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Media contact: Alisa Reckinger, Environment and Energy, 612-348-4788

Communities hosting Earth Day, Arbor Day events across county

While the wintry weather may have changed some springtime plans, many Earth Day and Arbor Day events are happening this April and May across the county. 

The county has created a map with up-to-date listings of more than 50 community events. View the map at hennepin.us/earth-day.

Community and volunteer events

There are a variety of ways to get involved, including:

• Three Rivers Park District Earth Day events: April 21 to 23 at various locations
• Maple Grove Arbor Day: Saturday, April 28, from noon to 3 p.m. at the Maple Grove Community Center
• Arbor Day on the Midtown Greenway: Saturday, May 5, opening ceremony at 9 a.m. and tree planting at 9:30 a.m.
• Minneapolis Earth Day clean up: Saturday, May 12, from 9:30 a.m. to noon at multiple sites
• Hennepin County Arbor Day planting in Hopkins: Saturday, May 19, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• Wood Lake Nature Center Earth Day/Arbor Day Celebration: Sunday, May 20, from 1 to 4 p.m.

In addition, the county will light the Lowry Avenue Bridge over the Mississippi River in Minneapolis green beginning at 6 p.m. Saturday, April 22, to honor Earth Day.

Visit hennepin.us/earth-day for a full event listing.

Making every day Earth Day

This Earth Day, the county is encouraging people to make sure they don’t limit their green habits just to one day. 

On our Earth Day webpage, we outline steps people can take to make environmentally friendly changes in their daily lives by focusing on one change and using it to kick-start a greener lifestyle. 

We also have a list of activities and resources available from Hennepin County to help people get started: Get your broken household items fixed and learn repair skills by attending a Fix-It Clinic. Think about what you’re going to be buying this year and if there are ways to reduce, borrow or shop reused instead of buying new. Check out our Choose to Reuse website for ideas and reuse options. Recycle your food scraps and other organics materials into compost by starting a compost bin in your backyard or signing up for organics recycling. Protect water quality by redirecting downspouts, using a rain barrel, planting a rain garden or keeping storm drains clear of leaves and debris. Get inspiration at Clean Water Minnesota. Consider using your bike for errands or commuting. May is bike month, so that's a great time to start. Learn about the bikeways available throughout Hennepin County. Get involved in your community by volunteering to protect the environment. You could become a tree steward or Master Recycler/Composter, monitor the health of wetlands with a team of citizen scientists or adopt-a-highway.

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Look for more news on the Hennepin County website at www.hennepin.us/news.

Discover how we're making a difference in our communities at www.hennepin.us/stories.