Winter felt especially cold this year, making the arrival of Spring and Earth Month extra sweet. The City of Asheville digs in deep with cross-departmental programming and community collaborations that encourage residents to get out into the sun, soil, and community. Check out these options and plug in to other opportunities in your neighborhood to celebrate Earth Month.
- Come get some biochar at a Bountiful Cities event on March 27, which is closing the loop on the City’s Biochar Production Pilot project by giving away biochar that has been “charged” with compost for community growing. Find more hands-in-the-soil events on the Bountiful Cities calendar.
- Use the extra nutrients from your biochar and fill out an interest form to be a Share Market Grower for the Bountiful Cities Share Market. The market happens from 3-5 pm on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays at the William Randolph School gymnasium and shares our collective garden bounty.
- Celebrate Arbor Day in the RAD on April 11 from 10 am – 1 pm with information and activities. Events will center around the Craven Street Boat Launch area and the Smokestack at 91 Riverside Drive and will feature city staff, members of the Urban Forest Commission, RiverLink, Greenworks and other partners. Please park on Riverside Drive and leave the river access site parking open to boaters and anglers!
- Learn how to recognize and support our pollinator friends during events with Bee City Asheville.
- Come share your experience during the Resilience Hub Mapping Day of Listening on April 18. Save the date and keep your eye out for more event details.
Join the City of Asheville and Buncombe County Spring into Composting Event on April 25 from 12:30-3:30 pm at the Stephens-Lee Community Center. Bring a bucket to take some compost home (First come first served). - Celebrate Food Waste Reduction Month by attending the WNC Food Waste Solutions Summit on 4/28.
- Sign up with Asheville Greenworks for a nursery garden day or local clean-up or gather items for the upcoming Hard 2 Recycle event on May 9.
- If your energy bills are high, sign up for a free Home Energy Navigator session with Electrify Asheville Buncombe to understand and prioritize energy efficiency options, and consider applying for the Energy Saver North Carolina program to offset the upgrade costs for people with incomes of less than 150% of the Area Median Income.
- Work with water using Riverlink’s WaterRICH guide and install a rain barrel or build a rain garden.
- You can also help reduce food waste by buying the right amount of food, freezing leftovers before they spoil, and participating in backyard composting or residential food scraps drop-offs.
- Learn more about recycling opportunities from the Sanitation Department or take a virtual tour of Curbie’s Recycling Center.
- Keep Asheville clean through the Adopt-a-Street program. Email Sanitation at Adopt-a-Street@ashevillenc.gov for more details.
Let’s pitch in to support the earth and our community. Thanks for all you do to make Asheville a great place to live!