CALIFORNIA POSITIVE
By California Broker Magazine
This April 22 marks the 56th anniversary of Earth Day. The annual event was founded in 1970 by Gaylord Nelson, a U.S. senator from Wisconsin who was inspired to act after the 1969 oil spill in Santa Barbara, which killed an estimated 3,500 seabirds and marine animals like dolphins and sea lions. It remains the largest oil spill in history to have occurred on the California coast. The first Earth Day mobilized 20 million people who were inspired to raise awareness about environmental sustainability and ecological protection.
Earth Day has grown from a single day to the full month of April, with activities aimed at encouraging sustained climate action. From donating to environmental charities and volunteering to clean up local public spaces to focusing on awareness and education, there are many ways to get involved this Earth Month. In this article, we will share some ways you can make this April a time to expand your appreciation for our planet.
Clean Up Your Neighborhood
Many cities—especially beach communities—hold year-round cleanup volunteer opportunities. While anyone can go outside and pick up trash at their own leisure on any day of the year, Earth Month is the perfect opportunity to join a cleanup event near you and build community. Below are just a few that are taking place in April. Bring a friend, along with sunscreen and gloves, and enjoy taking part in making our planet a cleaner place to live and coexist with others and with wildlife.
April 11 – Huntington Beach State Tower 9 Cleanup – Huntington Beach, CA
April 13 – Newport Beach Pier Cleanup – Newport Beach, CA
April 18 – Shorebird Nature Center Cleanup – Berkeley, CA
April 19 – Nothin’ but Sand Beach Cleanup – Santa Monica, CA
April 22 – Keep Tahoe Blue – South Lake Tahoe, CA
April 25 – Earth Day Napa Community Cleanup – Napa, CA
April 26 – Creek to Bay Cleanup – San Diego County
Go Outside and Marvel at Nature
One of the easiest ways to celebrate Earth Month is to simply go outside and appreciate the beauty that surrounds you. Consider opting for public transportation or a bike whenever you can this month to help reduce carbon emissions. Take a trip to a local park, arboretum, beach, or green space. Stop and, quite literally, smell the roses.
National Park Week is also April 18-26—a great time to visit one of California’s beautiful national parks. California has more national parks than any other state, and many of them are experiencing unprecedented super blooms due to heavy rainfall earlier this year, followed by severe heat.
Pick up a new eco-friendly hobby, like birding, which has surged in popularity with an estimated 96 million birders in the U.S. aged 16 and older, according to a 2024 U.S. Fish and Wildlife report. Birds are fundamental to our ecosystem—acting as both pollinators and seed dispersers—and birding fosters a deeper understanding and appreciation for these magical creatures. All you need is a pair of binoculars, a physical or app-based field guide, and a notepad to document your discoveries. Chances are there is a birding group in your area—connect with a local Audubon Society chapter to join a community near you.
Attend Events Around California
Many events organized by cities across Southern California will take place in the month of April to honor Earth Month. On April 18, the city of Costa Mesa will hold an Earth Day Festival at City Hall hosted by Costa Mesa Bikeability, focused on sustainable transportation and cycling in the area. Also on April 18 is the city of Chula Vista’s South Bay Earth Day event, with live entertainment, organic food vendors, a group bike ride, tie-dye workshop, information about how to compost food waste, and a “Fix-It Clinic” to restore electronic, mechanical, or sewn items.
Santa Barbara will host its annual Earth Day festival on April 25-26, featuring over 200 exhibitors, an eco-marketplace, plant-forward food vendors, a beer garden, live music, and a car show with the latest electric vehicles and e-bikes. Just a few hours north, SLO Earth Fest takes place on April 18 in San Luis Obispo’s Meadow Park, with a kids’ zone, food trucks, local art, and a green car show.
In northern California, Yerba Buena Gardens is celebrating Earth Day on April 21 with a free, family-friendly festival, including live performances, tree planting, chalk art, and more.
In Los Angeles, the Roundhouse Aquarium in Manhattan Beach will hold its Keep it Green, Keep it Clean Earth Day celebration on April 25, with a beach cleanup activity and sustainability workshops. On April 22, Descanso Gardens will host a full day of activities, including a California native wildflower seed nest workshop, a DIY soil bioremediation workshop, and a knitwear mending workshop. The Getty Museum presents a brand-new Art & Nature tour on select days during Earth Month, in addition to other Earth Month events. The Huntington features 16 themed gardens, along with environmentally focused exhibitions like “Laura Aguilar: Body and Landscape,” which traces the artist’s use of self-portraiture within the natural environment.
The Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach will hold its Earth Day Teen Climate Fest on April 25-26, with educational activities and sustainable art that will highlight the importance of preserving our world.
Read, Listen, Watch Environmental Content
There is an endless number of books, podcasts, and films focused on the environment. We’ve gathered a handful to get you started:
Books
- “Climate Change and the Health Sector: Healing the World” explores the health sector’s significant contribution to the climate crisis and—on the flipside—its role in combatting it.
- “The Overstory” interweaves the lives of nine strangers whose stories become connected through trees and work together to combat deforestation.
- “Turning to Birds” dives into how birdwatching led award-winning actor Lili Taylor to mindfulness and a deeper connection with nature.
- “Under the White Sky” examines humanity’s attempts to fix the environmental damage it has caused through radical technological interventions.
Podcasts
- “The Joy Report” features stories about climate solutions and environmental justice.
- “A Matter of Degrees” uncovers the powerful forces behind climate change and the tools we have to fix it.
- “Birds & Nerds” explores the connection between birds and the world around us.
- “The Climate Question” focuses on how we can help save our planet.
Films
- “My Octopus Teacher” follows South African naturalist Craig Foster on a year-long journey where he develops a friendship with a wild octopus.
- “All That Breathes” follows two brothers from New Delhi who devote their lives to protect a bird known as the Black Kite, which is essential to their city’s ecosystem.
- “Train Dreams” is an ode to the lonely labor of forestry and reflects the beauty and heartache of working in the forests of the Pacific Northwest amid the rapid expansion of the railroad industry in the early 20th century.
- “Kiss the Ground” follows a group of revolutionary activists, scientists, farmers, and politicians who work towards a global movement to promote regenerative agriculture.
Cool It with AI
Did you know that many AI tools consume a massive amount of energy and water? According to researchers at Cornell, AI data centers are on track to emit 24-44 million metric tons of CO2 annually by 2030. They also stated the average single ChatGPT conversation consumes around 500 ml of water, and training one model can produce 626,000 pounds of CO2. For Earth Month, consider being mindful about your AI usage—especially generative AI, which has the most harmful environmental impact.
Consider Donating to Environmental Charities
Another great way to celebrate Earth Month is by donating to an environmental cause—any dollar amount makes a difference in helping our planet. There are many notable charities you could support, including World Wildlife Fund, Earthjustice, Clean Air Task Force, American Rivers, and Oceana. In addition to the gift of helping further the mission of your selected charity, many organizations offer donation perks, like branded gear, annual calendars, or discounts to store items.
In conclusion, Earth Month is an important time to reflect on our relationship with Mother Earth, learn more about the environment, and explore ways to help keep it healthy for generations to come.
One of the easiest ways to celebrate Earth Month is to simply go outside and appreciate the beauty that surrounds you.