To do this week: Celebrate Earth Day

On the to-do list this week: Tomorrow is Earth Day and there are many ways you can honor Mother Nature. You can check out Earth Day events, sign up to get a free tree, or just pack a picnic and enjoy the great outdoors.

On my personal to-do list: I’m heading to the Flavors on the Avenue festival in East Passyunk on Sunday.

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Stay healthy, stay safe, and get vaccinated.

— Jillian Wilson

Earth Day is tomorrow, Apr. 22, but the festivities continue all weekend and into next week. You can take part in cleanup events and tree plantings, attend an educational event at one of the area’s museums, or learn about the different species that inhabit our area. My colleague Frank Kummer shares the best ways to celebrate Earth Day in Philly this year — many of these events are back for the first time since pre-pandemic.

Earth Day Tree Planting at Rolling Hill Park

Natural Lands tree planting gives volunteers 12 and older an opportunity to dig in to help plant native trees at Rolling Hill Park, as part of the TreeVitalize program, in partnership with Lower Merion Township, PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, and Pennsylvania Horticultural Society. Minors must be accompanied by an adult or guardian. (Free, Apr. 22, 1-4 p.m., 1301 Rose Glen Rd., Gladwyne, natlands.org)

5K Earth Day Trash Walk

Terrill Haigler, aka Ya Fav Trashman, hosts a 5K Earth Day Trash Walk where participants walk a 5K route in Kensington while picking up trash. Haigler will also be giving out 250 hot meals to the homeless as part of the walk, designed to raise awareness about environmental justice in brown and Black communities. The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society will plant up a tree for each bag of trash collected up to 1,000 bags. ($25, Apr. 23, 8 a.m.-noon, walk begins at E. Lehigh Ave. and Kensington Ave., raceentry.com)

Earth Day at FDR Park

The Sierra Club and PennEnvironment host an Earth Day celebration in FDR Park at the meadows, a former golf course. Activities include nature walks, birdwatching, scavenger hunts, and more. Dogs are welcome but must be leashed. (Free, Apr. 24, 1-3 p.m., 1500 Pattison Ave., act.sierraclub.org)

Here’s our full guide to Earth Day events in Philadelphia.

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Here is one highlight from our weekly events calendar:

🛍️ A Sustainable Marketplace (Shopping / in-person / community / outdoors) This market features more than 40 vendors who practice sustainable production. You’ll meet and shop from makers all over the city showcasing their unique works. $5 donations are suggested with proceeds benefitting Urban Creators. ($5 suggested donation, Apr. 23, noon-7 p.m. 120 S. Columbus Blvd., cherrystreetpier.com)

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

This Earth Day, remember how important trees are for many things: they help reduce the city’s temperature and pollution levels, as well as improve the health and well-being of the people who live here.

Also remember that Philadelphia lost a large number of trees over the past ten years. According to the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, between 2008 and 2018, Philly lost 1,095 acres of tree canopy — the equivalent of 1,000 football fields.

In other words, the city needs trees. Luckily, my colleague Michelle Myers reports that there are programs that can provide you with a free tree to plant in your yard or on the sidewalk in front of your home. Some of these programs even deliver and plant the tree for you.

Show Mother Nature some love and learn how to get a free tree in Philadelphia and the suburbs.

Just this week, Love City Brewing Company opened a brand-new outdoor bar across the street from its brewery. Known as Love City Gardens, the outdoor space is beneath a former railroad viaduct and has seating for more than 80 people, along with an overhead pergola for rain protection.

The weather is looking pretty nice these next few days. See you there?

Thanks for reading! We’ll be back next week with more things to do.