Sierra Club North Carolina‘s Croatan Group has several outreach events planned for this spring.

The environmental organization is to host an Earth Day celebration this week at Carteret Community College, as well as two hikes to see carnivorous plants on nationally protected lands, and a talk on native plants in early May.

Earth Day Learn and Play is scheduled for 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday in the Bryant Student Center on the Morehead City campus. There will be hands-on activities and information booths, a time to “talk trash,” review native plants, and view the living shoreline.

Talks are scheduled on the hour during the Earth Day program, starting with “Wind Energy in NC” at 11 a.m., “Rooftop Solar 101” at noon, “Solar Users’ Experiences” at 1 p.m. and “Training the Workforce of Tomorrow” will close out the day at 2 p.m. Visit the Sierra Club’s website for a full schedule. The college’s Energy and Conservation Committee is partnering with the Croatan Sierra Club on the event.

The nonprofit group is offering the first of two walks to see carnivorous plants in the Croatan National Forest from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, April 26. The second walk is from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, May 24, both starting off N.C. Highway 24 in the Newport area.

“This area is dominated by pocosin bogs and large tracts of well maintained longleaf pine forests and savannas, an ecosystem that once covered millions of acres of the Southeast but has now nearly disappeared because development, logging and fire suppression,” organizers said.

The trip will consist of short, easy walks from various parking sites.

Attendees will be able to see at least 13 species of carnivorous plants, including the Venus flytrap, a variety heaths, orchids and other rare wildflowers, “We are holding two such excursions a month apart, as we expect to find different suites of wildflowers in bloom each time,” such as pitcher plants, organizers continued.

There is no cost to participate but participants must sign a waiver. Participants should wear long pants and substantial footwear. Nonmembers are welcome to join the walks. To register, contact Ralph Tramontano at rrtramon@gmail.com. Specific instructions on how to get to the first site will be given to participants when they sign up.

Gardeners wanting to incorporate native plants will have a chance to learn how from a master gardener starting at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 6, at the Unitarian Universalist Church at 2900 Bridges St. in Morehead City.

During “The Power of Native Plants,” Carol Peoples is to talk about how to create a more welcoming habitat for birds, butterflies and bees. in addition to being a master gardener in Carteret County, Peoples is a co-leader of the Central Coastal Plain Chapter of the North Carolina Native Plant Society and serves with the Coastal Landscapes Initiative, a public-private collaboration led by North Carolina Sea Grant.

An afternoon of environmental education and activities are planned for Wilmington’s 35th annual Earth Day Festival set for noon to 6 p.m. Saturday, April 26, at Long Leaf Park.

Hosted by Wilmington Earth Day Alliance, there is no charge to attend the festival themed “Our Power, Our Planet.”

“It’s a fun-filled afternoon of live music, good food, environmental information and activities for the whole family,” organizers said. “More than 50 environmentally-minded exhibitors and vendors will be there, explaining issues that affect our environment and illustrating how you can get involved.”

Attendees can enjoy live entertainment by “old school” rock band, Au Naturales at noon, indie rock band, Tercel at 2 p.m. and reggae band, the Righteous Roots at 4 p.m.

The “Rapping Red Oak” will lead the children’s Nature Brigade Parade at 1:30 p.m. and perform children’s songs.

Anyone is welcome to join the community drummers and dancers drum circle at 3:30 p.m.

Food trucks expected to be on-site are Johnny Cheesehead, A&M’s Red Food Truck, all-vegan food trucks Well Fed Ed and Arabelle Cookin’ and chocolatier, Chocolate and S’more. Fermental Beer & Wine, Good Hops Brewing, Wilmington Brewing Co, Bill’s Brewing Co. Noni Bacca Winery and Panacea Brewing Co. will be selling beverages.

Culligan Water will provide drinking water, and guests are encouraged to bring their own reusable water bottles.

Great Outdoor Provision Co. donated a Hurricane-brand kayak that will be raffled off.

There is no charge to park on-site, or at the New Hanover County Senior Resource Center to take a shuttle to the festival.

Leashed pets are welcome in the grassy areas but not inside the tents or in the food area. Only trained service animals may accompany their humans on the WAVE Transit bus.

Volunteers are needed to help clean up Carteret County this month.

The Litter Free Land and Sea initiative is hosting its annual countywide cleanup day 9-11 a.m. Saturday, April 26, at sites across the county.

