The Last Straws
We really suck. The average American will use over 38,000 plastic straws in their lifetime. By 2050, there will be more pieces of plastic in the ocean than fish, according to Debris Free Oceans, a loc...
Earth Day 2018
Earth Day is every day for those who care about our planet! But all during April, there are lots of ways to show support for protecting the environment and learn practical tips we can do to make a difference.
Hungry Harvest Earth Day Deal
The farm-to-doorstep produce delivery company that aims to to eliminate food waste and end hunger, Hungry Harvest is offering new customers $5 off their first box at hungryharvest.net. Since they started in 2014, they have rescued over 8 million pounds of fresh but oddly shaped or surplus fruits and vegetables from going to waste, reducing water waste and greenhouse gas emissions with every weekly delivery. They’ve been operating in South Florida since last year.
Earth Day at The Wynwood Yard
April 21 • thewynwoodyard.com
Hands-on, educational workshops and activities for the entire family include a plant-based baking cooking class ($20) with Chef Pamela Wasabi, a Tip to Tail cooking demo with Miami Smokers and a class in making a tasty trail mix bar with Whole Foods Market. Live music by Yard artist-in-residence and singer-songwriter Keith Johns, yoga, and earth-friendly products from local artisans. Meet local organizations and small businesses like Surfrider Foundation, Zoom Blooms and Urban Green Works.
The Yard has banned the use of plastic straws, introduced a reusable cup program and hosts frequent monthly community clean-up events with local organizations such as Debris Free Oceans and Surfrider Foundation. They’ve also raised funds to expand its urban organic garden run by Little River Cooperative. Visitors can bring #5 plastics to be recycled by Whole Foods and made into toothbrushes sold at their stores. Miami Rescue Mission helps with spring cleaning by collecting your gently used clothing. Allapattah Candle Co. is collecting used (but clean) jars to recycle into new aromatic candle holders that will be available for purchase at The Yard’s Little River Garden Box.
Miami Beach Botanical Garden
April 20 • mbgarden.org
5:30pm-9:00pm
Free to the public, with registration here.Celebrate Mother Earth at the Garden. Activities include:
• Energizing yoga class by Tropical Vinyasa's Mike and Amy Dannheim
• Meditation and Sound Bowls by Innergy Meditation
• Performance of The Mermaid Tear Factory by Elizabeth Doud
• Art exhibits by Miami Eco-Artists Matt Stock and Colin Foord from Coral Morphalogic.
• Reveal of the Garden's new Demonstration Pine Rockland.
• Native Plant Giveaway (made possible by grant funding from City of Miami Beach/Miami Beach Rising Above)
• Timely information from local environmental groups and artisans.
• Break bread with Whole Foods as we dedicate their new bench.
• Delicious bowls and snacks available for purchase.
Heal the Planet Day
April 22 • Esplanade Park, Fort Lauderdale• healtheplanet.com
Families can find out how to live sustainably and have fun together at this annual event. “Events like Heal the Planet Day offer children and families the opportunity to expand their thinking and learn about ways they can play a part in creating the kind of planet they would like to see,” says founder Ken Fisher. “Besides that, it’s full of fun, interactive and experiential activities.” These include:
• Farmer and Chef Vegan Cooking Demonstration, showcasing local and seasonal produce and the food preparation skills of some of South Florida chefs.
• Grow Your Own Food How-to Zone, a variety of backyard and urban growing techniques on how to grow food and reduce their carbon footprint while saving money and increasing nutrition.
• SoFlo Vegans Speakers’ Corner, with local environmental and wellness experts on topics such as clean energy, choosing vegan for health and the environment, water matters and health and wellness.
• Kids Zone, with sustainable arts and crafts, storytelling, educational activities, face painting, games.
There’s also live music, yoga, Pilates, dance, the Drum Café, the Conscious Vendor Village and healthy sustainable food. Admission is free.
More Earth Day Activities
Vizcaya Baynanza Coastal Cleanup
April 21 • vizcaya.org
Party for the Planet, Zoo Miami
April 21-22 • zoomiami.org
Earth Day at Pinecrest Gardens
April 22 • pinecrestgardens.org
Get Your Green On, Frost Museum of Science
April 22 • frostscience.org
Earth Day Resource Fair, Surfside
April 22 • townofsurfsidefl.gov
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