ACUA Earth Month continues with free virtual events

April 18-24 is Community Cleanup Week during this year's monthlong ACUA Earth Day Celebration

The Atlantic County Utilities Authority's annual Earth Day Celebration has moved online this year and there are still plenty of opportunities to participate. Free virtual events for adults and kids are offered daily as part of ACUA's Earth Month throughout the month of April.

Earth Day is always a big deal for us at the ACUA. It usually gives us a chance to invite the public to our Environmental Park here in Egg Harbor Township, ACUA President Rick Dovey said. People don't often think about what happens after their trash or recycling gets picked up, or what happens to the water when it goes down the drain. In 'normal' times, Earth Day at ACUA offers us a chance to show people our facility and operations. For many people, taking a hayride to the top of the landfill or taking a shuttle to see the wind turbines at our wastewater treatment facility is a real eye-opener. While we can't do that this year, we've found a way to bring great information and educational entertainment to people at home, at school, or even during a lunch break.

ACUA's Earth Month includes a variety of free online events including virtual tours, videos, presentations, demonstrations and activities for all ages. All events are free, and there is a wide variety of offerings for all ages and interests.  ACUA encourages everyone to sign up for updates at acua.com/earthmonth.

Here's a sampling of some of the things that will be happening this week.

For Kids

• Cape May County Zoo, live tour, Tuesday, April 20 at 9:30 a.m.


• Family Recycling Night, an interactive performance by Bill Kerwood, Thursday, April 22 at 6 p.m.


• Sloth Safari, live animal show from Jenkinson's Aquarium, Friday, April 23 at 6 p.m.


• Plus, much more including Storytime with some of ACUA's favorite booklovers and readers including: The Friends of Forsythe and the Bridgeton Library.

For Students

Mindful of the challenge of scheduling events during the busy school day, many offering for students will be accessible in video format, so teachers can plan to build informative environmental learning into their class plan.

ACUA is also featuring some great videos submitted by students.

For Adults

• Meatless Mondays Cooking Demonstration with Chef Christina Martin, Monday, April 19 at 5 p.m.


• Wake Up Your Garden with Rutgers Cooperative Extension and ACUA, Monday, April 19 at 6 p.m.


• Farm to Flame Energy Demo, Tuesday, April 20 at 1 p.m.


• Scoop the Coop - Backyard Chickens with Gwenne Baile, the Chicken Lady Tuesday, April 20 at 5:30 p.m.


• Family Adventures on the Trails with SJ Trails, Wednesday, April 21 at 6 p.m.


• Recycling with ACUA President Rick Dovey, Thursday, April 22 at 12 noon


• Electric Vehicle News and Incentives from Atlantic City Electric, Friday, April 23 at 12 noon


• And much more including weekly Earth Yoga and Qigong classes!

ACUA is also offering a variety of videos that can be watched on demand, including some of the presentations that were recorded earlier in the month.

Another important feature of ACUA's Earth Month is Community Cleanup Week, April 18-24.  Community Cleanup Week is an opportunity for people to pick up litter and beautify their neighborhoods. ACUA's Clean Communities program can help provide guidance or supplies to interested families and groups.

Visit acua.com/earthmonth to register your Atlantic County group and see COVID-19 and safety guidelines.