Students and Volunteers Engage in Nationwide Earth Day Cleanups
Students across the United States engaged in various activities to celebrate Earth Day, focusing on environmental cleanup and education. In Bismarck, North Dakota, Highland Acres Elementary students went on a nature walk to pick up trash, conducted research, and created art projects related to Earth Day. Similarly, in Willmar, Minnesota, 26 students from the Area Learning Center cleaned up public parks and were provided T-shirts with African values to promote empathy and connectedness.
Educational institutions incorporated gardening into their Earth Day initiatives. Warrensburg-Latham Elementary School in Illinois planted vegetables and flowers in raised beds, funded by a grant from the ADM STEM Fund, allowing students to observe life cycles and learn about cooperation and scientific evaluation. In Chicago, preschoolers at Building Blocks Learning Academy engaged in planting activities, while residents of the South Shore neighborhood organized a cleanup effort supported by local government.
Environmental conservation was also a priority, as evidenced by the Nature Conservancy's watershed cleanup at Pollock’s Branch in Charlottesville, Virginia, where volunteers removed trash to protect the Chesapeake Bay. In Saskatoon, Canada, the Meewasin Valley Authority led a cleanup with the CEO highlighting the community's role in maintaining the valley's health. The 2023 effort saw over 5,000 participants removing significant amounts of waste.
Additionally, students from Coloma High School in Michigan participated in a National Honor Society project by cleaning up around the Paw Paw River and Lions Park, using reusable bags to minimize plastic use. Leadership Southern Indiana organized a cleanup at Falls of the Ohio State Park, collecting over 450 pounds of garbage, emphasizing community involvement in environmental stewardship.
These activities reflect a broader commitment to environmental education and action, coinciding with the release of the 2024 federal budget, which includes amendments to laws affecting daily life, such as infant formula regulations and bank rebate labeling.
