‘We only get one Earth’: Danbury area to celebrate Earth Day
After a long COVID-19 winter, the Danbury area is looking forward to celebrating Earth Day by getting outside. Towns and agencies throughout the region have set up a variety of outdoor activities for all skill levels and ages. From hikes to nature-themed arts and crafts to community clean-ups, this year’s festivities provide pandemicfriendly ways to celebrate our planet.
Living in a pandemic for the past 13 months has created a boom of outdoor activity, and emphasized to some the importance of protecting the planet.
“The whole point that we’re trying to push for Earth Day is we want to keep our Earth green and clean,” said youth advocate Kathy Jackson at the New Milford Youth Agency, who is overseeing a park cleanup for high school students in town.
“We only get one Earth, so we need to do better.”
Here are several ways to get involved in the celebrations next week:
BROOKFIELD
The Arbor Day Foundation and Brookfield Conservation Commission will hold a joint Arbor Day Earth Day event at the Gurski Homestead at 2 p.m.
Saturday. There will be a limited number trees to plant there, but participants can also participate in other activities like a bluebird house giveaway.
The library will also be hosting a drop-by event from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. with various activity stations to provide kids some Earth Day fun. The library plans to have a nature-themed scavenger hunt, an “Earth Moss Ball” craft station, and stories.
DANBURY
Housatonic Habitat for Humanity will explore sustainable ways to change the world with free events to celebrate the environment over the coming weeks.
The ReStore Upcycle Challenge 2021 will be held
9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at Housatonic Habitat ReStore. The challenge brings do-it-yourself enthusiasts and novices together to transform items found in ReStore’s 10,000 squarefoot resale warehouse into one-of-a-kind designer pieces.
An Earth Day DIY Paint Demonstration with FOXTROT HOME will be held
11 a.m. to noon Saturday at the ReStore. Learn about the art of chalk painting furniture from Foxtrot Home at this free event.
A pollinator gardening program will be held on at
10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, May 1 at Housatonic Habitat ReStore. Learn everything how to create your own pollinator garden. Sustainable gardening includes pollinator gardens that are good for nature’s birds and bees.
An Eco-Shred event will be held on at 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Saturday, May 1 at Housatonic Habitat ReStore. Housatonic Habitat has boxes for donation to Housatonic Habitat — $15 per box, $15 per large garbage bag and $10 for a small garbage bag.
An outdoor living program will be held at 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, May
8 at Housatonic Habitat ReStore. Participants can see all the outdoor living furniture and other items for the upcoming outdoor season and enter the free raffle to win a “Outdoor Living” prize pack presented by Lapine, Inc.
Annual Northern Fairfield County Association of Realtors Donation Drive will be held 9:30 a.m. to
1:30 p.m. Saturday, on May
15 at NFCAR. Local realtors sponsor their annual donation pick up of home goods, construction materials and furniture for Housatonic Habitat’s ReStore thrift warehouse to benefit affordable workforce housing in Bethel.
The association will hold another drive from 9:30 a.m to 1:30 p.m Saturday, June 19 at Pamby Motors. This drive will benefit affordable workforce housing in Ridgefield.
NEW FAIRFIELD
The Candlewood Valley Regional Land Trust will host an Earth Day Hike at Pootatuck Preserve on Saturday. The two-hour hike, led by Nicole Vesey, will begin at 10 a.m. with participants meeting at Squantz Pond’s lower parking lot entrance. Adults, dogs and children are welcome and participants are encouraged to bring their own snacks, water and face masks.
NEW MILFORD
The New Milford Youth Agency will host an Earth Day clean-up at Harrybrooke Park for high schoolers from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday.
State Rep. Billy Buckbee, R-New Milford, will cook a tasty treat on the grill for those in attendance, said youth advocate Kathy Jackson.
Jackson said about five people have registered so far, but they’re hoping to see 10 to 20 youth volunteers next week.
“The kids seem very passionate about keeping their community clean,” she said.
The Parks and Recreation Department will also be hosting a free event at Lynn Deming from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday. The schedule includes a nature walks, scavenger hunt, planting, painting, chalk drawing, and a visit with baby goats.
Redding
Redding is holding it’s annual Mt. Trashmore Day on Saturday. Community members will gather to pick up roadside litter and construct a mountain of it in a dumpster. Once the mess is in the dumpster, it is weighed and hauled away.
The event will start at 9 a.m. on the town green and last until about 2:45 p.m. Participants are given a vest, gloves and trash bags. According to a town Facebook post, the community has collected close to a ton’s worth of trash in previous years.
RIDGEFIELD
While the Caudatowa Garden Club of Ridgefield has opted to once again cancel its Rid Litter Days amid the coronavirus pandemic, members are hoping residents will take it upon themselves this Earth Day to pick up any litter that they may find around town.
The club typically designates days around Earth Day to invite residents to rid the streets of trash. Marked collection points are set up around town to aggregate the litter, which is then bagged and picked up by the town’s garbage trucks.
In addition to promoting an interest in and knowledge of gardening and horticulture, Caudatowa’s goal is to beautify and improve the community and develop an appreciation of and concern for natural resources.
SHERMAN
The Naromi Council of the Northwest Connecticut Land Conservancy will host an Earth Day Roadside Clean-Up to spruce up the roadsides and trail heads of Sherman preserves on Saturday. Those looking to participate are asked to call 860-927-1927 or email info@ctland.org. More information is available at ctland.org/earthdayroadside-clean-up.