Portland, OR. Thousands of local volunteers rolled up their sleeves to clean up trash and restore natural habitat in places like Cannon Beach on Saturday April 21st. Still more are expected to join in when the 48th annual Earth Day is officially commemorated, on Sunday April 22nd. The local nonprofit environmental organization, SOLVE has lead clean up efforts for the past 27 years and organizers say over that time more than 112,000 local volunteers have removed over 15 million pounds of litter and invasive plants from illegal dumpsites, neighborhoods, and natural areas as part of this global event.
You can still get involved with one of many Earth Day opportunities like “Pick up the Pearl” on Sunday, April 22nd from 12pm-5pm. Another option is trail beautification in Scappoose, or planting native species in Oregon City. Below is a list of some SOLVE volunteer options for Earth Day:
If you need inspiration, here’s a look at some of the good work done by volunteers on Saturay, April 21st.
Work is done at Willow Creek by Five Oaks-Triple Creek Neighbors and helpers from Tualatin Hills Park & Recreation District.
Trimming branches at Willow Creek
Cleaning up in Forest Park
The big crew at Cannon Beach
The Beaverton Earth Day Mulching Event with Genentech and Beaverton City Government
The Beaverton Earth Day Mulching Event with Genentech and Beaverton City Government
South Waterfront volunteers receive instructions
Friends of Riverplace are busy
Friends of Riverplace haul trash away.
SOLVE expects to gather 47,000 pounds of trash thanks to the Earth Day 2018 efforts of over 5,000 local people.
From SOLVE:
Our Mission Is Simple.
SOLVE is a statewide, 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with a mission to bring Oregonians together toimprove our environment and build a legacy of stewardship. We are dedicated to developing relationships among different groups, individuals, and businesses in pursuit of a common goal: to protect and preserve the places that make up our uniquely beautiful home. SOLVE mobilizes one of Oregon’s largest volunteer networks to clean up our beaches, parks, neighborhoods, and other natural spaces through litter cleanups, invasive plant removal, planting native trees and shrubs, and other environmental projects. We annually support nearly 30,000 volunteers in 900 projects throughout the state.
Originally called S.O.L.V. (Stop Oregon Litter and Vandalism), SOLVE was founded by Governor Tom McCall and other community leaders in 1969 to address the need for community action in our ever-growing state.
Portland, OR. Oregonians came out in force on Earth Day. Over 5,800 SOLVE volunteers picked up 35 tons of trash and debris from 162 sites including neighborhoods, school grounds and natural areas around the state like Kelley Point Park. Invasive non-native plants were cleared from 10 acres, and 2,690 native trees and shrubs were planted on April 22nd.
Volunteers collect trash at Kelley Point Park.
Portland General Electric volunteers Sunny and Terry help out at Tryon Creek State Park.
Youth leaders with SOLVE and SPLASH pitching in for Earth Day in Hillsboro, Oregon.
An adventurous crew floated the river for the Sandy River Cleanup.
Project highlights throughout the state included:
In Hillsboro, local youth from the SPLASH program led a Global Youth Service Day event at Hamby Park. Over 80 volunteers, including 61 youth, removed invasive weeds and spread mulch throughout the park.
In Medford and Phoenix, the Rogue Valley Council of Governments coordinated 5 different sites along the Bear Creek Greenway. The project engaged 108 volunteers who collected over 5,000 pounds of trash, keeping harmful litter out of the creek and protecting wildlife.
In the Tillamook State Forest 63 volunteers collected 40 cubic yards of trash including 52 tires, a sectional sofa, mattress set and truck canopy. Local 4 X 4 clubs, the Oregon hunters Association, Oregon Equestrian Trails, and the Tillamook State Forest Trail Patrol all came together to help with this annual cleanup.
The other big Earth Day event had thousands of scientists and their supporters flooding into downtown Portland’s Waterfront Park. It was the city’s March for Science, one of roughly 500 taking place around the world in conjunction with Earth Day.
Many marchers brought signs, to help make their point.
Mad scientists converged on the park for the March for Science.
The Nature Conservancy offered signs to local supporters.
Portland’s March for Science started with speeches then the crowd took to the streets and marched for about an hour. Earth day is celebrated annually on April 22nd.
