When President Biden took office back in January, one of his first orders of business was to rejoin the Paris Agreement, a worldwide effort to reduce the impacts of climate change. This year, for Earth Day (April 22), the president also announced he will host a Leaders’ Climate Summit. While details of the summit were still coming together as of press time, there are plenty of ways to honor Mother Earth locally. Here, five ways to observe Earth Day in Northern Virginia.
Sustainable farming is one of the keys to a cleaner Earth, and Wheatland Spring Farm + Brewery in Waterford is walking the talk. The Loudoun County farm brewery will offer socially distant small-group tours of the farm on Earth Day, featuring information on climate-related topics like soil health; crop rotation; and how the farm’s signature beer, Wheatland Spring Estate Land Beer, is produced. // $20
Turning sunshine into wine? We’ll drink to that! Solar-powered Sunset Hills Vineyard in Purcellville is celebrating Earth Day the weekend of April 24 and 25 with a number of fun activities. Visitors will get flower seeds to plant in the vineyard’s pollinator gardens, learn how to build bluebird boxes, tour the 250-panel solar-powered system that produces the electricity needed to make wine, and toast to a cleaner Earth with the vineyard’s variety of vinos.
Grocery shopping can count as an Earth Day celebration if you do it at Mason & Greens in Alexandria. The region’s first zero-waste grocery and sustainable dry goods store opened about a year ago in March 2020 and has, for now, adopted a strong virtual presence. Local produce is of course on offer. To celebrate Earth Day? Pick up one of the store’s plastic-free, plantable greeting cards and send it to a friend, who can in turn plant the card, and watch it grow into wildflowers this spring.
Clean Fairfax and Aslin Beer Company will host Earth Daze on April 24 at the Herndon brewery. With a dozen earth-friendly vendors on site, attendees will be able to try a build-your-own-garden kit, taste specialty beers, and talk with reps from Clean Fairfax about sustainable living beyond Earth Day. Family-friendly activities will be available, and a pre-event stream cleanup will kick off the day. // noon-6 p.m.; free
Fredericksburg’s annual Earth Day on the Rappahannock is going partially virtual this year with online and in-person events throughout the week (think chalk drawings on local trails and online chats about science), but on Friday, April 23, and Saturday, April 24, head to Old Mill Park for live music, a drive-in movie, food, interactive activities and more Earth Day fun.
This story originally ran in our April issue. For more stories like this, subscribe to our monthly magazine.
