Richfield Rolls Out Virtual Options To Celebrate Earth Day

Press release from the City of Richfield:

April 20, 2020

Traditionally, Earth Day is observed around the world through park clean-ups, tree plantings, recycling drives and a myriad of other sustainability initiatives. However, with most of the world staying at home and large group activities discouraged to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), local community groups and environmental organizations are going digital with their slate of Earth Day activities.

In Richfield, the city had to cancel its annual celebration at the Wood Lake Nature Center, Adopt-A-Park group clean-ups, and other events. But the city’s environmental staff were able to pivot and plant to provide residents with a robust list of Earth Day options they can partake in from home.

“We will be sharing a host of activities and resources that residents can use and do from the comfort of their own home or backyard. We also decided, why just celebrate on one day? Let’s promote sustainability efforts all week,” exclaimed Sustainability Specialist Rachel Lindholm.

During the week of April 20-24, there will be a daily post on the city’s Facebook page about a specific theme for each day. Posts will focus on the topics of waste reduction, food production, energy efficiency, water conservation, and carbon reduction. The posts will link to the City’s Earth Day specific webpage where the related resources and activities can be found.

Minnesota’s Stay-At-Home order has not deterred residents from their commitment to sustainability. If anything it has heightened many residents’ resolve to make the city a ‘greener’ place to live, work, learn and play.

Over the past several weeks, several residents have contacted Lindholm to make sure that their regular sustainable behaviors, like organics collection, are able to be continued.

“An increased amount of time at home can be an opportunity to try out new sustainable habits. Being productive can help bring a sense of normalcy to this time and making beneficial behavior changes can be especially motivating,” explained Lindholm. “If residents are looking to expand their household sustainability efforts, they should choose to focus on a smaller number of activities or goals at the beginning. They will see almost immediate success and have a better chance of sticking with it long-term.”

Projects can also link up with residents’ previously-held interests.

“Residents interested in food can make their Earth Week goal be to start a garden, or increase the size of their previous gardens,” remarked Wood Lake Nature Center Manager Paul Smithson. “If food isn’t a motivating factor, look at your energy usage and make a plan with achievable steps to reduce it, including adjusting your thermostat and contacting the Home Energy Squad for a professional audit.”

Many of these actions can help residents save money too. And at this time, reducing utility bills and food waste can help keep money in the pockets of residents when they might need it most.

Follow the city’s Facebook page and Earth Day webpage to review the Earth Week resources and connect with other residents about a variety of sustainability topics. The Facebook page can be found at: www.facebook.com/CityofRichfield/

The city’s new Earth Week webpage is: www.richfieldmn.gov/EarthDay

This press release was produced by the City of Richfield. The views expressed here are the author’s own.