The Town of Greenwich and its Sustainability Committee plan to celebrate Earth Day with a bunch of fun activities during the week of April 19.
Every year on April 22, Earth Day marks the anniversary of the birth of the modern environmental movement in 1970.
With more than 190 countries and one billion individuals participating, it is a day of action to change human behavior and create global, national and local policies to protect the environment.
The Greenwich Conservation Commission and its partner conservation organizations in town invite residents to take part in a “one minute of bells initiative” to celebrate the 51st anniversary of Earth Day.
Bells of all kind will ring at exactly noon on Thursday, April 22. All are invited to open their windows or step outside their homes and workplaces and ring bells.
Before the ringing, Greenwich First Selectman Fred Camillo will read an Earth Day proclamation, an annual reading conducted by the First Selectman since 2006.
“The Commission’s intention with the bell ringing is to create a unifying energy and engage the entire community in this important shared cause,” said Pat Sesto, Director of Environmental Affairs. “One action. One minute. One town. One planet.”
In addition to the bell-ringing and Proclamation reading, Greenwich is offering official school and home activities for students during Earth Week. The Conservation Commission has been working with school representatives from private, parochial and public schools on a collective Earth Week of Action. Each of the five school days has a theme and suggested activity, and teachers or parents can create new activities consistent with the daily themes. The Earth Week School Edition provides a comprehensive framework for celebrating Earth Week and unites the Greenwich educational community to work together toward a common goal. This year’s school themes are:
- Monday, April 19 – Dig In! Eat more plants which supports land water and air.
- Tuesday, April 20 – Nature-Made: Create art out of natural materials.
- Wednesday, April 21 – Citizen Science: Get into the data! What’s the worm count?
- Thursday, April 22, Earth Day – Take the Pledge: “I will restore the Earth by…”
- Friday, April 23 – R U Ready to Restore? The Rs: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Refuse, Repurpose, Regenerate, Restore, Repair, Rot.
Earth Week events in Town will be capped off with the second Annual Live Like Luke Beach Cleanup at Greenwich Point on Saturday, April 24th, 11:00 am to 3:00 pm.
For more information and registration visit https:/tinyurl.com/BeachCleanupLiveLikeLuke2021
Residents are encouraged to share information about all Greenwich Earth Day events and activities with neighbors, co-workers and friends. Questions can be directed to Patricia Sesto, Director of Environmental Affairs, at [email protected]. Share Earth Week photos on social media and hashtag #GreenwichEarthWeek
The Greenwich Sustainability Committee represents a diverse partnership of individuals and organizations committed to a sustainable Greenwich based on shared values of protecting, preserving and restoring our natural ecosystems while enriching the character of the Town. The Committee’s purpose is to work collaboratively to support a cohesive and comprehensive network that will record existing initiatives, identify gaps, recommend actions, advocate and catalyze action and raise public awareness.
The Committee’s efforts are guided by the 2019 Plan of Conservation and Development and Sustainable CT. For more information visit: https://www.greenwichct.gov/1775/Sustainability-Committee.