LIST: Earth Day cleanup events and celebrations in Springfield

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (KY3/Edited News Release) - Springfield will mark Earth Day next week with several cleanup events and celebrations.

Earth Day is celebrated on April 22 each year. The annual observance is meant to demonstrate support for environmental protection.

Since it was first recognized in 1970, Earth Day has been followed by the passage of the landmark Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, Endangered Species Act and many other groundbreaking environmental programs.

The City of Springfield has announced the following Earth Day cleanup opportunities and events:

Clean Green Springfield Roadway and Stream cleanupsThere are several ways individuals, families, business teams and service organizations can help cleanup along local roadways, spots and streams! The City’s Adopt-A-Street and Adopt-A-Stream programs offer one-time or on-going cleanup opportunities and resources to help pickup litter, beautify our city and protect water quality. Visit CleanGreenSGF.com/roads-streams to learn more and connect with a cleanup coordinator.
Neighborhood Cleanups Thirteen of the City’s registered neighborhoods are hosting cleanups scheduled in late March through early June. Events are facilitated through a partnership between the City, Community Partnership of the Ozarks and each registered neighborhood association. Volunteers are needed to help with a variety of activities, including helping neighbors unload items at the drop-off sites, bulky item pickup throughout the neighborhood and general litter pickup throughout the neighborhood. A variety of locations and day and evening times are available. Visit cleangreensgf.com/neighborhoods for full schedule. Contact Rachel Tripp at rtripp@cpozarks.org and Autumn Skinner at askinner@cpozarks.org to sign up.
Missouri State University Office of Sustainability Earth Week ActivitiesApril 20 & 21 at Plaster Student UnionMissouri State University’s Sustainability section will host education sessions focused on healthy food. Topics include food waste as a global issue, vegetable growing methods from an international perspective, sourcing local food at local restaurants, and healthy eating to reduce disease. Sessions are free and open to the public. Visit missouristate.edu/sustainability/ for full schedule and details.
Missouri Humanities’ 5th Annual Symposium April 20 & 21 at Drury UniversityHumanities & Food: Sustenance and Sustainability in Our Communities”, will focus on the ways that sustainable and local food growing and sharing build community, heal the earth, and sustain connection and collaboration. Discussions will feature topics such as historic food utopias in America, agriculture and economic growth, and the ways that regional identities are embedded in the practices of creating sustenance for the community. Learn more and register at mohumanities.org/symposium-2022
James River Basin Partnership 2022 Earth Day Cleanup12:30 – 5 p.m., Friday, April 22 – Pre-registration requiredThe James River Basin Partnership will host their annual Earth Day cleanup on Friday April 22 at Lake Springfield. Partners for this event include The City of Springfield’s Department of Environmental Services, Springfield-Greene County Parks and Recreation, Bass Pro Shops, and the Missouri Department of Conservation.The event is FREE and open to anyone who would like to get out and make a difference in their community. Shoreline, lake, and river cleanup opportunities are available. To register, please visit https://www.jamesriverbasin.com/earth-day-2022-registration.
Drury University’s Earth Day Celebration3-5 p.m., Friday, April 22 outside Stone Chapel (900 N. Benton Avenue)Join Drury University and the Drury Student Government Association to celebrate Earth Day! Bring your own blanket and enjoy a tree planting ceremony, Arbor Day Mayoral Proclamation, Live music by The Phrogs, activities and giveaways.
Earth Day Picnic Dinner and a Movie6 p.m., Friday, April 22Peace Through People Pavilion at Nathanael Greene/Close Memorial Park (2400 S. Scenic Ave.)Celebrate Earth Day with a bring-your-own outdoor picnic followed by a free screening of Bee Movie. Activities begin at 6 p.m. with an Arbor Day Mayor’s proclamation, crafts, tree activities and more. The movie begins at 8 p.m. Bring your own lawn chairs and blankets.
Planet Unity Earth Day CelebrationApril 22 & 23 at Unity Church (2214 E. Seminole St.) Planet Unity is a two-day festival to honor, respect and educate about our beautiful planet. Enjoy food, drinks, live music, product vendors, crafts, artisans, an indoor sale, activities for kids, a 5K run and speakers. Learn more at unityofspringfield.org.
2022 Earth Day Festival: A plastic-free music and sustainability festivalNoon – 8 p.m., Saturday, April 23 at Mother’s Brewing Company BackyardEarth Day 2022: The Festival will be a one-day, ticketed, plastic-free, leave-no-trace, music and sustainability-awareness festival that will feature many prominent local and regional bands throughout the day, all on the beautiful and spacious grounds of Mother’s Brewing Company Backyard. Our goal is to donate 100% of the ticket sales to the Watershed Committee, James River Basin Partnership, and Ozark Greenways. Learn more at earthdayspringfieldmo.org.

In addition to these events, Springfield Environmental Services will host a special “EnviroFlick” movie series virtual screening of “2040: The Regeneration,” available for at-home viewing April 15-24.

Guided by the voices of 100 child interviewees who describe the kind of world they would like to see by the year 2040, this documentary draws on minds from around the world to focus on climate, economics, technology, civil society, education, agriculture and sustainability to conjure a positive portrait of what “could be” instead of the negative future so often presented.

“We love the positive and motivating vibe of this documentary,” explains Environmental Services Education Outreach Coordinator Laurie Davis. “There are so many good stories of innovation, progress and hope for change that we can all learn more about and help support to move our planet forward in environmental stewardship.”

EnviroFlick movie screening participants are encouraged to complete an online registration form and share their vision of what the planet could look like in 2040. Visit facebook.com/SGFEnvironmentalServices to follow the discussion and chime in.

For more information on Earth Day 2022 events and activities, visit springfieldmo.gov/earthday.

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