April is Earth Month — celebrate with a feast of BI activities
Published 1:30 am Friday, April 3, 2026
On April 22, 1970, 20 million Americans––10% of the U.S. population––came out on a single day to demonstrate. What inspired this massive action? Outrage at the air and water pollution throughout the nation. This first gathering was dubbed Earth Day, jumpstarting the modern-day environmental movement. That year culminated in the establishment of the Environmental Protection Agency and the passage of the Clean Air Act. Two years later, the Clean Water Act was enacted. Over time, one day expanded to 30, and now April is widely recognized as Earth Month – a time for focusing on conservation, sustainability, and climate change action.
Unfortunately, many of our federal environmental protections are being rolled back. But the beauty of Earth Month is that you can engage locally to steward your little piece of the planet. On Bainbridge Island, you can choose from a variety of eco-centric events offered by local environmental organizations and government agencies, including hands-on actions, learning and discussion, tours, art experiences, and more. Sustainable Bainbridge features many of these activities on its Earth Month page: https://www.sustainablebainbridge.org/programs/earth-month/.
Want to get down and dirty in the woods? There’s no lack of English ivy crowding out native plants in our forests. The BI Parks Department, BI Land Trust, Weed Warriors, and BI Parks and Trails Foundation all have work parties this (and every) month to clear out this invasive species. Or if you want to get rid of your own noxious weeds, the Land Trust is providing free disposal two times in April.
If you’re in the mood to commune with nature, join IslandWood on the trails to listen for and spot the island’s avian residents or identify its various ferns. Participate in the local Bioblitz at Manzanita Park and you’ll be part of a global effort to document biodiversity. Or take a hike with Coyote Farm folk to spot spring forageables, then get a taste of them post-hike.
Would you rather eat home-grown? No matter your available space indoors or out, the BI Fruit Club and Veg Club are partnering up to bring you tricks of the trade to maximize your harvest. And for those with a berry predilection, there’s a class at the Grange to juice up your garden. Without good soil, your hard work is for naught. Roots Farm and WSU Extension will teach you two ways to create nutrient-rich compost, through vermiculture and the bokashi method, respectively. Or sit back and be inspired by a documentary at the Lynwood Theatre on female farmers, brought to you by Friends of the Farms.
Composting recirculates organic matter. You can do the same with inorganic material. The BI Senior & Community Center has drop-off bins for metal, which volunteers sort with magnets for recycling twice a month. Bay Hay and Feed will collect your holey socks during April and send them off to become insulation for new goods. Kitsap Solid Waste is giving you a peek at what happens to household cleaners, paint, batteries, light bulbs and such after you leave them at their medium hazardous waste facility. The Kiwanis will shred and recycle your sensitive papers. And Solarize Bainbridge will help you explore whether solar energy is the right renewable energy for you.
How about reuse in the arts realm? Bainbridge Arts & Crafts and ReFashion Bainbridge will help us look at everyday objects repurposed in new and unique ways through sculpture and apparel. You can even take part in a collaborative art project sponsored by BAC. Or show up at Bloedel’s Earth Day celebration for all kinds of fun.
Need an extra incentive to take part? If you participate in any five of the activities listed on Sustainable Bainbridge’s Earth Month page, you will be entered into a drawing for a gift certificate from Eagle Harbor Books. Or get five in a row on the featured Earth Month Bingo, https://www.sustainablebainbridge.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Earth-Month-Bingo-2025.pdf, and you’ll also have a chance to win.
Earth Month is a reminder that environmental action starts close to home. By joining these events, islanders are doing more than appreciating nature—we are protecting it and building community in the process.
Diane Landry is board president of Sustainable Bainbridge and longtime director of one of its programs, Zero Waste.
