Earth Day 2024 Events In Evanston: Community Combats Plastic Pollution

EVANSTON, IL — With Earth Day 2024 approaching on Monday, the Evanston community has planted the seeds of a series of environmentally conscious events and celebrations this weekend.

This year’s theme, "Planet vs. Plastics," calls for global effort to rapidly phase out single-use plastics, push for a United Nations treaty addressing plastic pollution and cut the production of all types of plastics by 60 percent by 2040.

Organizations around Evanston are hosting a variety of activities emphasizing community involvement and sustainability catering to all ages.

Here’s a rundown of the some of the events happening in Evanston this Earth Day weekend:

Coffee & Clean Up
The weekend kicks off at 8:30 a.m. Saturday at Clark Street Beach, 1811 Sheridan Road, where the city's lakefront team will be on-hand for coffee and doughnuts before taking to the beach to clean up the Lake Michigan shoreline. Call 847-866-2913 for more information.

ETHS Earth Day Cleanup
The annual Evanston Township High School Earth Day clean up starts at 9 a.m. and runs until 11 a.m. Saturday. All students, staff and area residents are welcome, community service hours are available and no registration is necessarily.

Art Makers Outpost Earth Day Celebration
All ages are invited to a free Earth Day celebration from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at Art Makers Outpost, 609 South Blvd. The event will feature environmental art projects, a plant exchange and a story time followed by a drum circle led by Tony Toneji Garrett.

Main-Dempster Mile Earth Day Neighborhood Cleanup
The weekend continues with a community cleanup event from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday. Volunteers can check in at 900 Chicago Ave. or Village Farmstand, 810 Dempster St., to receive cleaning supplies and a wristband for free treats from local businesses.

Evanston Ecology Center Earth Day Fest
The Evanston Ecology Center celebrates its 50th anniversary from noon to 3 p.m. Saturday at Ingraham Park, 2100 Ridge Ave.. No registration is needed for this annual Earth Day celebration, which will feature tree planting, games, food trucks and participation from more than 15 local environmental groups.

Downtown Earth Day Cleanup
The Downtown Evanston business association, The Woman’s Club of Evanston and BrightView Landscapes have partnered in a downtown beautification effort planned for noon to 2 p.m. Sunday. Participants will meet at Fountain Square to receive supplies and assignments for cleaning various sectors of the business district. Attendees who pre-register will be entered into a drawing for a $100 gift card provided by the merchants group.

Earth Day Family Event & Eco Art Supply Sale
Families are invited to the Evanston Art Center, 1717 Central St., from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. on Sunday to engage in creating collages from recycled materials, with resulting artwork to be displayed in Central Street business windows until May 4. The center is also hosting an "eco" sale of gently used art supplies.

Looking to add another event? Post it to the Evanston Patch Calendar or email Evanston@Patch.com