How to celebrate Earth Month and Earth Day in Park City

Kimball Junction Trash Clean-up Volunteer Event on April 20, 2024. Photo: Swaner Preserve and EcoCenter, Utah State University

April is Earth Month, and Earth Day is Monday, April 22

PARK CITY, Utah — This year, the Earth Day theme is Planet vs. Plastics, according to EARTHDAY.org. The organization’s goal is a 60% reduction in the production of ALL plastics by 2040.

To help reach this goal, EARTHDAY.org created an Earth Day 2024 Action Tool Kit, which you can download here.

Here are several Earth Day and Earth Month activities throughout Park City this month:

Swaner Preserve and Kimball Junction cleanup

This public cleanup will be held on April 20, starting at 9 a.m. Sign up for a 1.5-hour shift window in advance. Check in any time during your shift window to pick up supplies on the plaza in front of the Swaner EcoCenter at 1258 Center Drive in Park City.

Please wear outdoor-appropriate attire. Closed-toe shoes/boots and long pants are always recommended, as well as a hat or some form of shade. Work gloves will be available to borrow, but bring your own if you prefer. Feel free to bring trash grabbers and buckets in lieu of bags. You don’t need any sort of pass or permit for this free event.

Coffee and light snacks will be provided by Bartolo’s and volunteers who participate in the Earth Day Cleanup are entered into an opportunity drawing for prizes and gift cards from local sponsors including Skullcandy, Northland Mountain Boutique, Recycle Utah, Townlift, Bee’s Wrap and more. In addition to the above, our community partners also include the Newpark Town Center HOA and Keep Nature Wild.

Cleanup events are inherently dangerous and can be strenuous. Safety precautions will be reviewed prior to the cleanup, which includes the Swaner Preserve and the Kimball Junction area.

Park City Library neighborhood cleanup

Drop in anytime Monday, April 22, from 12-7 p.m., at the Park City Library, 1255 Park Avenue, to pick up supplies and sign out a specific street/area around the library. Together, we can make the library’s neighborhood look amazing! Sign up to let the library know how many supplies to have ready.

Celebrate with Utah Recycle and Twisted Fern

After a day of cleanup, celebrate at this fundraiser for Utah Recycle’s education programs. Click here to buy tickets and learn more.

Head to the Jim Santy Auditorium for a free screening of ‘In the Dirt’

Swaner Preserve and EcoCenter and Park City Film host a free screening of “In the Dirt” on April 25 from 7-9 p.m. with a discussion to follow. This film tells a story about cycling on the Navajo Nation and will inspire you to think about your connection to the land.

“In celebration of Earth Month, we’re excited to host a variety of activities where our community can learn about the value of nature and how we can nurture both the ecosystem we live in and the people connected with it,” said Hunter Klingensmith, director of exhibits and visitor experience at Swaner Preserve and EcoCenter. “We hope that these events will give participants resources to act boldly, innovate broadly, and implement equitably to invest in our planet in whatever way they can.”

Participate in the City Nature Challenge April 26-29

Come to the Swaner EcoCenter to participate in a different activity each day. From learning to use iNaturalist on Friday, April 26, to free guided
nature walks on Saturday, April 27, to crafting a nature journal on Sunday, April 28, there’s something for everyone to enjoy!

Swaner EcoCenter’s traveling exhibition, Snow: Tiny Crystals, Global Impact, is on display through May 5.
Explore this exhibition before it’s gone! Admission is free on Saturday, April 27 thanks to their generous sponsors.
Registration and more details for these events and others can be found on their website calendar.

The Origins of Earth Day

The first Earth Day happened on April 22, 1970. According to EARTHDAY.org, the organization has “mobilized over 1 billion people annually on Earth Day, and every other day, to protect the planet. EARTHDAY.org’s mission is to diversify, educate, and activate the environmental movement worldwide. EARTHDAY.org is the world’s largest recruiter to the environmental movement, working with more than 150,000 partners in nearly 192 countries to build environmental democracy.”