Cities across the state recently engaged their residents in creatively celebrating Earth Day and Earth Month. Here are some of the activities shared with the Florida League of Cities:
The City of Bartow’s Solid Waste Department teamed up with Keep Polk County Beautiful to host a Great American Cleanup Event. Eighty-three volunteers helped collect 120 bags of trash and five tires from about eight miles of roadways and parks. The volunteers were treated to a cookout at Mary Holland Park.
The City of Clearwater hosted environmental and sustainability activities. Events included an Arbor Day Celebration and Tree Giveaway, a State Street Park Community Cleanup, a Shred-a-Thon and Operation Medicine Cabinet Take-Back, an Earth Day celebration at Moccasin Lake Nature Park, a cleanup at Stevenson Creek and a Pier 60 Sugar Sand Festival beach cleanup.
Library events included Earth Day at the library, Moana Celebrates Earth Day, a terrarium workshop, a paint-poured album bowls workshop, Designer Genes – a Sustainability Science Fair and a pressed-flower craft. The celebration also included an Earth Month and Beyond event where residents could “check out” seeds from the Seed Library and grow them at home.
Nature and sustainability shared the spotlight at the City of Coral Springs’ annual Earthfest Celebration at the Sawgrass Nature Center & Wildlife Hospital. This year’s event featured nature exhibits, a plant giveaway, animal encounters and children’s activities. In addition, residents learned more about City sustainability programs, including composting, hazardous waste disposal and single-use plastic reduction.
“Earthfest provides the opportunity for us to come together as a community and renew our commitment to sustainability in Coral Springs,” Commissioner Nancy Metayer Bowen said. “From encouraging use of native plants, promoting recycling right, and now implementing our new Household Composting Program, we are fortunate to live in a city that truly values and works to protect the environment.”
Guests also learned more about the newly expanded Coral Springs Community Garden, a joint effort between the City, the Rotary Club of Coral Springs and resident volunteers. The Community Garden features individual garden beds available to rent for growing herbs, vegetables, perennial plants and more. The Garden also features a memorial garden, reflexology path, butterfly garden and food forest.
Engaging and relevant videos were shared on the City’s social media accounts to promote environmental consciousness and to inform residents about the City’s sustainability programs. More information about EarthFest can be found at CoralSprings.gov/Earthfest.
The City of Jacksonville celebrated Earth Day with a ceremony and community cleanup at Klutho Park. The cleanup was one of three along Hogan’s Creek. Participants included Mayor Donna Deegan, Jacksonville City Council President Ron Salem, Al Ferraro, Manager of Blight Initiatives, and Ashantae Green, Sustainability Manager.
At the City of North Miami, District 2 Councilwoman Kassandra Timothe and volunteers enjoyed the Second Annual District 4 Clean-Up at Claude Pepper Park. Festivities included park cleaning, landscaping, tree planting and tree raffles. The Councilwoman and volunteers then moved to Elaine Gordon Enchanted Forest Park for the City’s Annual Earth Fair. Activities include electronic and hazardous waste recycling, sneaker recycling, rock gardening demos and a farmer’s market. Watch Videos on Instagram
The City of Orlando invited downtown professionals, residents and the community to the Earth Day Work Day event at City Hall Plaza. The theme “Planet vs. Plastics” dove into the importance of preserving the natural environment by recycling and reducing the production of plastics.
Earth Day Work Day was a sustainability fair in the downtown core that featured educational games, local vendors, music and eco-friendly giveaways and engaging activities, such as creating conservation kits and painting rain barrels. Attendees joined the City’s Green Works team to learn more about sustainability initiatives such as zero waste, clean energy, transportation, water and recycling.
The Village of Palmetto Bay celebrated Earth Month with ladybug releases, an art contest, a bike ride, a wellness fair and a recycling event. The Village also held several tree events, including a giveaway, planting and a Tree of the Year award.
The City of St. Augustine hosted events including Fish Island walking tours, sustainability workshops, a resiliency walking tour and a recycling event. City residents attending the sustainability workshops had an opportunity to pre-register for a compost bin.
The City of Venice held an Earth Day Celebration at West Blalock Park with walking tours of the Monty Andrews Arboretum; a tree and plant giveaway; butterfly garden, composting, rain barrel and orchid demonstrations; and a Q&A with the City Arborist. Children’s activities included a sidewalk chalk drawing and Treasure Quest, a program developed by the University of Florida/Institute of Food and Agriculture Services Sarasota County.
The Village of Wellington hosted events in recognition of Earth Day and Arbor Day, including The Great American Cleanup, an initiative of Keep America Beautiful. The Cleanup was coordinated with Keep Palm Beach County Beautiful and the Solid Waste Authority. The community was invited to a free day of fun and learning at Wellington’s Earth Day & Arbor Day Celebration at the Wellington Amphitheater. The event featured earth-friendly products and demonstrations, including free native seedlings, a free raffle for a Red Maple Tree, giveaways, the opportunity to meet Smokey Bear and a proper tree-pruning demonstration. The event also featured a F.L.O.W.E.R. Awards Ceremony (Fabulous Landscapes of Wellington Earning Recognition). The Wellington Garden Club hosted a plant sale. Learn more at wellingtonfl.gov/EarthDay.
The City of Weston held its third annual Earth Day, the Weston Way event. Guests explored Library Park with a scavenger hunt, visited booths from local agencies to learn how to protect our planet, and walked through a pop-up topiary garden. The City had a 3-D chalk installation for guests to pose with.
The City of Winter Park partnered with the Center for Health & Wellbeing to hold a Ward & Wellbeing Earth Day Block Party. The party was held in a park directly across from the Center following a Run for the Trees 5K. The activities included electric lawn care demonstrations, an electric vehicle display, solar information, sustainable giveaways and a recycled shoe program.
