Earth Day is right around the corner and luckily, here in Austin, you have lots of ways to celebrate.
Here’s how you can get involved:
1. Attend Earth Day ATX – This year’s festival will take place on Saturday, April 22nd from noon to 7pm at Huston-Tillotson University and will be bursting with activities for you to explore. These include a green job fair, a BizAid Workshop, film screenings, a FixIt Clinic, guest speakers, a kid’s zone, rock wall, yoga, zumba, and live music. You can check out the entire list of activities here>>
2. Shop at any Austin-area HEB or Central Market – Throughout the entire month of April, EarthShare of Texas is running its annual tear-pad campaign at H-E-B and Central Market stores throughout the state. When you get to the checkout counter, you’ll have the option of adding $1, $3, or $5 to your bill, which will be donated to EarthShare of Texas. EarthShare will then distribute the money amongst dozens of local environmental nonprofit organizations. Last year the campaign raised $140,000. This year, they’re hoping to reach $200,000 and they need your help.
3. Participate in Austin Give 5 Day – On Friday, April 21st dozens of local businesses, including Lick Honest Ice Creams and the Alamo Drafthouse, will be donating 5 percent of all sales to nine local environmental nonprofit organizations. All you have to do is shop at one of the participating businesses.
4. Make a behavioral change – The City of Austin’s Office of Sustainability has put together a great list of resources with tips and ideas for you to reduce your personal carbon footprint. They run the gamut from pledging not to buy plastic water bottles to purchasing solar panels for your roof, so that everyone from an eco-newbie to a seasoned environmental leader can participate. You can check them out here>>
photo from the City of Austin Office of Sustainability
5. Learn – All this week Green is the New Black is hosting a series of events focused around environmental justice on the campus of Huston-Tillotson University. Learn about the history of environmental inequities in our own city, and then learn how to get involved in the local environmental justice movement with these events:
- The Environmental History of East Austin – Tuesday, April 18th from 11:30am to 12:20pm in Dickey-Lawless Room 208 at Huston-Tillotson University
- Environmental Justice Action in Texas: Film and Teach-In – Wednesday, April 19th from 6pm to 8pm in Dickey-Lawless Auditorium at Huston-Tillotson University
