Can you imagine how much single-use plastic is used in your home? The 9th Sustainable Cherry Hill Earth Festival April 28th – in part – is designed to impress upon the 5000 visitors from across South Jersey to consider reducing plastic consumption.
Society has become focused on convenience. It can be a heavy lift to suggest that people not buy cases of plastic water and drink bottles. Many people are convinced tap water is ‘not good’ for you. There are filter systems and options to consider without buying cases of water bottles. And we can consider that for the most part, those drink bottles are not recyclable – forever; eventually, they end up in the waste stream. Have you heard about the plastic island of waste continuing to grow in the ocean? The festival is registered as part of the world-wide Earth Day Network; the network focus is on reducing plastic waste.
Details surrounding the Sustainable Cherry Hill Earth Festival involve education and outreach.
It’s hoped that sponsors, vendors, non-profit groups, government and school displays consider the problems of single-use plastic. Ultimately, it’s hoped everyone participating at the festival will think more about how they can be part of the solution.
Bringing a reusable bottle for NJ American water refills and a coffee mug for Treehouse Cafe $2 local coffee helps reduce waste at the festival.
Beyond the focus on reducing plastic waste, South Jersey’s largest eco-event marking Earth Day takes place at historic Croft Farm in Cherry Hill. It’s an all-weather event from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Health and wellness is part of sustainability. The Earth Festival includes LourdesCare’s free yoga session 
on the Croft Farm lawn at 8:30 a.m. (bring your mat) and 10:30 a.m. chair yoga on stage (bring your chair). Lourdes, Ravitz Family Markets and other displays also include nutrition and other wellness information.
The Family Fun Bike Ride has folks checking in starting at 8 a.m., getting bike safety checks from Erlton Bike Shop, and donning helmets for the two or nine-mile ride from Croft Farm and back in time for the 9:45 opening Earth Festival ceremony. Registration for the bike ride and waiver is here.
Here are just a few of the #SCHEarthFest events April 28th: Click HERE for event-day map/schedule)
- Croft Farm parking can get tight: Bike valet parking is free!
- Free bare-root tree seedlings are available while supply lasts.
- Recycling Depot Dropoff:
- gently worn shoes,
- wire hangers
- rechargeable batteries
- plastic bags and bottle caps – which are not recyclable
- gently-used books
- Kiddie craft with your plastic bottle caps
- Moon-bounce and more for kids
- Thought-provoking school displays
- Two-stages of entertainment
- NEW – Sustainable Sips: two Flying Fish brews for purchase by visitors with ID
- Lunch-time visit from the Phillie Phanatic + East Cougar and West Lion
- Healthy food choices for purchase
- Perennial plant-swap and gardening advice
- Arts and crafts; bottle-cap creature craft for kiddies
- Rain barrel and other demonstrations to reduce your carbon footprint
Generous sponsors include:
Presenting sponsors- Lourdes Health System, Ravitz Family Markets, Hutchinson Plumbing, Heating, Cooling (Hutchinson provides volunteer t-shirts)
Leadership sponsors: M Rosenblatt Roofing, Holman Enterprises
Evergreen sponsor: Sustainable Camden County
Leaf Sponsors: Wegman’s, NJ American Water, Renewal by Andersen, Kitchen Magic
In-Kind sponsors: My Gym, The Farmhouse
The 9th Sustainable Cherry Hill Earth Festival is produced in partnership with the non-profit Sustainable Cherry Hill, Cherry Hill Township, and Cherry Hill School District.