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The Anthropocene: Delusion, Loss, and Immeasurable Joy

Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History 1000 Madison Drive NW, Washington, DC, United States

(DC) (Smithsonian) From ancient philosophers through the Enlightenment and today’s most eminent physicists and physicians, not a one of us can hold out our hand and say definitively where it ends, and the rest of the world begins. There is opportunity indeed in accepting both that in our human form, we cannot quite see clearly, and that eventually, every one ...

Free

How Science and Heart Can Make You a More Ecological Gardener

Brookside Gardens 1800 Glenallan Ave, Wheaton, MD, United States

(MD) (Montgomery Parks) Have you ever wondered how plants and animals perceive the world around them? Unfortunately, in our urban areas, noise, light and odor pollution can have many unintended consequences. Learn how to expand your gardening focus beyond visual appeal to create landscapes that mitigate these disruptions and offer sensory refuges for wildlife. Speaker: Nancy Lawson, author, Master Naturalist, ...

Free

Black Women, Green Spaces

Smithsonian’s Anacostia Community Museum 1901 Fort Pl, SE, Washington, DC, United States

(DC) (Smithsonian Anacostia Community Museum) Join us for a closer look at some of the museum’s treasured artifacts. Discover how women of color have long fought against environmental racism in the District to protect their families and community members. Curator Rachel Seidman introduces us to the powerful work of long-time activist Vernice Miller-Travis through her recent gifts to the museum’s collection.

Free

Cultivating Environmental Leaders (Virtual)

(DC) (Smithsonian) Join Jennifer Brundage, National Outreach Manager in Smithsonian Affiliations, to explore strategies for supporting high-school students’ environmental action. Today’s youth have never known a reality without the background of climate change, and eco-anxiety is on the rise among young people. And yet, solutions for sustainable living abound everywhere, at every scale, in every community, and accessible to all. ...

Free

The Future of Environmentalism

National Portrait Gallery 800 G St NW, Washington, DC, United States

(DC) (National Portrait Gallery) In conjunction with the exhibition “Forces of Nature: Voices That Shaped Environmentalism,” join the Portrait Gallery and co-host Monterey Bay Aquarium in a pivotal discussion around the future of climate action and environmental justice. Hear from leading intergenerational voices, Dolores Huerta, Julie Packard, Dorceta Taylor, and Wawa Gatheru, who are shaping the country’s sustainability and environmental ...

Free

Your Inner Neanderthal (Virtual)

(DC) (Smithsonian) When early modern humans encountered Neanderthals and Denisovans, these archaic humans contributed DNA to our genomes. But how many archaic human groups did we encounter and what role does archaic human DNA play in the lives of present-day people? Laurits Skov is a geneticist at UC Berkeley studying the role of archaic DNA in modern humans. In this ...

Free

Race, History, and Rock Creek: Civil War Reconstruction (Virtual)

(DC) (Rock Creek Conservancy) Join us for a panel discussion as we learn of the history and origins of the National Park Service, and Rock Creek Park. Together we will learn about the works of Frederick Law Olmsted, founder of American Landscape Architecture, which inspired the creation of parks and its benefits to the public. Our conversation will consist of ...

Free

Conservation Café: Yes, in my HOA yard!

(MD) (Nature Forward) Native plant gardens fight climate change and are beautiful. So why do so many Homeowners Associations (HOAs) want to ban them? Join Nancy Lawson, nature writer and founder of The Humane Gardener, for a discussion with leading experts in MD and VA who advocate allowing sustainable landscaping in HOAs.

$10 – $15

Forest Bathing 101 (Virtual)

(DC) (Smithsonian Associates) Immerse yourself in the Japanese practice of forest bathing as Melanie Choukas-Bradley introduces its history and how-tos. Learn creative ways to reduce holiday stress and banish winter blues by connecting with nature close to home. Shinrin-yoku, or forest bathing, originated in the 1980s as a restorative and meditative practice of connecting with nature and disconnecting from the ...

$25 – $30

Birds of Arlington Photo Tour

Long Branch Nature Center & Park 625 S Carlin Springs Rd, Arlington, VA, United States

(VA) (Arlington Parks) Join us for a photo tour of the birds of Arlington. We'll begin with the more common birds we may see at feeders and nearby, then proceed to more unusual species. In addition to presenting photos of beautiful birds in their natural habitat, wildlife photographer Calvin Schnure often uses images that provide insights into how these creatures ...

$5

The Folklore of Winter Trees

Arlington Mill Community Center 909 South Dinwiddie Street, Arlington, VA, United States

(VA) (Arlington Parks) As early Americans explored Virginia, they had to survive the harsh winters with just the plants and animals that surrounded them. Come take a walk with Long Branch Nature Center's park naturalist Rob Barnovsky to discover many of the mysteries of survival and folklore to be found in the plants and trees of Arlington. Adults 55+.

Free
Capital Nature