Community Clean Up & Earth Day Events

The snow has melted early this year in Edmonton and surrounding areas, and with a blustery April upon us, the uncovered garbage of winter is swirling around the school yards, recreation areas and roadways.   

A great activity that you can start when children are young is cleaning up your neighborhood and the places you visit. Grab a garbage bag and some gloves, visit a green space close by and clean up flyers, take out containers and plastics that are blown around. If you come across any bigger items like shopping carts, electronics and appliances or unsafe items, contact your city or municipality for removal (311 in YEG).

There are a few community clean ups planned for in and around Edmonton, as well as a national clean up program that you can contribute to. Take a look below for more information.

Edmonton:

Capital City Clean Up 

Community clean up can happen anytime, anywhere through the various components of the Capital City Clean Up program.  Big Bin events, Adopt a Block, 15 to Clean Challenge and more helps keep the city tidy. 

River Valley Clean Up  – May 1, 2016 10am-noon at Victoria Park

As part of the Capital City Clean Up, residents take to the banks, trails and wooded areas along the North Saskatchewan River.  Cleaning supplies is provided but bring gloves and appropriate footwear. 

St. Albert

TD Clean and Green RiverFest May 7, 2016 2pm-5pm behind St. Albert Centre

River clean up, tree planting, an environmental fair and BBQ are all part of this fun family afternoon. If you or your family or group want to clean up another recreation area or schoolyard in St. Albert, you can sign up online. 

Canada Wide

Canada is know for it’s beautiful shorelines, so take part or organize a clean up in your area. Visit the Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup campaign online to find a clean up location near you.  

Earth Day – April 22, 2016 

For Earth Day we usually do a clean up walk around the neighborhood, followed by a craft or activity about the occasion and discussions on how to reduce, reuse and recycle our waste. Planting vegetables or flowers, crafts made out of recycled material, and making bird feeders are some of our favorite Earth Day activities. 

The Edmonton Earth Day Festival 2016 will be held on Sunday, April 24 from noon-3pm, 10120 104 St. Edmonton. Check out their event information for more details.  

How do you celebrate Earth Day? Leave a comment below with your favorite activities.