Electronics recycling, plant sale and more among Earth Day events in St. Louis region
Since Earth Day was first celebrated on April 22, 1970, it has grown from an event focused on the U.S. into a global affair, celebrated in more than 190 countries.
From recycling and composting household waste and living a vegan life to participating in large-scale environmental protests and joining climate literacy campaigns, every day people are making efforts to help preserve the planet.
If you don’t already have plans for Earth Day, check out this list of ways to celebrate in the area.
Even if Earth Day’s not your thing, there’s a little something for everyone.
As for this tree hugger (and proud of it!), I’m planning to get my vegetable and herb gardens going for the season.
Earth Day Festivities
Earth Day Nature Mosaics — 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday, April 22. City Museum, 750 N. 16th St., St. Louis. Celebrate Earth Day by making nature mosaics from materials like leaves, petals, moss and twigs. Free with general admission and free for members.
Watershed Nature Center Earth Day Celebration — 8 a.m. Saturday, April 23. Watershed Nature Center, 1591 Tower Ave., Edwardsville. Festivities begin with the BJC HealthCare Run Wild! 5K & Fun Run, followed by the Native Plant Sale and Pollinator Discovery Day activities at 10 a.m. Featuring Edwardsville businesses like Goshen Coffee, Recess Brewing, Sneaky’s Burger Truck and much more.
St. Louis Earth Day Festival — 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, April 23 and Sunday, April 24. Forest Park, 5595 Grand Drive, St. Louis. Come for the food, the music, the activities and the people watching, and you will leave a little more inspired about real progress being made to preserve our planet and a little more connected to those on the front lines. This festival is a community tradition to learn about sustainable products and services offered by local businesses and organizations, meet local area non-profits that share Earth Day values, as well as showcasing local entertainment and local Green Dining Alliance restaurants. Free and open to the public.
Earth Day: Party for the Planet — 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, April 24. St. Louis Zoo, One Government Drive, St. Louis. Enjoy live music, fun educational activities, animal enrichment throughout the Zoo, and more. Pick up a program of events at either Zoo entrance and explore the Earth Day stations around the Zoo. Learn how you can take action to help protect our planet. Visit at least four of the stations to receive a prize. Free admission. Timed reservations required.
Riverbend Earth Day — 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, April 30. The Old Bakery Beer Company, 400 Landmarks Blvd., Alton. Riverbend Earth Day is back in full force this year with booths from over 40 local earth friendly artisans and environmental organizations. From pottery and jewelry to native plants and baked goods, there will be a great selection of locally produced wares and ideas for how to make your home a little greener.
Enjoy some Greenery
SWIC Plant Sale — 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday, April 21, Friday, April 22 and Saturday, April 23. Southwestern Illinois College, Belleville Campus, 2500 Carlyle Ave., Belleville. The sale will be held in the greenhouse, located on the southeast corner of campus behind the baseball fields. The SWIC Horticulture program is selling reasonably priced water and vegetable plants, tropicals, perennials, annuals and herbs grown by SWIC students over the winter. Cash or check only. Face masks and social distancing recommended. 618-235-2700, ext. 5135 or kurt.range@swic.edu.
Peace in the Prairie — 10 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Friday, April 22. World’s Fair Pavilion, First Park, 1904 Concourse Drive, St. Louis. This event will present Saint Louis Story Stitchers as well as host vendors from local businesses and non-profit organizations who will bring information and resources about prairies and native plants, accessing and enjoying the outdoors, healing from trauma, and gun violence prevention. There will also be performances that are in conversation with these subjects. The event is free for all ages and open to the public. Free tickets are available on Eventbrite. The film will also be screened online April 23-30 at storystitchers.org.
Green Door Art Gallery: ‘The Nature of Things’ Reception — 5-8 p.m. Friday, April 22. Green Door Art Gallery, 21 N. Gore, Webster Groves, Missouri. Meet and mingle with guest and resident artists of “The Nature of Things,” art inspired by the natural world. Artwork in the exhibit is available for purchase through April 30. Art from the gallery’s 35 resident artists in all media will also be exhibited and for sale. Gallery hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday-Sunday. 314-202-4071 or greendoorartgallery.com.
Spring Flower Bulbs Fundraiser — Help raise funds for Illinois Center for Autism while beautifying your garden. Dahlias, lilies, perennials, vegetables and much more can be purchased online at icaspring.fpfundraising.com through May 15. Your purchases will help provide education and services with hands-on job and social skills training and advocacy.
Recycling & Clean-Up Events
Community E-waste Drive — 9 a.m. to noon Friday, April 22 and Saturday, April 23. Lewis and Clark Community College, parking lot at Godfrey Road and Tolle Lane (across from the Dairy Queen), Godfrey. Recycle anything with a cord, anything metal. Accepting servers, switches, PC towers, printers, other technical equipment; landline phones, cable boxes, cell phones, wireless modems, servers, audio and video equipment, cables, holiday lights, home electronics, printers, additional telecommunication items, lead acid batteries. All types of televisions, along with computer monitors, dehumidifiers, and refrigerators will be accepted with a charge (from $5-$35 depending on size and type). 618-468-2782.
Empire 13 Earth Day Environmental Justice 89 Block Action Clean Up — 9 a.m. Saturday, April 23. Community Life Resource Center, 1764 State St., East St. Louis. The Action Goal: To have all the trash off State Street, leaving it trash free for the first time in decades. 618-304-2107 or 618-482-6600, ext. 1601.
Electronics Recycling Event — 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday, April 26. McKendree University, Lot D parking lot, Lebanon. Household appliances and anything with a plug will be accepted, as well as computer parts, cell phones and metal items such as lawnmowers, weed trimmers, motors, washers, dryers and metal office furniture. Please note that cathode ray tube (CRT) televisions, CRT computer monitors, console televisions, projection televisions and plasma TVs will be charged 50 cents per pound and will be weighed onsite. This is a transportation fee since the televisions must be shipped for recycling.
This story was originally published April 21, 2022 at 7:00 AM.
