Earth Month 2025 in Rockville

Rockville will turn out the lights in observance of Earth Hour, an international effort in support of climate change action. Learn more and find ways to participate in Earth Hour every day at www.earthhour.org.

To commemorate Earth Month, Rockville will waive permit fees for certain environmentally friendly home improvements, including solar photovoltaic panel installations, electric vehicle charging stations and energy-efficient heating and cooling systems, such as heat pumps. Applications must be submitted by Sunday April 27, via the permitting system at www.mygovernmentonline.org.

Stream cleanup sites include: 

• Croydon Creek Nature Center, 852 Avery Road, 9:30 a.m.-noon. 
• Maryvale Park, 812 First St., 10 a.m.-noon. 
• Twinbrook Community Recreation Center, 12920 Twinbrook Pkwy., 9-11 a.m.

City staff will greet volunteers. Gloves and bags will be provided. Student Service Learning hours are available. Children under 14 must be accompanied by an adult. Bring water and wear sturdy shoes. Space is limited. Registration required at www.rockvillemd.gov/adopt-a-stream. 

Silver Spring Civic Building, 1 Veterans Place, Silver Spring. Connect with building owners, property managers, developers, energy contractors and sustainability professionals while exploring strategies that take your building performance beyond basic benchmarking. Learn more at www.mcenergysummit.org.

City Nature Challenge is an annual worldwide event that encourages people in cities to get outside and observe nature in their community. Participate with CCNC staff to make observations in the forest preserve. Download the iNaturalist app from an app store before attending. Naturalists will teach you how to use the app and lead you on an excursion in the forest preserve to make observations of wildlife big and small. All children must be accompanied by an adult. Ages 6 and older. Register for course #35319 at www.rockvillemd.gov/registration.

Help restore native habitat  by volunteering to remove non-native invasive garlic mustard from Rockville parks. Pull sites include Croydon Creek Nature Center, RedGate Park, Dogwood Park and Fallsgrove Park.  Student Service Learning hours are available. Children under 14 must be accompanied by an adult.  Registration required at www.rockvillemd.gov/weedwarriors. 

Now in its 10^th year, the largest annual environmental festival in Montgomery County is organized by a coalition of public and nonprofit partners and offers people of all ages a chance to come together to celebrate, learn and start or continue their journey to improving our community and the environment. Learn more at montgomerycountygreenfest.org.

Learn more at rockvillesciencecenter.org/rockville-science-day.

Bring the whole family to enjoy nature games and crafts, woodland hikes, live animal meet and greets, sustainability exhibits, local vendors, and more.

Looking for more to do outside? Croydon Creek Nature Center offers hikes, campfires, nature outings, youth camps and more throughout the year. Learn more and register at www.rockvillemd.gov/croydoncreek.

Join Rockville Weed Warrior Leaders for non-native, invasive plant removal workdays. Student Service Learning hours available. Space is limited. Find upcoming events and register at www.rockvilled.gov/weedwarriors. 

Groups can adopt a Rockville stream and host cleanups to help keep litter out of local waterways. Apply at www.rockvillemd.gov/adopt-a-stream.

Pledge to clean up litter while you walk, jog or run through Rockville and receive a free plogging bag while supplies last. For more details and to take the pledge, visit www.rockvillemd.gov/environment.

If you are interested in rooftop solar, then this is the opportunity for you. For updates, sign up for the “Environment and Sustainability” email newsletter (see below) or visit www.rockvillemd.gov/solar.

Don’t forget to sign up for seasonal email newsletter updates on environmental events, volunteer opportunities and climate action news throughout the year. Visit www.rockvillemd.gov/newsletters and select “Environment and Sustainability.”