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Earth Day and Arbor Day are both coming up in April, and there are many events planned locally to celebrate our community and environment.
Contribute to the Mighty Mississippi Cleanup Challenge
The Mississippi River, and all of the lakes, rivers, and streams in Hennepin County, make this a great place to live. We have been challenged by our downstream neighbor, Goodhue County, to participate in the Mighty Mississippi Cleanup Challenge. Help us showcase the commitment to keeping the environment healthy by picking up litter in celebration of Earth Day.
- Step 1: Get outside and clean up trash any time between April 15 and May 15. You could join a cleanup event, organize a cleanup with your program participants, or sign up to Adopt-a-Drain and report your drain cleanout.
- Step 2: Snap a photo of your group
- Step 3: Share your results through our online report a cleanup form
Learn and connect at community events
Beyond participating in a cleanup, you can celebrate Earth Day and Arbor Day by helping plant trees, joining a bike ride, planting for pollinators, learning about local sustainability resources, participating in a clothing swap, going on a nature hike, and much more! Explore all the opportunities on our Earth Day and Arbor Day events map.
Earth Day environmental education resources
Download free posters
 The National Environmental Education Foundation and the School for Visual Arts partnered to create the Earth Day Gallery. The online gallery showcases original student art posters that promote sustainability and environmental education. Download the 11x17” posters for free.
Listen to podcasts and consider starting your own
The Wandering Naturalist podcast explores the natural and cultural history of the 27,000-acre Three Rivers Park District and the surrounding Twin Cities area. The most recent episode focuses on neonicotinoids and impacts on Minnesota’s birds and mammals.
We All Live Downstream podcast includes interviews with leading environmental and clean water activists about their work in the field.
Watch this recording of a 2024 Hennepin County environmental education network meeting where we hear from hosts of The Wandering Naturalist and We All Live Downstream podcasts. They share their insights and experiences on how to create and grow a podcast that engages and entertains your audience.
 Environmental educators gathered virtually on Monday, April 7 for a Hennepin County environmental education network meeting focusing on local food and climate. Watch a recording of the meeting.
Attendees heard from speaker Madison Taylor from Minneapolis Farm to School, who shared an overview of the program and how they provide local food in school meals. Kajsa Beatty and Brad Jordahl Redlin spoke about the Minnesota’s Climate-Smart Food Systems project and the work to support farmers in adopting climate friendly agriculture practices. Attendees then broke into small group discussions about the intersection of local food and climate in their communities.
Upcoming network meeting
Stay tuned to future editions of this newsletter and the Facebook group for an invitation to our next network meeting focusing on environmental education jobs and seasonal employment.
Are you interested in conducting an environmental education lesson or activity with a group, but don’t have all the supplies you need? Environmental education kits are available at no cost for reservation by groups within Hennepin County.
 Available kits include:
Brick of cans display, every drop water demonstration kit, food waste prevention, green cleaning, green gifts, green parties, household hazardous waste, organics recycling, recycled products, recycled bowling game, recycling education kit, recycling sorting kits, trees and forestry, and water quality game.
Guidelines
The maximum checkout period is 10 days unless approved by special request. Kits must be picked up and returned to the Hennepin County Environment and Energy office in downtown Minneapolis. Please request kits a minimum of 10 days before they need to be picked up to allow staff time to prepare them for you.
Hennepin County offers a variety of funding opportunities to help residents and partners implement projects that protect the environment.
Grants are available to:
- Improve recycling and prevent waste at businesses, apartment buildings, schools, and in the community.
- Salvage and reuse building materials at residential and commercial properties.
- Protect and restore land and water, including preventing the spread of aquatic invasive species, cleaning up contaminated properties, planting and caring for trees, and installing projects that address erosion, plant native vegetation, restore natural areas, and improve soil.
- Provide youth environmental education, engage the community in taking action to protect the environment, and offer green jobs and training to youth.
Programs currently accepting applications that may be good fits for environmental education news subscribers include:
See our grants for environmental projects guide (PDF) to explore everything that’s available and start planning your project!
North American Association for Environmental Education virtual conference
 Save the date for the North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE) conference from November 3 to 6. The conference will be held virtually and the call for presentations is open until Friday, May 16. NAAEE conference and presentation proposal details.
Metro CERTs (Clean Energy Resource Teams) annual event
Tuesday, April 29 from 4:30 to 8 p.m. at Quincy Hall in northeast Minneapolis
 Metro CERTs free annual event is a great opportunity to learn, network, and get inspired by connecting with clean energy enthusiasts from across the metro.
The event will focus on celebrating the past 25 years of clean energy projects and collectively imagining the next 25 years of progress. Learn more and register.
Midwest Environmental Education Conference
The Midwest Environmental Education Conference (MEEC) will be held in-person in Makanda, Illinois from November 13 to 15. The theme is Nature Connects All and applications to present, exhibit, and share student posters are open until Monday, June 16. MEEC conference and presentation proposal details.
Teach Climate Network Summer Institute
July 14 to 15 with a regional cohort day on July 16
 Climate Generation's Teach Climate Network's three-day virtual climate change education institute helps educators explore curricula and tools to teach climate change concepts in all subject areas and settings. Registration cost is $250 with scholarships available.
Details and registration for the Summer Institute.
The following organizations received funding through the Hennepin County Green Partners program. Organizations receive training, support, and funding to implement projects that engage residents to learn about, protect, and improve the environment.
Phyllis Wheatley co-hosts Black to Nature for Earth Day
Saturday, April 19 from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Phyllis Wheatley Community Center in Minneapolis
Phyllis Wheatley Community Center is partnering with Three Rivers Park District and the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board to celebrate Earth Day and the legacy of Black people enjoying nature and the outdoors. The event will feature an Earth Day clean-up (9:30 a.m. to noon), lunch, a presentation and youth story time (noon to 1 p.m.), and a Black to Nature program overview (1 to 3 p.m.). Gloves will be provided for the clean-up.
Reuse Minnesota repair, reuse, and repurpose day camp
Tuesday, July 29 to Friday, August 1 at Beltrami Park in Minneapolis
Reuse Minnesota is offering a summer day camp opportunity for youth ages 8 to 13. Campers will learn mending and sewing skills, complete creative upcycling projects, and explore how to reduce waste. Learn more about the camp and register.
Lyndale Neighborhood Association hosts Free Fest
 In January, the Lyndale Neighborhood Association held Free Fest at Painter Park, giving neighbors a space to share books, furniture, and clothes for free. The goal of the event was to build community and encourage sustainability. With , a significant number of items were prevented from entering the waste stream.
Learn more
hennepin.us/environmentaleducation
Environmental education network Facebook group
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