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To do this week: It’s Earth Day. Get outside.

To do this week: How to celebrate Earth Day, and a new outdoor activity to help you relax.

It's Earth Day. Get outdoors.
It's Earth Day. Get outdoors.Read moreIvar Østby Simonsen / Getty Images
    by Staff Reports
    Published 

On the to-do list this week: Go outside. Being outdoors has been a huge part of how we have gotten through this year. And, since it’s Earth Day, it’s all the more important to appreciate it. We have ways to mark the eco-day, as well as a new outdoor activity to help you relax. And if this has been a heavy news week for you, we have advice for that, too.

And remember: We’ve collected our best Philly tips all in one place here.

Stay healthy, stay safe, and, as much as possible, it’s still a good idea to stay home.

— thingstodo@inquirer.com

Know this

  1. 🚗 If I get a courtesy tow, how can I get my car back? by Nick Vadala

  2. 🛍️ What are the best places to buy cozy clothes in Philly? by Elizabeth Wellington

  3. 🥡 Where can I find good vegan Chinese food? by Grace Dickinson

» Ask us a question through Curious Philly: Inquirer.com/askus

Do this

Here is one highlight from our weekly events calendar:

  1. 💉 Vax-Jawn (Community / in-person / outdoors / free) The Black Doctors COVID Consortium, a group dedicated to equitably distributing the coronavirus vaccine, hosts a free vaccination event at the Dell Music Center in Fairmount Park where anyone over 18 can get the Moderna vaccine on a first-come, first-served basis. No appointments required and DJ Gary O will be providing music throughout the day. (Free, April 24, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., facebook.com, 2400 Strawberry Mansion Dr., add to calendar)

🔎 Find more of this week’s events, and we even have a kid-friendly events calendar, too.

Earth Day

Philly has cause for some Earth Day bravado. After all, we were the first place to make a whole week out of the day, back in 1970. So here are some things to do to mark the day, and rep both the city and planet, 51 years later.

  1. Get yourself a home energy audit to help make your home more efficient.

  2. Get some stormwater gear. The Philadelphia Water Department’s Rain Check program can get you a free or cheaper tool to help deal with storm water.

  3. Make sure you’re recycling properly. Find out what belongs in the bin.

  4. Plant a tree and help care for it.

  5. Get on your bike. Need one? Here are some shops that can hook you up. Need to get one fixed? We have some neighborhood-by-neighborhood resources for that, too.

  6. Pour yourself a tall glass of Philly tap water to keep plastic bottles out of our streets and waterways. Really, it doesn’t taste that bad.

  7. BYOBag. Ditching plastic bags can have a big impact on the amount of litter on our streets. If you always intend to bring them, but never remember, here are some great ways to remember them while you shop.

  8. Make your home, and someone else’s, greener (for free). The Philadelphia Free Library plant swap station opens Saturday.

» READ MORE: What you can do to make your neighborhood — and home — more climate-friendly this Earth Day

Life advice

From Nancy Stedman’s story about why labyrinths help us relax:

  1. Labyrinths, which have one clear path, are different from mazes, which have multiple walkways that can lead to dead ends. In short, labyrinths are calming, while mazes are intentionally confusing. There are more than 60 labyrinths within 25 miles of Philadelphia, located inside and outside churches, senior living centers, nature preserves, colleges and private homes, according to the Labyrinth Society.... Many walkers also see the pathway as embodying a deeper meaning, such as the journey of life. You walk to the center, stop and reflect, then slowly go back to your day-to-day existence.

Get outside and try walking one for yourself. Find recommendations for local labyrinths in Nancy’s full story.

» READ MORE: Labyrinths offer a path to inner peace. The Philadelphia area has plenty to try.

Busy news week? Here’s an antidote

Let’s be frank: It always seems like a busy news week. But for many of us, the conclusion of the Derek Chauvin trial brought with it a range of emotions. Elizabeth Wellington’s column found how we can all heal now, and it’s pretty good advice for any busy news week:

  1. Tune out for a bit. Turn off your social media alerts. Take a media day off. Take a walk; go for a swim. Call your favorite young person.

  2. Find a safe space. Reach out to trusted friends. If the anxiety is still overwhelming, seek counseling. Affirming ourselves is so necessary, said Ebony White, an assistant clinical professor of psychology at Drexel University’s counseling and family therapy department. “Taking time to remember and say ‘My life matters. I have value. And I am loved,’ can be a salve to these wounds.”

» READ MORE: After the Chauvin verdict: lessons of this painful year, and where to go from here

COVID-19 resources

  1. 💉 What’s safe to do after you get the vaccine? We asked 7 experts to rank them.

  2. 🚌 How can I get to Philly’s mass vaccination clinics? Use our transportation guide.

  3. 📅 I’m already vaccinated. How can I get off the registration lists?

  4. 🥂 Can I have a drink after I get the vaccine?

  5. 🤢 What if I have no vaccine side effects?

More at Inquirer.com/covid-tips