Celebrate at these 5 Earth Week events happening this weekend on Aquidneck Island
Maybe it's fitting that Earth Day has become so much more than 24 hours over the years.
What was once an annual day to celebrate the Earth, has blossomed into occasions that last for a full week or month and that has certainly become the case here on Aquidneck Island.
While the official Earth Day is on April 22, community partners across Aquidneck Island have joined forces to create a week of environmentally-themed events. This year’s festivities include clean-ups, seedling sales, nature walks, workshops, films, lectures, and studio tours.
In its fifth year, Aquidneck Island Earth Week is a collaborative effort between non-profits, committees, artists, businesses and residents to promote environmental awareness and action in the community.
Below we have five events taking place this week to get you in the mood, but with so much more happening all week you can find details for all of the events at aquidneckearthweek.com
King Park Earth Day Cleanup
Join Friends of the Waterfront for a cleanup of King Park in downtown Newport on Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Gloves, trash bags and coffee will be provided.
Earth Day Seedling Sale
Plant power! Plants remove carbon dioxide from the air and make the oxygen we breathe. They also provide habitat for native wildlife, prevent erosion, and absorb excess stormwater. Pre-order plants from the Eastern R.I. Conservation District online by noon on April 18 and pick up on April 20 at Greenvale Vineyards. A limited amount of seedlings will be available on the day of the sale. To pre-order, visit: www.easternriconservation.org/events/earth-month-native-plant-seedling-sale.
Rain Barrel Workshop
Make and take home a ready-to-install rain barrel to collect and store stormwater for your garden from 10 a.m. to noon at the Middletown Department of Public Works. Eastern R.I. Conservation District will provide materials and step-by-step instructions. Containers generously donated by Coca-Cola. Installing a rain barrel to collect and store rainwater for your lawn and garden is a simple and powerful way to make a difference for Aquidneck Island and Narragansett Bay.
To register, visit: www.easternriconservation.org/events/middletown-rain-barrel-event-r3nbc
Earth Day Celebration
Visit the Middletown Public Library for an Earth Day Celebration from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Saturday. Activities include RI Resource Recovery’s informational booth, a lightbulb exchange, plant swap, eco friendly crafts for kids, free garden books, decorate a bee bath and more. Everyone is welcome.
Weaver Cove Cleanup
Help keep Narragansett Bay clean with Save the Bay! Shoreline trash is ugly and dangerous to wildlife, and shoreline cleanups are a great way for volunteers to make a difference.
Meet at the Weaver Cove boat ramp at 10 a.m. Sunday. There is no precise address for this site. Enter the park off of Burma Road and follow the road down to the parking lot. The boat ramp is on the far side of the lot. Parking is limited, please carpool or take alternative transportation if possible.
Pre-registration is required. Sign up at https://volunteer.savebay.org/need/detail/?need_id=905426 . Any questions or difficulty registering? Contact volunteer@savebay.org.
This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Earth Week weekend events on Aquidneck Island April 20-21.
