City of Monroe Mayor Geoffrey Thomas and Fryelands Elementary third graders from Wendy Fuller’s class do their best impersonation of the freshly planted Red Oak at Lake Tye Park in the city’s annual celebration of Arbor Day Friday, April 26.
SNOHOMISH — Snohomish’s Earth Day celebration is growing for its third year at the Carnegie Building. The takeaway is to learn something you can do yourself to, as the event theme says, “move the needle” for sustainability.
‘Nudging the needle’ means “having that conversation of what are you doing on recycling, on composting,” Snohomish Earth Day co-organizer Jeff Vileta said. People can do it “if we all do a little something.”
At the event April 26 from 1 to 4 p.m., visitors can peek at a pond’s critters run by Tim Noah’s The Pond Beyond effort, make a clay pinch pot with Bruning Pottery, try honey from the Snohomish Bee Co., learn sustainable cooking techniques from Green Snohomish, participate in reusing goods through a kids’ clothing swap by Central Faith Church and more, Vileta said. They also are collecting food for the Snohomish Community Food Bank, its website said.
From noon to 2 p.m., WSU is collecting clean styrofoam on-site to be sent to King County for recycling.
Vileta himself has become a better recycler, and adopted composting at his Avenue A home.
He wrote a 2012 book on sustainability that is the cornerstone of a nonprofit he runs.
“There is a way for social change, and part of that path is building community,” Vileta said, which is something he hopes to see through events like this.
The first Earth Day in the U.S. was observed on April 22, 1970. Snohomish County officially recognized Earth Day in 2008 when the County Executive proclaimed April 22 as Earth Day in Snohomish County.
If you go
Snohomish Earth Day
Saturday, April 26 from noon to 4 p.m. (activities start at 1 p.m.), Snohomish Carnegie, 105 Cedar St., Snohomish
Info: www.snohomish.earth or 206-427-3203 For questions specifically on Styrofoam: Contact Kellee Byard at kellee.byard@wsu.edu or 425-357-6027.
More Earth Day events around the county
Electronics recycling
Snohomish County’s Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and its Public Works department are partnering with 3R Technology to collect unwanted electronics to be recycled (residential loads only). Includes computers, TVs, batteries, cell phones, physical media and AV equipment.
The event will be Saturday, April 26, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. (or until trucks are at capacity) at the Evergreen State Fair Park, West (Red) Parking Lot; 14405 179th Ave. SE, Monroe.
EvCC tree planting
Everett Community College is hosting an Earth Week series, and Snohomish Conservation District will be present at a tree planting event at Index Hall on April 24 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Monroe tree planting
The City of Monroe will host an Arbor Day and Earth Day celebration
Mayor Geoffrey Thomas will host a tree planting ceremony with students from Fryelands Elementary School at Lake Tye Park Friday, April 25 at 1 p.m. to recognize the importance of preserving our natural resources. The Red Sunset Maple they’ll plant was donated by the Monroe Garden Club.
Energy Block Party
The PUD will celebrate Earth Day and energy Saturday, April 26 at PUD headquarters, 2320 California St. in Everett, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Events include an EV car show, Touch-A-Truck for the kids, classes and information booths, an area about native bulbs and seeds, and live safety demos.
In Stanwood
Camp Fire Snohomish County invites families to celebrate Earth Day on Saturday, April 26 from noon to 4 p.m. with a fun-filled open house and reconnect with nature at Camp Killoqua, 15207 E. Lake Goodwin Road, Stanwood.
