Earth Month Activities

It’s hard to believe we are talking about Earth Month when there is still snow on the ground, but here we go.

The following activities are approved for Student Service Learning (SSL) hours for Montgomery County Public School students.

April 2, 6, 13 and 27 – Montgomery Parks Annual Garlic Mustard Pull.  Help remove one of the fastest spreading, non-native, invasive weeds.  Volunteers under 14 must be accompanied by an adult.  Dress appropriately for the weather and to be out in the woods.  For more information go to www.WeedWarrior.org or call 301-495-2504.

Saturday, April 6, 9 a.m. - noon – Alice Ferguson Foundation’s 25th Annual Potomac River Watershed Cleanup.  Volunteers will pick up trash from hundreds of cleanup sites around the region.  To find a site, visit www.potomaccleanup.org, or call 202-973-8203.

Saturday, April 6, 9 a.m. – noon – Rock Creek Conservancy Extreme Cleanup.  Clean up the streams of Rock Creek and its tributaries, the parks connected to Rock Creek and the neighborhoods near Rock Creek where trash originates.  Over 50 locations are available.  Visit www.rockcreekconservancy.org for more information or call 301-775-2960.

Saturday, April 13, 9 a.m. – noon – Montgomery County Road Runners Club Rock Creek Trail Cleanup.  Take part in the cleanup of the Rock Creek Trail, the Matthew Henson Trail and feeder paths as well as dry feeder streams, roadways, playgrounds and the Lake Needwood area.  For more information go to www.mcrrc.org or call 301-933-2919.

 

Saturday, April 20, 8:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. – Montgomery Parks Cabin John Trail Workday.  Improve the Cabin John Natural Surface Trail in Bethesda.  Volunteer trail workdays typically include repairing eroded tread surfaces, stabilizing drainage issues, and building new trails and bridges.  For more information, go to www.MontgomeryTrails.org or call 301-495-2504.

Saturday, April 20, 9 a.m. – noon – Anacostia Watershed Society Cleanup.  Take part at 20 different cleanup sites along the Anacostia Watershed.  For more information, visit www.anacostiaws.org/earthday2013 or call 301-699-6204.

Sunday, April 21, 9 a.m. – noon – WSSC Invasive Weed Removal.  Help get rid of kudzu and other weeds so the trees and wildlife can thrive.  Students under 15 must be accompanied by an adult.  For more information, visit www.wsscwater.com or call 301-206-8233.

 
For more information and additional opportunities for Earth Day, call Montgomery County’s Volunteer Center at 240-777-2600 or visit the Volunteer Center website at www.montgomeryserves.org.

Earth Day Events in Montgomery County

Check out these Earth Day events scheduled throughout the County:

Volunteer Opportunities

These activities are approved for Student Service Learning hours for Montgomery County Public School students.

Saturday, April 14, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. – Calleva Outdoor Adventures, Potomac Community Resources and Potomac River Keeper’s 5th Annual Inclusive Earth Day Event at Riley’s Lock. Help clean up the park, paint and repair benches and fences, replace grills, clean up embankments from land and water, and remove flood debris and invasive weeds. Volunteers should bring labeled garden gloves, rakes, clippers, shovels and wheelbarrows. To pre-register, contact Karen Seibert at 301-216-1248 or Karen@calleva.org.

Saturday, April 14, 9 a.m. – Noon – The Izaak Walton League of America (IWLA), 707 Conservation Lane, Gaithersburg. Help with habitat restoration, tree planting and litter clean-up. Enjoy conservation and nature demonstrations, kid’s trout fishing and refreshments. A free, reusable IWLA shopping bag will be given to the first 100 participants. Call 301-548-0150 or visit www.iwla.org.

Saturday, April 14, 9 a.m. – Noon – Alice Ferguson Foundation’s 24th Annual Potomac River Watershed Cleanup. Volunteers will pick up trash from different cleanup sites around the region. To find a site, visit www.potomaccleanup.org, or call 202-973-8203.

Saturday, April 21 and Sunday, April 22, 9 a.m. – Noon – Montgomery County Road Runners Club will clean up the Rock Creek and Matthew Henson trails. Onsite registration on both days beginning at 8 a.m. at KenGar Recreation Center, 11000 Beach Drive, Kensington. Contact Fred Carson at fcarson@american.edu or call 301-933-2919.

Saturday, April 28, 9 a.m. – Noon – “Helping Out the Dragonflies.” The Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC) is looking for volunteers to help clean up trash and invasive weeds at the Brown’s Bridge Recreation Area, 2220 Ednor Road, Silver Spring. During the summer months, this is the best spot to see dragonflies and damselflies in central Maryland, but they don’t need trash and weeds covering up their food sources. Students under 15 years of age must be accompanied by an adult. WSSC provides gloves and garden snippers. Contact Kimberly Knox at kknox@wsscwater.com, or visit the website for more activities at www.wsscwater.com.

Recycling Activities

The County’s Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Solid Waste Services (DSWS) is sponsoring the following activities to provide residents with the opportunity to recycle unwanted electronics and shred and recycle confidential papers.

Saturday, April 21, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. – Paper shredding and recycling event at Seneca Valley High School, 19401 Crystal Rock Drive, Germantown. Bring confidential papers for on-site shredding and recycling. Five paper bags or boxes per household. Visit www.montgomerycountymd.gov/recycling.

Sunday, April 22, Noon – 4 p.m. – Electronics Recycling Event at John F. Kennedy High School, 1901 Randolph Road, Silver Spring. Bring unwanted or unused electronic items for recycling collection. Accepted items include: small electronic appliances, calculators, camcorders, CDs and floppy disks, CD players, cell phones, computers and computer-related items, copiers, cords and cables (including chargers), digital cameras, electronic typewriters, fax machines, microwave ovens, personal digital assistant equipment, projection equipment, scanners, telephones, small electronic toys, televisions and VCRs.

Environmental Education Events/Activities

Monday, April 23, 6 p.m. – Composting Workshop at Whole Foods, 11355 Woodglen Drive, Rockville.

The Division of Solid Waste Services will provide customers with information about composting. Compost bins will be available to County residents at no charge.

Saturday, April 28, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. – Seneca Wastewater Treatment Plant Open House, 12600 Great Seneca Highway, Germantown. See how wastewater is treated so it can be safely released back into the environment.

For more information and additional opportunities for Earth Day, call 240-777-2600 or visit the Volunteer Center website at www.montgomeryserves.org/earth-day-2012.