In 2024, Earth Day is Monday, April 22. The day of environmental activism is always celebrated on April 22 in the United States, but other parts of the world celebrate it on the day of the spring equinox, according to National Geographic. The first Earth Day in America was in 1970. If you know of other Earth Day events, please share them on the Cedar Mill News Group on Facebook!

• Earth Care Fair 
• PlanetCon: A Recycling, Reuse and Sustainability Fair returns in April!
• Save the Bees
• Goosechase Washington Counts
• SOLVE Oregon Spring Cleanup
• Recycling Update

Earth Care Fair 

Sunday, April 21, 10:30 am-1 pm, St. Andrew Lutheran Church, 12405 SW Barnes Rd., free

All are welcome to participate in the third annual St. Andrew’s Earth Care. This is a multigenerational program with strategies that you can implement to combat climate change. The event features exhibits and activities from Pacific University Indigenous Student Alliance, Tualatin Soil and Water Conservation District, Master Recyclers, Friends of Trees, Washington County Treekeepers, Climate Resilience, children’s crafts and activities, and earth friendly participation prizes. Join us for the Design Your Own Eden special event at noon where you can rethink, reimagine, and re-envision your outdoor space. Learn more at the St. Andrew Lutheran Church website. 

PlanetCon: A Recycling, Reuse and Sustainability Fair returns in April!

Saturday, April 20, 11 am-2 pm, PCC Rock Creek Campus, 17705 NW Springville Rd., Building 9 and parking lots C and E, free

Please join us for the many events being held this year. The really, really free table includes a drop off and/or pick up of items with a “Spring Cleaning” theme. The Repair Fair requires pre-registration to have your items be fixed by skilled volunteers. 

There is a drop-off for items for recycling and proper disposal. These include selected plastics (#1 PETE/PET and #5 PP), batteries, medications, sharps, fluorescent lights (CFLs), computers, electronics, string lights, other small-corded items, and metals. Please read collection event details carefully! We also accept donations of usable Items. These include bicycles, bike accessories, eyeglasses, hearing aids, and gently used adult clothing. You can help support the Westside Planet Alliance, a non-profit organization, by bringing your redeemable bottles and cans to help us continue to raise funds to coordinate community events like PlanetCon. Information tables will be available to learn more about important topics to boost your knowledge! There will also be music and the chance to explore the PCC Learning Garden.

To sign up to volunteer, view event posters in English and Spanish, see maps or learn more, please visit the webpage. This free event is brought to you by the Westside Planet Alliance with the support of Washington County Solid Waste & Recycling, Metro, Portland Community College of Sustainability, Computer Drive Connection, and Marc Grambo Homes.

Save the Bees

April 8-18, 8 am-7 pm, Helvetia Farm Market, 23137 NW West Union Rd, free to attend

We are celebrating all things “Bee and Honey”! A local beekeeper, who provides us with wonderful honey, will showcase their expertise by bringing in empty hives, frames, and protective suits. Get up close and personal with the fascinating world of bees as we offer a unique opportunity to observe a live hive through a clear enclosure. Don’t miss out on this educational experience and make sure to shop all our wonderful bee and honey-themed products!

Goosechase Washington County

Join a virtual scavenger hunt to celebrate Earth Month! Download the Goosechase app to participate in fun games and build sustainable habits. Anyone who lives or works in Washington County, Oregon can play. Family and friends living outside of the county may play and earn points but are not eligible to enter prize drawings. The last day for submissions is May 4, 2024. 

Here’s how to join! Download Goosechase on AppStore for iOS or GooglePlay for Android. Then sign in as a guest or create an account. Enter game code P8LBGG or search Earth Month (and Beyond). 

Get started on your missions! Each mission will have a task and a specific way to submit that mission for points: text, photo, video or GPS/location check-in. Example: Post a picture of an item from your recycling bin that should have been in the garbage on the app. All missions are voluntary. You can choose which ones you want to try. Points are awarded based on the difficulty of the mission. Challenge others to see who can complete the most missions and earn the most points. Visit the Goosechase webpage to learn more.

All missions are either located in Washington County, Oregon or can be completed online. There are many different missions for you to try! Here are just a few examples: Take a selfie with your favorite house plant! Borrow/replace a book from a Little Free Library. Attend PlanetCon, a community collection event, and share one thing you learned. 

All submissions that require sensitive participant information, such as the Prizes-Drawings mission for contact information, will automatically be private and only be used to award prizes. All other mission submissions will be public for other participants to view to maintain a fun and competitive environment.

Anyone who lives or works in Washington County, Oregon is eligible for prizes. All eligible participants who submit at least two missions can be entered for a drawing. Eligible participants who want to be entered for a drawing must complete at least two missions and also complete the mission titled Prizes-Drawings.

There will be several drawings for fun “zero-waste” prizes such as, travel utensil kits, metal boba straws, travel tea mugs, collapsible to-go containers, silicone snack bags and silicone food coverings. Still have questions? Contact recycle@WashingtonCountyOR.gov

SOLVE Oregon Spring Cleanup

Join us in celebrating Earth Day across the region by participating in the Oregon Spring Cleanup. This is your chance to contribute to environmental conservation efforts and positively impact our planet. As volunteer projects are added, they will be listed here. Several events are already listed in our area. Enter your zip code in the Advanced Search tool to find one that appeals to you and your family. 

Recycling Update

Washington County Solid Waster & Recycling publishes a newsletter with tips, events, and useful information for everyone who wants to contribute LESS to the waste stream. This month’s edition includes “Where does it go?” facts about recycling; tips to prevent food going bad; meal prep ideas; and a note about Food Waste Prevention Week, April 1-7. Sign up here (note: the link offers many options so be sure to check the one you need.)