The idea for a national day to focus on the environment came to Earth Day founder Gaylord Nelson, then a U.S. Senator from Wisconsin, after witnessing the ravages of the 1969 massive oil spill in Santa Barbara, California. Inspired by the student anti-war movement, he realized that if he could infuse that energy with an emerging public consciousness about air and water pollution, it would force environmental protection onto the national political agenda. Senator Nelson announced the idea for a “national teach-in on the environment” to the national media; persuaded Pete McCloskey, a conservation-minded Republican Congressman, to serve as his co-chair; and recruited Denis Hayes from Harvard as national coordinator. Hayes built a national staff of 85 to promote events across the land. April 22, falling between Spring Break and Final Exams, was selected as the date.
Portland, April 22nd, 2016. Thousands of Portland-area environmentalist rolled up their sleeves to plant trees, pick up trash and celebrate mother earth. Since 1970, Earth Day, has honored sustainable programs and this year Dozens of local organizations joined in the effort. SOLVE Cleanups were underway in many areas. Volunteers were removing invasive species at Barrows Park in Beaverton. They were also cleaning up along Kellogg Creek in Milwaukie, and picking up litter in the Cully neighborhood.
Volunteers plant trees at Barrow Meadows in Beaverton, Oregon.
TriMet volunteers helped out at Pier Park.
The team from 10 Barrel spent the day giving back for Earth Day at SE Bend Park, in Deschutes, Oregon.
The theme at the Oregon Garden’s Earth Day was “Clean Water, Clear Skies.” The Earth Day celebration in Silverton, Oregon featured kid-friendly activities like face painting, music and opportunities to learn about mushroom gardening or composting.
Portland State University students promote vegan lifestyles on Earth Day.
From International Earth Day Organizers:
Over one billion people in 192 countries will take action to protect our shared environment. All across the globe, in big cities to small villages and everything in-between, people are organizing, demanding climate action, cleaning up their local communities, meeting with their elected officials, planting trees, and teaching their children to protect our planet.
This year, in a rare and special event, United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has invited every world leader to the United Nations to officially sign the Paris Climate Agreement reached this past December. It is no coincidence that the agreement is being opened for signatures on April 22nd, Earth Day.
“Earth Day is the largest, most recognizable face of the environmental movement,” said Kathleen Rogers, president of Earth Day Network. “Millions of people in dozens of different countries will become lifelong environmentalists this and every Earth Day. Hundreds of thousands will be children – our planet’s future. They will join the more than 1 billion people who already use Earth Day to focus on the urgent need to stabilize and reduce global greenhouse gas emissions, fight climate change, act locally, become climate voters, and protect their children’s futures.”
This year Earth Day Network is focusing on the urgent need to plant new trees and forests worldwide. Throughout the year, EDN sponsors and takes part in tree plantings across the US and worldwide. But this year we are raising the stakes. As we begin the four year count down to Earth Day’s 50th anniversary in 2020, Earth Day Network is pledging to plant 7.8 billion trees worldwide – one for every person on Earth! That’s incredibly ambitious, but we believe this down-payment must be made in order to combat climate change and keep our most vulnerable eco-systems from facing extinction.
“We have no higher priority this year than to make sure the United States, China, India, the EU, and all the largest CO2 emitters sign the Paris Agreement. EDN has launched a petition calling on world leaders – including President Obama — to show leadership. (You can sign the U.S. petition).We need to prove that what happened in Paris last December was not all talk. We need to take action. Signing the Paris Agreement this Earth Day at the United Nations is just the beginning,” Rogers said. “That, coupled with our global activities, will make this the largest, most significant Earth Day in years. And it’s the perfect start in our countdown to Earth Day 2020, our 50th!”
Across the world, millions of schoolchildren and their teachers will take part in education, civic, and outdoor programs that will teach them about the importance of clean air and water, how to begin a lifelong practice of civic participation, and experience the wonders of nature. In almost every country on Earth, citizens will be making demands of their governments to take action to address the climate crises, starting with the signing of the Paris Climate Agreement on April 22nd, Earth Day.
– See more at: http://www.earthday.org/2016/03/15/1-billion-people-will-involved-earth-day-worlds-largest-environmental-event/#sthash.PfOsupsW.dpuf
NONPROFIT BENEFIT TICKET GIVEAWAYS!
Sign up for our free weekly highlights for the chance to win two tickets terrific nonprofit events! If you "like" us on facebook, or sign up for our weekly news highlights, you'll be entered to win! Sign up today!
Look for another ticket giveaway soon! Are you a nonprofit looking to bolster your publicity with facebook and tweets? Email us and we'll run a contest with tickets to your event! [email protected]
