – and get 10% off their purchase. They will be collecting non-perishable pantry items, pet food, personal hygiene products, personal protective equipment like gloves and masks, individually wrapped plastic utensils, sandwich bags, meal prep containers and baby food, formula and diapers. All items should be sealed, pre-packaged and ready to be donated.
EarthShare Georgia will host its annual Earth Day Party on April 27 from 6 to 8 p.m. at King Plow Art Center. During the party, EarthShare will honor its annual award winners and volunteers, including Cox Enterprises, Keep Georgia Beautiful, Jerry Travers from Bank of America, and Leigh-Kathryn Bonner of Bee Downtown. Get tickets and more information at this link.