The city of Clearwater is looking to fill vacancies on the Environmental Advisory Board. The board identifies and assesses environmental objectives and provides recommendations to the city council on selected environmental programs and projects.

They meet on the third Wednesday of the month in January, April, July and October at 4 p.m. Call the Clearwater City Clerk's office at (727) 562-4090 with questions.

Councilmember Lina Teixeira presented the Florida Arbor Day Proclamation at the Clearwater Garden Club Arbor Day celebration Jan. 19, 2024.

Florida Arbor Day began in 1886, making it one of the first official Arbor Day holidays in the nation!

Thank you to City Manager Jennifer Poirrier and Assistant City Manager Daniel Slaughter for attending and showing their support. Attend Clearwater Garden Club's annual spring plant sale April 6 and 7, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 1277 Grove St. in Clearwater.

The Sustainability Division hosted the Wag into Spring event March 14 at Enterprise Dog Park. Residents brought their pups to meet city staff, learn ways to reduce stormwater pollution and receive free sustainable and dog-themed giveaways.

Thanks to our Neighborhoods Division, Parks & Recreation, Police and Public Utilities Departments, as well as the Humane Society of Pinellas, for joining this event.

Join the city of Clearwater and Clearwater Marine Aquarium's Sea Turtle Nesting Team for a lake cleanup at Lake Belleview on April 6 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Get the chance to learn about sea turtle conservation and how you can help our local sea turtle population.

This event will include prizes, the chance to personalize a sea turtle nesting stake, a photo opportunity and much more.

The Clearwater Main Library is partnering with the Sustainability Division to host an "Designer Genes: Sustainability Science Fair" on Saturday, April 27, from noon to 2 p.m. Open to people 16 and older, this environmental and sustainability-themed science fair will have exciting experiments and intricate dioramas that let you explore how things like erosion impact our local environment.

• Earth Day: Pressed Flower Crafting, East Community Library, Saturday, April 6 | 2-4 p.m.
• Beach Cleanup at Pier 60 Sugar Sand Festival, Pier 60, Sunday, April 7| 4-7 p.m.
• Earth Day Terrarium Workshop, East Community Library, Thursday, April 11 | 5-6:30 p.m.
• Paint-Poured Album Bowls, Countryside Library, Thursday, April 18 | 2-3 p.m.
• Stevenson Creek Cleanup, Clearwater Shuffleboard Club, Saturday, April 20 | 9 a.m.-noon
• Earth Day at the Library!, Countryside Library, Monday, April 22 | 4-4:30 p.m.
• Moana Celebrates Earth Day, Clearwater Main Library, Monday, April 22 | 5-6 p.m.
• Shred-a-Thon and Operation Medicine Take-Back Event, Countryside Mall parking lot, Saturday, April 27 | 9 a.m.-2 p.m.

This April, let's make a commitment that's no joke! During Food Waste Prevention Week 2024, be a Food Waste Hero and save the day, one meal at a time. Don't be fooled by waste—join the mission to rescue delicious meals and be the hero our planet needs.

How many times have you bought food at the grocery store because you thought you were out of something…only to find it RIGHT after you get home?! Create an “Eat This Now” section of your refrigerator and pantry! 

• Store things together that need to be used up.
• Tape off “Eat This Now” sections of your fridge or pantry with a fun washi tape, or just designate a certain shelf or area. 
• Mark containers or items that need to be used with tape, stickers, or a marker.

Don’t let good food go bad…alone and uneaten. Be the hero your food deserves!

April 1-7 is Food Waste Prevention Week. For more tips on how to reduce food waste, sign up for this week’s webinars.

Since the start of the program in 2022, we now have 1 year and 9 months of energy savings data to share. We’ve seen a reduction of 12 percent in electricity use and 32 percent in natural gas use for the first 9 months of the second program year compared to the baseline* year; as well as a reduction of 6 percent in water and irrigation† use comparing the full first year of results to the baseline* year.

To date, the program has resulted in a cumulative cost avoidance on electric, natural gas and water of $1,423,903, or an overall cost savings of $508,303.

We will continue working with the dedicated energy specialist from Cenergistic to conduct regular energy audits, find and fix faults and identify opportunities for savings.

*The baseline year is pre-pandemic, March 2019 through February 2020.

†Water and irrigation conservation measures were added to the program in December 2022.