For Earth Day, there are plenty of ways to participate

Earth Day comes around this year on Friday, April 22. But don’t look for any one big event to celebrate. Instead, there are lengthy lists of cleanups and hikes throughout the month.

One special event, “Party for the Planet,” takes place Sunday at Roger Williams Park Zoo. From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. environmental groups from around the state will tell their stories and offer educational opportunities.

The Southside Community Land Trust celebrated Saturday by delivering 340 cubic yards of compost purchased from the Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corporation and its partner, Agresource, to 37 community gardens and urban farms. More than 750 families are expected to use the compost for their food gardens in Providence.

The Pawtucket Neighborhood Alliance has scheduled an all-day cleanup next Saturday in the vicinity of the Galego Court Community Center.

The state Department of Environmental Management distributed $37,500 in recent weeks to 59 groups and communities to finance cleanups and beautification projects. Each grant ranged from $275 to $750. The money was provided by Patriot Disposal Co. Inc./J.R. Vinagro Corp.

Also next Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., a group called Lights Out, Green In will exchange up to 5 free compact-fluorescent light bulbs for old incandescent bulbs at the Pawtucket Wintertime Farmers Market. The exchanges will continue while the supply of 1,500 bulbs lasts.