When the first Earth Day was celebrated on April 22, 1970, it brought environmental consciousness to the national headlines for the first time. Half a century later, this day is as important as ever in the face of environmental crises like wildfires, extreme weather events, widespread biodiversity loss, and declining freshwater sources -- all resulting from global climate change.
Although Earth Day only happens once a year, you can incorporate Earth Day practices daily to effect positive environmental change. Check out the simple ways that you can “Go Green” below!
Let’s Celebrate the Earth Together While We’re Apart
Reduce, reuse and recycle your spring cleaning waste:
-
Tossing out an old T-shirt? Make it into a reusable bag using
this video guide from Keep Knoxville Beautiful.
- Got extra jars? Think bulk storage with
this Waste Not Blog post.
- Recycle properly. Refresh your recycling knowledge by reviewing our local recycling
Dos and Don’ts.
- Think outside the recycling bin by learning from the Speciality Donation and Recycling Information
here.
Especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, please be mindful of how you dispose of your excess goods as you clean out your home or work on home projects. Hold your donations for a later date, if possible. If you can’t wait, consider taking furniture, small appliances, and clothing in good condition to any of the five City recycling drop-off centers to be donated to an on-site Goodwill employee. Donating items keeps them out of the landfill, but please be mindful of social distancing guidelines when dropping off. You can view more COVID-19 updates for Waste and Resources Management
here.
Plant plants!
- University of Tennessee Gardens is hosting an online plant sale. Click
here to shop until April 27. Contactless pickup will be on May 1.
- Build
a pollinator garden featuring native plants from the Zoo Knoxville’s
pollinator guide, or learn more about native plants with Knoxville's
Native Plant Rescue Squad.
- Go on
a scavenger hunt around your yard and explore becoming a
Certified Wildlife Habitat
- Divert waste
and build plant soil by making your own backyard compost! Check out the City of Knoxville
composting page for DIY details.
- Speaking of compost.... Do you want free compost for your home garden? Four community partners are hosting piles of manure that are free for residents. Find the full event details
here. Starting Thursday, April 23, vegetable gardeners are welcome to come and self-load what they need from these locations:
South Knoxville: 1015 England Dr.
North Knoxville:
Beardsley Community Farm, 1741 Reynolds St.
East Knoxville:
Knoxville Botanical Garden, 2649 Boyd’s Bridge Pike.
East Knoxville:
SEEED, 1617 Dandridge Ave.
Participate in citizen science
Ideas courtesy of Knox County Stormwater Management, which maintains a very informative
Facebook page:
- Watch birds and record your sightings with
ebird.org/science
- Learn and find data on your area’s local precipitation through
cocorahs.org
Enjoy time outdoors
Many trails are blooming and still open for visitors practicing social distancing visitors.
-
Knoxville Botanical Garden and Arboretum
-
Ijams Nature Center
-
Legacy Parks’ List of Open Outdoor Spaces
Find inspiration from these Knoxville organizations:
- Check the
East TN EarthRise Facebook page to find virtual Earth Day activities.
- You can shop safely at the COVID-19-modified
New Harvest Farmers’ Market hosted by Nourish Knoxville. You can also
buy food directly from local farms, with some providing at-home delivery.
- Become a part of the East TN Sunrise Movement’s
virtual Climate Strike.
- On their
Facebook page, Knox County Stormwater is hosting an explore the senses extravaganza for Earth Week.
- Ijams Nature Center keeps nature in focus with their
E-Learning activities and guides.
- The Arts and Culture Alliance has a comprehensive list of local COVID-19 friendly ways to
stay connected and celebrate our city.