Happy Earth Day! Of course, every day is Earth Day at the state environmental agencies, but on April 22 each year, states mark the occasion by bringing key accomplishments and priorities into public view. Read on for a sampling of activities this year.
- Iowa‘s Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is partnering in watershed activities like water sampling, cleanups, and rain garden maintenance. For young children, there’s “Story Sprouts” at the Des Moines Botanical Center, and for older kids and adults, there’s an ongoing self-guided tour at 14 sites in the North Raccoon River watershed. The DNR also invites the public to check out other ways to help or celebrate Earth Day at home or in favorite outdoor areas.
- Louisiana’s Department of Environmental Quality, along with other agencies in the state, is proudly participating in #LoveTheBoot week, an anti-litter campaign kicked off by Secretary Chuck Carr Brown earlier this week. The series of events is sponsored by Keep Louisiana Beautiful, a campaign dedicated to the cleanup and beautification of the state.
- Massachusetts is marking the day with the announcement of $13.1 million in grants through the direct current fast-charging program that will lead to the installation of 306 fast-charging ports at 150 locations across the Commonwealth.
- New Jersey is celebrating Earth Week and the Department of Environmental Protection’s 52nd birthday with a party at Liberty State Park featuring activities like electric vehicle demos, a mobile aquarium, wildfire prevention programs, and fun science lessons on the state’s diverse environment. In alignment with the Earth Week theme of Invest in Our Planet, New Jersey also announced a new $15M carbon grant program that will create, restore, and enhance salt marshes, seagrass beds, forests, and urban parks that sequester atmospheric carbon.
- The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality is providing social media toolkits in both English and Spanish to help other organizations celebrate and promote Earth Day. The kits include logos, hashtags, and other materials for social media.
- In Oregon, the Department of Environmental Quality today is releasing a new GreenState podcast episode on environmental justice and diversity, equity, and inclusion. The agency will feature staff members integral to this work at the department to share how the agency operates inside and out.
- Rhode Island is celebrating Earth Day by highlighting Department of Environmental Management milestones in air and water quality, land revitalization and conservation, wildlife and habitat restoration, and sustainable fisheries, as well as instituting a Pledge 5 campaign to challenge people to make five small changes in their everyday lives to help limit negative impacts to the environment. These steps include ideas such as biking more and driving less, composting, and choosing nontoxic chemicals for at-home cleaning.
- The Tennessee Department of Environment & Conservation is encouraging independent, family-friendly activities that help protect and restore the state and the planet. DEC has identified three action items including reducing your footprint through food waste reduction and storage tips, sustainability at home tips, and learning about the environment through their Environmental Activity Packet for families with children. Learn more.
- Texas invites residents to post to the Commission on Environmental Quality’s Share Your Story page to chime in on how they are spending their Earth Day, whether through beautificiation efforts or other projects.
- Wyoming is celebrating the successes of its Native Plants Project, which partners with various organizations to promote a healthy population of local flora. One Department of Environmental Quality partner, the Wyoming Honor Farm, operates a greenhouse where inmates at a minimum security correctional facility grow sagebrush seedlings to restore sagebrush habitat in abandoned mine lands.
