Do Your Part This Earth Day With Trash Cleanups, Sustainable Eats and Secondhand Shopping
From our gorgeous beaches to our lush mountains, California is full of natural beauty. Earth Day (April 22) is a day to appreciate our home, think about how we can take care of it and take action to leave it better than we found it. Grab your friends and show some love for Mother Nature this year. While Earth Day only rolls around once a year, you can incorporate these ideas and solutions throughout the year to truly better the planet. Whether it’s cleaning up trash at the beach or opting for a plant-based meal, think outside the box and read on for our favorite ways to celebrate Earth Day in Orange County every day.
Earth Day at the Bay With Newport Bay Conservancy
Date: April 26
Celebrate Earth Day at the Bay! Head over to the Peter and Mary Muth Interpretive Center at Upper Newport Bay on Saturday, April 26, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. for complimentary, family-friendly fun brimming with hands-on arts, educational adventures and scientific exploration. Enjoy live music while browsing booths from their Adventure Partners, nosh on delicious bites from food trucks and win exciting prizes when participating in the scavenger hunt. Learn how to protect and preserve the planet this Earth Day in a beautiful, protected part of Newport Beach.
Location: Newport Beach
Earth Day at Pacific City
Date: April 22
Ocean views and eco-friendly fun await at Pacific City’s Earth Day Grommets Kids Club event on Tuesday, April 22, from 4-6 p.m. Held on the scenic Ocean Deck, this free family Earth Day event in Orange County blends education and entertainment with an eco-conscious twist. Kids can enjoy a healthy organic picnic, get creative with themed crafts and meet sparkling mermaids from HB Mermaids as they share stories of ocean conservation and beach cleanups. The Pacific Marine Mammal Center will also be on-site for a lively, educational presentation about local marine life. Space is limited, so be sure to pre-register online!
Location: Huntington Beach
Yoga, Beach Cleanup and Lunch & Learn
Date: May 4
Make a splash this Earth Day at the Yoga, Beach Cleanup and Lunch & Learn—a hands-on event hosted by Stand Up To Trash on Sunday, May 4 in Dana Point. Kick things off with morning yoga on the grass at Baby Beach, followed by a beach and harbor cleanup by land or sea (yes, kayaks and paddle boards are available!). Afterward, enjoy complimentary coffee, donuts and a Lunch & Learn session at the Ocean Institute, featuring speaker Gisele Anderson (aka Mrs. Capt. Dave’s). Participants are encouraged to BYOB—bring your own bucket—along with gloves, water bottles and coffee cups to reduce waste. With prizes for the biggest, smallest and most unusual finds, this Earth Day event in Orange County turns environmental action into an inspiring, community-driven celebration by the sea.
Location: Dana Point
Paséa Hotel & Spa’s Earth Day Beach Cleanup
Date: April 22
Give back to the coast during Paséa Hotel & Spa’s Earth Day Beach Cleanup on Tuesday, April 22, from 10-11:30 a.m. Kick off the morning with complimentary snacks and refreshing agua fresca in the hotel’s ocean-view lobby before heading across the street to beautify the iconic Huntington Beach shoreline. Participants will receive a beach cleanup bag and free valet parking, plus a 10% off thank-you coupon to Lōrea, Paséa’s signature restaurant. Whether you’re a local or a visitor, this feel-good Earth Day event in Orange County is the perfect way to soak up the sun while protecting the place we call home—one piece of trash at a time.
Location: Huntington Beach
OC Parks: Nature Journaling on Earth Day
Date: April 22
Slow down and tune in with OC Parks’s Nature Journaling on Earth Day event—an immersive outdoor experience designed to spark creativity and deepen your connection to the natural world. Taking place on Tuesday, April 22, from 6-7:30 p.m. at Black Star Canyon, this guided session will teach the fundamentals of art theory, journaling techniques and mindful observation. Attendees are encouraged to bring their own journal, art supplies, water and a portable chair as they stroll along the scenic trail and pause to document the beauty around them. Whether you’re sketching wildflowers or jotting down the call of a songbird, this peaceful event invites you to celebrate the earth through art, reflection and a renewed sense of place.
