The City of Ljubljana celebrated the Earth Day on 22 April with several environmental activities.

One of them was the opening of the first exercise house with a green roof at the Prule playground.

Tree Planting at Park of Friendship

Academician Dr Anton Vratuša and Deputy Mayor Prof Janez Koželj, the author of designations and final designs for the Path of Remembrance and Comradeship, have planted a tree on Earth Day at the Park of Friendship along the Path of Remembrance and Comradeship (along the Glinščica Creek, between the Biotechnical Faculty and Technology Park Ljubljana).

The event was attended by Mayor Zoran Janković and Nuša Kerševan, an honorary citizen and the president of the Green Ring Society.

City of Ljubljana's Department of Environmental Protection

The Department of Environmental Protection has been organising projects within the "For a More Beautiful Ljubljana" initiative throughout the year. Among other things, it continued with a systematic removal of illegally discarded construction and asbestos waste found on city grounds, which potentially endangers health of residents. The removal has begun in 2009 and most of the City of Ljubljana grounds are cleared up. The department observes the amount of illegally dumped waste has decreased in the recent years.

It also continues with its annual action of removing the invasive non-native species on the city grounds. The most prominent invasive species is harmful Ambrosia artemisiifolia or Common Ragweed, while the attention is also paid to Fallopia japonica or commonly known as Japanese knotweed and Solidago gigantea or Giant Goldenrod in collaboration with non-government organisations.

This year's first removal campaign of the Fallopia japonica or Japanese knotweed, organised by the Biology Students' Society of the Biotechnical Faculty Ljubljana took place on Wednesday, 23 April at the banks of the Glinščica Creek, along the bicycle track, and between the Faculty Dean's office and the Biology Centre.

Small House for Green Exercise

On Earth Day 2014 the Prule playground unveiled an exercise house with a green roof, designed within the European UHI Project, which designs and implements tools for modelling friendly urban environment. The house is intended for adults and their physical exercise. Parents and caregivers accompanying their children to the playgrounds will be able to stretch their muscles and turn the inactive waiting into relaxation and shaping of their physique, and thus set a good example to their children.

City Family Cleaning Campaign

Earth Day was celebrated with the cleaning campaign of the City of Ljubljana staff members, public institutions and companies within the City of Ljubljana framework. We cleared up several locations in Ljubljana and contributed to a green and clean city.

Traditional Cleaning of the Ljubljanica River

The Ljubljana Tourism public institute organised the traditional cleaning of the Ljubljanica River on Saturday 19 April 2014. The campaign has seen participation from over 50 divers – members of the Vivera society for underwater activities, members of other diving clubs affiliated to the Slovenian Diving Association and abroad as well as other societies: for environmental protection, fishing, fire brigades, rescue and boatmen. They worked together to clean the bed of the Ljubljanica between Špica and the Dragon Bridge. Rubbish taken out of the water was put on display as a reminder to passers-by on the Čevljarski Most bridge.

The Ljubljana Tourism public institute at the same time organised a cultural-entertainment event on the Čevljarski Most bridge and on Hribarjevo and Cankarjevo Nabrežje embankments, where couples dressed in the clothing of the (former) bourgeoisie went for a walk. Among them was Povodni Mož (the Underwater Man), searching for his true love Urška. When he found her, they danced away into the Ljubljanica together near the Tromostovje (the Triple Bridge).

Greening Križevniška Ulica

The next day, on Wednesday 23 April 2012, the Mini Teater Ljubljana on Križevniška Ulica 1, organised a spring greening of the street.

Once grey and neglected Križevniška Ulica experienced a rebirth with the arrival of the Mini Teater Ljubljana. Every year in spring they put up benches on the street – this year they wrote Srečko Kosovel's poems in different languages all over the benches, and try to make it greener. This year they invited embassies to join then and bring a potted planted, a tree or a floral arrangement to the Križevniška Ulica.