Lexington, KY - When I was a kid, Earth Day was just that - a single day, April 22. I always got it confused with Arbor Day, which was usually a few days later. We planted little seedlings in styrofoam cups at school on one day and picked up little pieces of styrofoam and other trash around the school on the other.
Then Earth Day became Earth Week. Now cities and corporations and other organizations are sponsoring Earth Month for the duration of April. I guess it became too daunting trying to cram a year's worth of environmental awareness and activism into one day.
Not that I'm complaining.
April is an obvious month for this type of environmental campaign. With the fog of winter lifted, revealing a season's worth of grime, litter and disregard, people are anxious to get outside. Why not take advantage of this enthusiasm and give them something productive to do, like clean up a creek bed, pick up some litter, or plant a tree? People don't seem to mind getting down and dirty this time of the year.
For Earth Month this year, there certainly isn't a shortage of events scheduled throughout Lexington. From the annual Reforest the Bluegrass (which has seen over 185,000 seedlings planted by over 8,000 volunteers in the past 12 years) to the months-long Keep America Beautiful campaign, there are a multitude of ways you can pitch in to help our planet out this month, be it through physical activity or simply making yourself more aware of the options available for eco-conscious living.
I hope you can make it out to one (or more) of these events.
Earth Month 2011
Dig in: here's a list of community Earth Month related events.
Keep America Beautiful: Great American Cleanup. Throughout April and May. Schools, neighborhood associations and other organizations have coordinated dozens of community cleanup efforts throughout Lexington. Search for "Great American Cleanup" at www.lexingtonky.gov to see a list of events, or e-mail myork@lexingtonky.gov to host your own.
2011 Reforest the Bluegrass. April 16. Each year for the past 12 years, volunteers have descended on a city park to plant trees. This year's mission is 8,000 seedlings at Liberty Park. Interested parties can visit rtb2011.eventbrite.com to register for the event. 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. Liberty Park, 2789 Liberty Rd. (859) 258-3451.
Carnegie Center Earth Day Celebration. April 19. Discover the importance of being green and taking care of our extraordinary world. Meet local environmental organizations, create art from recycled goods, dig your own garden and more. 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. Carnegie Center, 251 W. Second St. (859) 254-4175.
Downtown Trash Bash. April 22. Help clean up downtown Lexington by volunteering for the 2011 Downtown Lexington Corporation's Earth Day celebration. Volunteers will be armed with bags and gloves to clean the streets. 12 - 3 p.m. (859) 425-2593.
Good Foods Earth Day Celebration. April 23. Enjoy workshops and exhibits from environmental groups. 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. Good Foods Market & Cafe, 455 Southland Dr. (859) 278-1813.
20th Annual Arbor Day Celebration. Re-Leaf: Renewing Our Community Forest. April 30. Celebrate Arbor Day at The Arboretum with a commitment to maintaining and renewing the trees that make our community healthy and beautiful. Along with planting the "Arbor Day Tree," dozens of exhibitors will be on hand, as well as all-ages activities and guided tree walks. 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. The Arboretum, 500 Alumni Dr. (859) 257-6955.