Maryland

5 Ways to Celebrate Earth Day in the DMV

From a swap pop-up to cleaning up the Anacostia, here are ways to celebrate Earth Day locally.

Earth to humans -- Earth Day is upon us! People worldwide will participate Saturday in everything from marches to cleanups to swap meets to demonstrate their support of the safety of our planet. Here's a list of some ways you can celebrate the special day locally.

March for Science

Tens of thousands of people are expected to participate in the March for Science on the National Mall Saturday.

Scientists and activists will demonstrate in the D.C. march -- and satellite marches worldwide -- to express the need for "robustly funded and publicly communicated science as a pillar of human freedom and prosperity," the group's website says.

Participants are expected to arrive at the National Mall as early as 9 a.m for teach-ins north of the Washington Monument, on Constitution Avenue NW between 15th and 17th streets.

A rally is set to start at 10 a.m., and then the march will begin at 2 p.m., moving from the Washington Monument grounds to Union Square in Capitol Hill.

If you'd like to get your grub on after, there will be an official post-March dinner hosted by Taste of Science D.C. and March for Science at Mellow Mushroom (2436 18th St. NW) at 5:30 p.m. Admission to the dinner is $40; tickets are available online here. The event will be free to attend after 8:30 p.m. (See more weekend events associated with the march online here.)

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Earth Optimism Day at the National Zoo

Celebrate the conservation of the planet at the Smithsonian National Zoo, this Saturday. From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., everyone is invited for a family-friendly outing of activities, interactive demonstrations and a scavenger hunt.

Educational booths will show teach you how to get involved in citizen science projects, how to preserve coral reefs and how your coffee could help save birds.

You can take your earth conservation up a notch by biking to the zoo to save energy --- well, you might end up tired, but at least you helped the planet. The zoo is offering free bicycle valet parking to registered bicyclists. You can register here each registered cyclist will receive a thank-you gift for actively working to reduce carbon emissions.

Earth Day Festival in Silver Spring

Montgomery County's Brookside Gardens is celebrating Earth Day with volunteer planting projects in the morning and activities in the afternoon.

There will be things to do for everyone! You can buy plants, make a beat in a drum circle or take a tour of the garden and look at birds. You can also grab a bite from a food truck or become a "master gardener" during a plant clinic.

The festival will be at Brookside Gardens and the Nature Center (1800 Glenallen Ave., Wheaton, Maryland).

For more information, click here

Earth Day Swap Shop

Trade your gently used items at a unique pop-up shop for the D.C. community at the Earth Day Swap Shop at Wunder Garten (1101 1st St. NE). You'll find live music, as well as food and drinks available for purchase as you exchange your cool things with other people's cool things.

How it works: You'll receive a ticket for each item you bring. Then you can use your tickets to barter any item in the Swap Shop. Each item costs one ticket.

Although you might want to bring a carload, keep in mind you can only bring up to 15 items.

The event is free! If you're one of the first 50 people to arrive, you'll get a free ticket and drink. The swap shop is kid and pet-friendly, and there's bike parking available.

Help keep the city clean.

The Anacostia Watershed Society is hosting its annual Earth Day cleanup and celebration. Volunteers will work together to clean and restore the Anacostia River from 9 a.m. to noon this Saturday, with nearly 30 locations along the river to work on. 

Volunteers are asked to wear closed-toe shoes and long pants for safety. It's always good to bring a water bottle and a snack if you think you'll get hungry.

There will be a celebration for your hard work following the cleanup from noon to 2 p.m. at Bladensburg Waterfront Park (4601 Annapolis Road, Bladensburg, Maryland.). You'll get a complimentary lunch and you can party the afternoon away. 

To register to volunteer, go here

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