Earth Day

Due to the ongoing winter storm, City facilities, including City Hall and all Parks, Recreation and Culture facilities, will be closed on Tuesday, Feb. 18. This is due to the forecasted winter storm resulting in dangerous travel conditions.

Read the news release for full details >>

Every year on April 22, our global community comes together to advance sustainability and climate action in commemoration of Earth Day. In recent years, our community has begun expanding the Earth Day celebration to include events and activities throughout the month of April. This year’s Earth Day theme is “Our Power, Our Planet”, which emphasizes the collective responsibility to transition to renewable energy sources and create a sustainable future.

Throughout April, the City will join our community in commemorating Earth Month with educational activities, volunteer events and more. United together, we’ll drive a year of energy, enthusiasm, and commitment to a sustainable and equitable future for our planet.

Earth Month activities and events!

April 2025

TAKE A TREE TOUR of South Park or Lawrence Rotary Arboretum.

Together these sites are home to more than 50 species of trees! Access an interactive map of each site to take a self-guided tour. How many species can you find? Two Lawrence locations: South Park, 1141 Massachusetts Street and Lawrence Rotary Arboretum, 5100 W 27th Street

Cans for the Community celebrates Earth Day the entire month of April!

The goal is to recycle 5,000 pounds of aluminum cans and donate all proceeds to the USD 497 elementary schools. You can help by dropping off aluminum cans at one of the “can houses”. Locations are listed on the Cans for the Community website.

KANSAS RIVERBANK CLEANUP IN LAWRENCE

April 19, to 9 AM to 1 PM

Celebrate Earth Day on the banks of the Kansas River! Meet in the City parking lot on the southeast corner of N. 2nd and Locust St. From there, participants will be divided into teams to pick up trash and litter from the riverbank below Bowersock dam. This event is coordinated by Friends of the Kaw in partnership with City of Lawrence, The Merc Coop, and The Nature Conservancy in Kansas. For additional event details and to register for this event, visit the Friends of the Kaw website.

WAKARUSA WETLANDS CELEBRATION

April 19, 9 AM to 1 PM, Haskell Indian Nations University
Begins with a special land recognition at the Medicine Wheel Earthwork south of the Haskell Campus buildings. Meet local authors & artists as they share connections of their creative work to the wetlands and more of the outside world–enhancing our connections to nature, a sense of place and community. Lawrence Public Library is partnering with Haskell Indian Nations University and Raven Book Store to offer this celebration of the wetlands. For additional event details and to register for this event, visit the Lawrence Public Library website. In case of inclement weather, the event will be held April 26.

LAWRENCE EARTH DAY FAIR

April 19, 1-4 PM
Celebrate our planet’s amazing natural resources and learn how we can protect them! The Fair at South Park in Downtown Lawrence is a free event featuring lots of earth-friendly crafts and activities for the whole family. This event is coordinated by Watkins Museum of History in partnership with the City of Lawrence. For additional event details, visit the Watkins Museum website.

TRAILS THAT CONNECT US

April 24, 5-8 PM
Join Friends of Lawrence Area Trails at the Free State Brewing Company Bottling Facility, on the loop, 1927 Moodie Road. For additional event details, visit the Friends of Lawrence Area Trails website. In case of inclement weather, the event will be held April 25.

Earth Month tips!

Here are some tips for celebrating our Earth this April and beyond!

Avoid plastic disposables. Bring your reusable bags when shopping and take your reusable water bottle everywhere you go to reduce plastic consumption.

Ride the bus — Lawrence Transit is free in 2025! Leaving your car at home can mean reduced gasoline consumption and carbon emissions.

Conserve energy. You can install a programmable thermostat, use energy-efficient appliances, insulate and weatherize your home, and replace or cleaning your air filters.

Visit a Lawrence park. Walking through a park is a fun way to learn about nature and interact with the environment.

Plant a tree. Planting a tree is an easy way to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and counter deforestation.

Conserve water. Turning off your irrigation system when it rains and watering as infrequently as possible without causing undue stress to your lawn prevents water from being wasted.

Previous Earth Day Reports