Travis County Earth Day Events and Sustainability Tips

Saturday, April 22nd is Earth Day!

Earth Day is an annual event celebrated around the world on April 22nd to demonstrate support for environmental protection. First celebrated in 1970, Earth Day now includes events in more than 193 countries with at least 1 billion participants. At Travis County, we encourage a culture of sustainability, education, natural resource conservation, and resilient and healthy communities within the organization and among its constituents.

Follow Travis County's social media or visit the Conserve page on the Travis County website to learn more about the county’s sustainability initiatives, local Earth Day events, to find sustainability tips and best practices, or locate information on how to contact the county’s sustainability team.  

For more information about global Earth Day initiatives, participation, and success stories, please visit www.earthday.org. 

Here is a list of Earth Day and sustainability events happening virtually or around Travis County!

• Now through Friday 4/21 – Texas Advocacy Project “Handbags for Hope” Donation Drive
  • Monday-Friday 8am-5pm at Travis County Constable Precinct 5
    • 1003 Guadalupe St, Austin, TX 78701
  • Monday-Friday 8am-5pm at the Travis County Sheriff’s Office
    • 5555 Airport Blvd, Austin, TX 78751
• Saturday 4/22 – Earth Day ATX event
  • 12pm-6pm at Huston-Tillotson University 

• Saturday 4/22 – National Prescription Drug Take Back Day
  • 10am-2pm at any of the five Travis County Constable Precincts

• Saturday 4/22 – City of Creedmoor Earth Day Bulk Cleanup event
  • 9am-1pm at 5008 Hartung Lane, Creedmoor, TX
  • Open to south Travis County residents
• Now through Thursday 6/15 - Lights Out Texas
  • Turn off non-essential outdoor lights at night from 11pm-6am
  • Peak migration dates are Saturday 4/22 to Friday 5/12
• Various dates: Virtual Earth Day Events

Here are some ways you can celebrate Earth Day and reduce your environmental impact!

• Drive less – telework, take public transit, walk or bike as often as possible.
  • The transportation sector is one of the largest (if not the largest) contributors to anthropogenic (human created) U.S. greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Learn more here.

• Eat less red meat and more plant-based foods (vegetables, beans, grains, fruit, nuts). Learn more here.
  • Try to eat one vegetarian meal per day, or try out Meatless Monday.
  • Beef generates 20 times more greenhouse gas emissions and requires 20 times more land than beans, per gram of protein. (Source: One Meal A Day)
  • Animal agriculture is the #1 contributor to extinction and biodiversity loss due to the land needed for grazing and growing feed for livestock. (Source: One Meal A Day)

• Do you have household hazardous waste (HHW) items like paint, batteries, automotive fluids, electronics, appliances, etc. that need to be disposed of? Visit the City of Austin Recycle & Reuse Drop-off Center website to schedule an appointment to have these items disposed of environmentally. Many services are free of charge.
• Consider buying secondhand clothing or shopping at sustainable retailers next time you want or need new clothes.
  • Tremendous waste characterizes the fashion industry as it depletes healthy soil, contaminates fresh water sources, pollutes the air we breathe, defiles our oceans, destroys forests, and damages eco-systems and the health of their biodiversity. (Source: Fashion for the Earth)
  • Donate your unwanted clothes to a secondhand clothing store or charity. If your clothing is too worn down, you may take it to the City of Austin Recycle & Reuse Drop-off Center (ARR) where they will dispose of these items environmentally. ARR also accepts shoes.

• Enjoy the great outdoors by taking a walk or hike, riding your bike, gardening, or visiting a Travis County Park.
• See if your employer has a Green Team, and look into starting one yourself if they don’t!
  • A Green Team is a group of employees that either volunteer or have been designated to get together periodically to identify opportunities that improve the sustainability of their organization and to develop actionable solutions for these goals. (Source: Creating a Green Team)

• Visit the Travis Central Conserve page for resources to help save energy, conserve water, and reduce waste. Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions or ideas!