Location: Silverado
♻️ Simple Ways to Go Green
Free Train Rides With Metrolink
Trade your gas-fueled car for a train ride this Earth Day! Metrolink is offering free rides all day on all trains, and we couldn’t think of a better way to save both fuel and money. By taking the train, Metrolink riders help eliminate 9.3 million weekday trips from the road per year and 130,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide-equivalent greenhouse gas emissions. That’s the same as taking an entire lane of freeway traffic off the road! Plus, don’t get us started on the perks of avoiding freeway traffic…
Shop at Orange County Farmers Markets
Celebrate Earth Day in Orange County every weekend by shopping local at farmers markets throughout Orange County, where the bounty of the land meets sustainability. Supporting local vendors not only ensures access to fresh, nutritious produce but also reduces the carbon footprint associated with transporting goods long distances. By choosing to shop local this Earth Day in Orange County at markets like the Corona del Mar Certified Farmers Market, Laguna Beach Certified Farmers Market, Irvine Farmers Market and more, you’ll not only prioritize your health but also demonstrate your commitment to the planet’s well-being.
Go Electric
Ditch the gas and go electric with an Electric Moke or Vision Electric Boat Rental this Earth Day (and all summer long, for that matter). With the sun out, cruise around on the bay or down the Balboa Peninsula with your best pals. By opting for electric transportation, you’re reducing carbon emissions and leaving a lighter footprint on our planet! Bonus points if you leave your car at home all day and bike over to hop in your preferred method of e-transport.
Shop Secondhand
Shop with the earth in mind at secondhand stores like OC Goodwill, Crossroads Trading or Buffalo Exchange, where sustainable fashion takes center stage. By choosing thrifting and donating over fast fashion, you’ll be contributing to a more eco-conscious lifestyle. Embrace the joy of finding unique treasures and reducing waste by giving old items new life through secondhand shopping. Let your style reflect your commitment to sustainability while supporting a worthy cause.
Refill Home + Body Products
Skip the single-use plastics and embrace Earth Day the refillable way. Shops like Fill Up Buttercup, The Ritual Refill and Eco Now are making sustainable living easier than ever. From non-toxic cleaning supplies to refillable shampoos, soaps and skincare, these eco-forward boutiques let you stock up without the waste. Just bring your own container and fill up on products that are better for you and the planet. With only 9% of recyclables actually being recycled, reducing and reusing is the name of the game—and these shops make it effortlessly chic.
🌱 Sustainable Dining Options
Eat With the Seasons at Benchmark Restaurant
This Earth Day, grab a seat at Santa Ana’s Benchmark Restaurant and toast to sustainability—without sacrificing a single flavor. Here, eating with the seasons isn’t a passing trend—it’s how they operate. The rotating menu highlights what’s fresh and local, supporting nearby farms and lowering the restaurant’s footprint. Chef Stefano Ciociola skips overfished ingredients and leans into vibrant, veggie-forward dishes. Think miso-glazed salmon or chorizo goat cheese flatbread—each bite feels indulgent but kind to the planet. At Benchmark, sustainable dining is more than thoughtful—it’s downright delicious. Pair it with one of their seasonal cocktails and enjoy a spring meal under the trees. At Benchmark, doing good for the earth has never tasted so delicious.
Location: Santa Ana
Sustainable Seafood Lunch at Bear Flag Fish Co.
If you know, you know. With various locations around Orange County, Bear Flag Fish Co. is known for having the best poke in town. This ocean-friendly seafood restaurant emphasizes its commitment to sustainability by serving fresh fish caught from its own fishing boats! They believe in the importance of sustainable fishing not only for environmental reasons but also for the longevity of their business. With a desire for Bear Flag to thrive for years to come, they recognize the necessity of preserving fish populations for future generations. Order a seaweed salad and specialty poke burrito for a sustainable, ocean-friendly meal.
Location: Huntington Beach and Newport Beach
Plant-Based Meal at The Plot
Dine with the planet in mind at The Plot in Costa Mesa this Earth Day in Orange County. Founders Jessica and Davin Waite remain pioneers in plant-based dining. Their heart-led mission is to make Southern California’s culinary scene more sustainable. This zero-waste restaurant goes the extra mile, doing its best to minimize plastic use. Anything that can’t be composted or recycled goes into a TerraCycle box (for specialized recycling). They save water from carafes to water their regenerative Plot Garden in Oceanside, and they even place zero-waste, palm oil-free candles on their tables. Stop in this Earth Day for a plant-based meal and sample delicious dishes like carrotfish tacos and balsamic Brussels. Be sure to pair your meal with one of their craft beers or biodynamic wines!
Location: Costa Mesa