“The event offers a chance for residents to give back, connect with neighbors and coworkers, and help protect the environment,” organizers said.

Check-in begins at 8:45 a.m. at any of the following cleanup sites:

• Atlantic Beach boardwalk, 201 West Atlantic Blvd.
• Carteret Community College’s EDC Building, Morehead City.
• Eastern Park in Smyrna.
• Emerald Isle Western Ocean Regional Access, 9803 Louise Ave.
• Fort Benjamin Park, 100 McQueen Ave., Newport.
• Grayden Paul Park, 718 Front St., Beaufort.
• Peletier Town Hall, 1603 Highway 58, Peletier.

Gloves, trash bags, safety gear and cleanup tools will be provided while supplies last. Refreshments and snacks will be available but volunteers are encouraged to bring their own water and wear comfortable shoes. The cleanup is rain or shine.

To ensure enough supplies, individuals and groups must register by April 24 at www.litterfreelandandsea.com.

Volunteers participating in the cleanup will be eligible for prizes, including Litter Free Land and Sea merchandise and eco-friendly gifts. Winners will be announced at each site.

The county government, Crystal Coast Economic Development, Carteret County Sheriff’s Office and community partners collaborate on the program the promotes litter prevention, public education and environmental stewardship.

Ocracoke is celebrating the planet April 11-13 with its family friendly Earth Day Weekend Celebration.

In its second year, organizers said there will be a variety of indoor and outdoor activities designed for all ages, including nature walks, history talks, nature crafts, live music, stargazing, a beach cleanup, stargazing, music and storytelling, a fish house tour and a traditional square dance.

Attendees can listen in on discussions about fireflies, dark skies designation, composting and organic farming, trash survey, invasive plants, and climate change.

The event will conclude with a community beach bonfire at Ocracoke’s lifeguard beach.

The full, detailed schedule for the festival is online.

The Ocracoke Earth Day Weekend Celebration is sponsored by Ocracoke Alive, with financial support from Ocracoke occupancy tax revenues, the North Carolina Art Council, Pony Island Inn, and John and Sarah Saunders, longtime supporters from the Charlotte area.

The Coastal Environmental Educators Network is celebrating Earth Day 1-4 p.m. April 22 at Jockey’s Ridge State Park.

Made up of representatives from Outer Banks organizations that offer environmental education, the network is hosting the fair in the visitor center parking area at no charge to the public.

In conjunction with Earth Day, Kitty Hawk Kites is teaming up with Dare Arts Council to create the Outer Banks ‘Sweep the Beach’ Trash Art Contest. Visit the Kitty Hawk Kites website for details for rules and how artists can submit their art work created with trash collected from area beaches.

After submission, artwork will be placed on the “TrART Walk” in varying locations across the Outer Banks and select pieces will be collected and moved to Jockey’s Ridge State Park and on display during Earth Fair OBX. Winners will be announced at the Kitty Hawk Kites booth at 3:45 p.m.

This year’s Race for the Planet at the North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher is scheduled for 8 a.m. April 27.

Registration is open for the 5K and 1-mile fun run in Kure Beach that will wind along the Atlantic Ocean and through the aquarium’s maritime forest.

“Space is limited for this popular event that features a route through historic Fort Fisher with beautiful vistas of the ocean and marshes — all reminders of the important work of the Aquarium to protect the environment,” the release from the aquarium states.

The in-person 5K registration fee is $40 and the timed 1-mile fun run is $24. Both include a race shirt and admission to the aquarium on race day. The virtual 5K is $35 and includes a shirt.

All funds support the facility’s sustainability initiatives through the North Carolina Aquarium Society to reduce carbon footprint of the event and expanding programs to eliminate single-use plastic, tackle hard-to-recycle materials, and enhance organic waste composting.

The society is the nonprofit organization that manages donations on behalf of the aquarium system.

Participants can opt out of the shirt, which will direct $10 of their registration fee to the society’s efforts.

In staying with the aquarium’s green initiatives, organizers recommend bringing reusable water bottles to use at the refill station, use environmentally friendly bug repellant and to carpool.

All visitors can support a greener environment by bringing household hazardous waste and electronics to drop off at the aquarium’s Sustainability Drive. 

“It’s more than a race. It’s movement to make a difference. For you, for the aquarium,  and for the planet,” organizers said.

The aquarium will be open to the public following the race. Online tickets are required and can be reserved online.