Utah Earth Day events 

• Courtesy SLC.gov

Every day is a great day to think about the planet and how our lives and lifestyles impact it; celebrating Earth Day is a great way to start that thinking. Whether you're passionate about local flora and forestry, gardening and farming, birding or conserving habitats, or just learning how to compost or recycle, we've got a great list to start you thinking, "How can I sustain our planet which sustains us?"

Earth Week 2023: Indigenizing Utah @ University of Utah: Kick off Earth Day by celebrating Earth Week, with The U.'s slew of enlightening events, talks and activities. Some will already be completed by publication date, but on Friday, April 21, pop by the Guardsman Parking Lot to shred some paper, swap gently-used furniture, safely dispose of old medications and household e-waste (anyone else got a tangle of broken $10 gas station phone chargers?). Finally, on Earth Day itself (Saturday, April 22), volunteer for a shift at the campus' Edible Gardens, from 8:45 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. at the Pioneer Garden. sustainability.utah.edu/news-events/earth-week

Party for the Planet @ Tracy Aviary: If you're more of an Audubon enjoyer, head to Tracy Aviary for the kick-off of their Earth Day revelries. Enjoy a powwow from aviary partner Li'l Features, plus arts and crafts, nature walks, plant pot decorating and a river cleanup, and munch on some food from El Toro Rojo and Donut Kabobs throughout. Activities are spread out between Friday, April 21 at the Liberty Park aviary (539 E. 1300 South) from 10 .m. - 4 p.m. and Saturday, April 22, at the Jordan River Nature Center (1125 W. 3330 South) from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. tracyaviary.org

Rose Park Nature Fair @ Salt Lake City Public Library Day-Riverside Branch: Spend your weekend in lovely Rose Park learning about the local environs and artworks in the area as a "community explorer." Participants will engage with the nearby Jordan River Parkway, and with art in the community, likely including the branch itself, which neighbors TreeUtah's EcoGarden, and exists to connect community members with information about urban farming and organic gardening. Stop in on Saturday, April 22 from 1 p.m. - 3 p.m. at the Day-Riverside Branch 1575 W. 1000 North. Events.slcpl.org

Party for the Planet @ Hogle Zoo: This two-fer offers daytime opportunities to learn how Hogle Zoo not only houses animals from all around the world, but works to sustain their habitats both locally and worldwide—your ticket is included in a zoo day pass. And for the first time, Hogle is extending their Party for the Planet into the evening with their 13+ event, where teens can dance, ride the carousel, eat and play into the evening. And for the young thrift-enthusiasts, there's even an upcycled outfit contest—because clothes should be recycled, too. Visit both on Saturday, April 22—the daytime event runs from 9 a.m. - 6 p.m., and the 13+ event runs from 6:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. at Hogle Zoo (2600 Sunnyside Avenue). Hoglezoo.org

Earth Day Jordan River Clean-Up @ Jordan Park: Passionate about our city's beloved, winding, inter-neighborhood river? Sign up to be a steward of it this Earth Day at this family-friendly community clean-up effort, where volunteers can enjoy a free breakfast and then help to weed, pick up trash, skim the waters and do art projects along 17 miles of the waterway. The event takes place on Saturday, April 22 from 8 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. at Jordan Park (1060 S. 900 West); register at stewardship.slc.gov.

Earth Day Celebration @ Wasatch Brew Pub Park City: Recycle Utah and Wasatch Brew Pub are teaming up for this year's Earth Day weekend to offer food, drinks and a fun silent auction to benefit Recycle Utah and its educational programming, which includes programs for elementary school students as well as adults, businesses and a Latinx outreach program. Cheers your beers to our one and only Earth on Saturday from 5 p.m. - 8 p.m. at Wasatch Brew Pub (250 Main Street, Park City). Recycleutah.org

Earth Day All Year Long: Want more ways to engage year-round? Look into getting a compost bin, glass recycling or just plain old recycling for your home (slc.gov/sustainability/waste-management). If you're apartment-bound, look into the glass recycling, plastic recycling and compost pick-up program offered by the local business Earthie Crunchie (earthiecrunchie.com). Have a fruit tree whose fruit production you can never quite keep up with? Keep that food off the ground and sign your tree up to be cared for and harvested by Green Urban Lunch Box, who distribute the fruit among participating homeowners, volunteers and GULB's network of food distribution programs (greenurbanlunchbox.com/programs/fruitshare).