LOVE YOUR MOTHER

WANT TO SHOW OUR PLANET SOME EXTRA LOVE? THERE’S NO BETTER TIME TO UP YOUR GO-GREEN GAME THAN EARTH DAY.

BY JESSE SCOTT

The official theme of Earth Day 2023, taking place April 22, is “invest in our planet.” Here in the 305, we are certainly feeling the need for those investments: Miami’s surrounding waters have risen by 6 inches in the past 25 years, and economic think tank Resources for the Future has predicted that Miami will become “the most vulnerable major coastal city in the world.” Beyond the things you can do to help on a daily basis (yes, bringing your reusable bags to the grocery store and turning off the lights in an empty condo make a difference), there are also many opportunities to have some fun this Earth Day while making a meaningful impact too. (earthday.org)

Ways To Get In On The Greenness

Festival Fun

The Earth Love Festival will take place April 22 from noon to 8 p.m. at The Mango Grove in Miami, complete with an eco-friendly shopping market, gardening and composting lessons, and other wellness programing. The event raises funds for Aguacate Sanctuary of Love Farm and Animal Rescues, which is a local advocate and beacon for organic living. (aguacatewellness.com)

Enter the Everglades

If you’re seeking inspiration and knowledge that will carry you well beyond Earth Day, head to Everglades National Park , which boasts 1.5 million acres of mangrove- and marshland-clad wonders. Its Shark Valley Visitor Center is a wonderful place to learn about one of Florida’s most vital ecosystems. Keep an eye out for the park’s rangerled programming, which will include special Earth Day activities for adults and kids. (nps.gov)

EARTH DAY 101

The day was first conceived by environmental activist and Wisconsin senator Gaylord Nelson.

Earth Day is now widely recognized as the largest secular observance in the world, marked by more than a billion people in more than 190 countries worldwide.

The first Earth Day took place April 22, 1970, and more than 20 million folks across the United States took part in the inaugural events.

Earth Day went global in 1990, mobilizing 200 million people in 141 countries and lifting environmental issues onto the world stage.

Clean It Up

The forty-first annual Baynanza —a Miami-Dade County cleanup initiative spanning 30 locations—is slated for April 15 from 9 a.m. to noon. Over the years, event participants have collected more than a million pounds of trash from Biscayne Bay. As a perk, volunteers get a commemorative T-shirt. (miamidade.gov)