Bethel Community Earth Day, part of the annual worldwide celebration, takes place this Saturday on the Municipal Center lawn. The event’s morning cleanup and Earth Day Fair are being coordinated by the Sustainable Bethel Commission.
The observance gets under way with Trashapalooza, a town-wide trash pickup from 9-11, in which volunteers register in advance or the day of to take on any of 20 routes. Volunteers will have the opportunity to win raffle prizes and discounts donated by a long list of businesses, such as Community Shellfish, Daily Fare and UK Gourmet. From 11-1 the Earth Day Fair features games and activities, live music, snacks, exhibits of electric vehicles and tables of educational materials.
Art students from the Bethel Public Schools National Art Honor Society will do face painting and display environmental art. Electric vehicles on display will include a Ford F-150 Lightning truck, a Mustang Mach E SUV and a Fernhay cargo bike, which was developed in the U.K. for parcel deliveries in urban areas and is being tested by UPS. Ace Hardware will provide information about EGO electric lawn equipment and battery-powered STIHL tools. Educational tables will also represent several other local businesses and organizations, including Hollandia Nursery and the Bethel Fire Department.
“It takes many people and organizations to make Bethel Community Earth Day possible,” said Kathryn Hebert, chairman of Sustainable Bethel. “Special thanks to Katie Troy, a Sustainable Bethel commissioner, and to our partners: Bethel Parks & Recreation, Bethel Fire Department, Bethel Land Trust and the Housatonic Resource Recovery Authority. The work we do at Sustainable Bethel is a year-round, cross-departmental and community effort, and we continuously seek public engagement through participation and direct input in our online survey.” Ms. Hebert invites Bethel residents to complete the survey here.
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