By Lookout Staff

April 21, 2025 -- Santa Monica will celebrate Earth Day on Tuesday with free bus rides, educational events and special flashing colors on the world's only solar powered Ferris Wheel.

Pacific Park's Ferris Wheel will light up again to celebrate Earth Day 2025 (Image courtesy of Pacific Park)

Big Blue Bus (BBB) officials hope new riders will give the municipal bus system a try and join in helping "reduce the carbon footprint, save on gas and parking costs and avoid traffic headaches."

This year's theme -- "Our Power, Our Planet" -- "aims to promote renewable energy and advocacy for tripling global clean energy production by 2030," transportation officials said.

"Utilizing public transportation is a great way to flex your Power and help heal the Planet by reducing your carbon footprint one trip at a time," officials said.

Santa Monica College (SMC) will join in the celebration at 11:15 a.m. when retired SMC Geography professor William (“Bill”) Selby talks about his latest book, “The California Sky Watcher: Understanding Weather Patterns and What Comes Next.”

The book "traces California weather patterns and processes across the several seasons of the year and the many regions of the state," event organizers said.

"While often idyllic, California weather also can be extremely hazardous, creating conditions for destructive wildfires, debris flows, and other calamities."

"Guided by the tools of atmospheric science and his lifelong fascination with the skies, Selby helps make sense of California climates in perpetual change."

The talk will be held in Science 140, followed by an author reception from 12:45 p.m. to 2 p.m. in SMC’s new Math and Science Building MSB 112.

The reception ends in time to head to the Santa Monica Main Public Library for a free, drop-in event from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m.

The event offers "fun and educational activities for all ages, hands-on learning experiences, and cool giveaways that inspire action to protect our planet," Library officials said.

Participants will have a chance to Plant native milkweed, explore a worm bin and dissect owl pellets with the California Climate Action Corps Fellows and Community Gardens team.

The City's Urban Forest team will dive into "the importance of urban greenery with a family-friendly tree talk and Ask an Arborist booth, while Camera Obscura Artist in Residence Raphaele Cohen-Bacry will lead a workshop on "creating eco-art using recycled materials."

At 4 p.m., City Poet Laureate Anne Carmac will help celebrate National Poetry Month with a special "Poems for the Planet" workshop, while the Friends of the Santa Monica Public Library Bookstore will be open special hours from 3 to 6 p.m.

Earth Day will be topped off on the Santa Monica Pier when Pacific Park's solar-powered Ferris Wheel lights up with "vibrant green and blue displays, including a stunning 90-foot-tall spinning globe," park officials said.

In honor of Earth Day 2025 and its global theme “Our Power, Our Planet,” the display "will feature eco-themed patterns and icons, highlighting the importance of renewable energy and environmental stewardship."

Earth Day is an annual event held on April 22 to demonstrate support for environmental protection. First held on April 22, 1970, it now includes a wide range of events coordinated globally including 1 billion people in more than 192 countries. For more, visit earthday.org