TROY, Ala. (TROJANVISION) — April is Earth Month and is a time to celebrate the planet we call home.

Last week and over the weekend, several TROY groups raised awareness about Earth, the different animals that live here, and the importance of caring for the planet.

“We’re here today with a bunch of little games based on Earth Day,” said Environmental Club President Madison Chavers. “We also have merch to sell to support the club. The professors are coming down to help educate about the animals that they have.”

On Saturday an Earth Day Festival was hosted at the Troy University Arboretum. The event was open to the general public and there were activities for both kids and adults. 

“There are live animals that people can come out and see,” said Naturalist Club President Perri Haga. “There are a lot of fun activities for people to do that are kind of more educational. There’s seed planting, we’re doing leaf rubbings, we’re trying to clean up fake oil spills. There’s a lot of stuff going on.”

Other organizations in attendance included the Legacy Partners in Environmental Education.

“We are funded through the car tag and we’re a non-profit,” said Legacy Partners in Environmental Education staff member Kyla Garcia. “We give out free materials to teachers and students, and really any Alabama citizens and what we do with the car tag funds is we take them on excursions.”

According to event organizers, Earth Day was founded in 1970 and marks the anniversary of the modern environmental movement. 

“It’s kind of a way for us to recognize our earth, what it does for us and what we can do for it,” Haga told TrojanVision. “We’re learning a lot about plants, we’re learning a lot about animals, and we’re learning a lot about some of the issues our environment faces.”

To learn more about Earth Day, visit EARTHDAY.ORG.