Celebrating Earth Day: St. Paul’s 38th Annual Citywide Spring Cleanup

This weekend, the City of St. Paul held its 38th annual Citywide Spring Cleanup. The event calls on volunteers to pick up litter in the City’s parks and streets to celebrate Earth Day and to tidy up before the warmer weather ahead. Volunteers gathered at 25 different sites around the City and were equipped with bags, gloves, and coffee before heading out.

Earth Day is an annual event celebrated on April 22nd, dedicated to raising awareness and promoting environmental protection and sustainability. It serves as a reminder of the importance of preserving the Earth's natural resources, ecosystems, and biodiversity, as well as addressing environmental challenges such as pollution, climate change, deforestation, and habitat destruction.

The first Earth Day was organized in 1970 by Senator Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin, who sought to channel the growing public concern about environmental issues into a national movement. On April 22, 1970, millions of people across the United States participated in rallies, demonstrations, and educational activities to advocate for environmental conservation and policy reform.

Since then, Earth Day has grown into a global event, with millions of people in over 190 countries participating in various activities such as tree planting, beach cleanups, recycling drives, environmental education workshops, and advocacy campaigns. It serves as a platform for individuals, communities, organizations, and governments to come together to take action on environmental issues and promote sustainable practices.

The St. Paul Spring Cleanup Event is just one way to get involved in Earth Day festivities. If you missed it this year – don’t worry. You can join for the 39th annual event in 2025! To learn more, click here.