How you can get involved in Detroit's Earth Day celebration
(CBS DETROIT) — Detroit is celebrating Earth Day on Saturday and with that comes multiple cleanup events that are taking place thanks to Detroit Parks and Detroit River Coalitions.
The simple answer to this weekend's festivities are several parks are dirty and it's time for a spring cleanup.
There's no better time than Earth Day to get out, enjoy some sunshine, and take care of the many parks around the city.
"Overall, I would say the parks are fairly maintained," said Yvette Pullombass, Detroit Parks Coalition programs director.
What should look bright and clean actually looks dirty and disorderly, with trash thrown all over the place and no regard for the beautification of these parks, even though there are trash cans every where you look.
This is what inspired the Detroit Parks and Detroit River Coalitions to team up.
"The importance of this weekend is that we are having a cleanup on Earth Day at Chandler Park, the beautiful Chandler Park," said Alex Allen III, Chandler Park Conservancy President. "We do this every year. It is kind of like a spring cleanup of your home but we do a spring cleanup of the parks. That is what we are doing this Saturday.
Starting this Saturday at 9 a.m., there are designated trash pickups at parks around Detroit including Chandler Park and Belle Isle Park.
"It is important because we want people to take value in their local parks," said Pullombass. "Additionally, beautification is the responsibility of everyone and we want to keep the parks vibrant and clean."
"These Earth Day cleanups are a team effort to make our natural spaces healthier and more beautiful," said Sigal Hemy, Executive Director of the Detroit Parks Coalition. "We invite the Metro Detroit community, as well as our neighbors in Windsor and beyond to join us."
Volunteers are encouraged to dress appropriately for the weather. Be prepared for rain but also be prepared for a rewarding day's work.
"We get people from all walks of life," said Allen III. "You do not need any kind of expertise, just walk through the parks and pick up some trash and leaves and we could use your help."
Twenty-two million pounds of plastic pollution end up in the Great Lakes every year.
This is just small step to lessen that.
Below is a list of park cleanup opportunities:
Saturday, April 22
Chandler Park Conservancy
9 a.m. – 1 p.m.
12600 Chandler Park Dr., Detroit
Meet at the Chandler Park Comfort Station
Register at https://smpl.is/6ni6r or call 313-469-7414
Detroit Riverfront Conservancy
10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Dequindre Cut Greenway
Gloves, trash bags and a limited number of pickers and rakes will be available.
Those volunteering who are under the age of 18 must volunteer with an adult.
Register at https://detroitriverfront.org/springcleanup2023
DNR Outdoor Adventure Center
9 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Milliken State Park, 1801 Atwater St., Detroit
Trash bags and nitrile gloves will be provided to all volunteers.
Register at https://secure.rec1.com/MI/michigan-dnr/catalog?filter=c2VhcmNoPTI0MDM3MTY%3D
Friends of the Detroit River
9 a.m. – 12 p.m.
On-land and on-water cleanup. Boat owners encouraged to sign up.
Trenton Rotary Park, 1 Riverside Dr., Trenton
Register at www.detroitriver.org/events
Friends of Rouge Park
9 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Rouge Park
FORP will be giving away free trees in three-gallon pots.
Meet at the Buffalo Soldier Farms at the intersection of Joy Rd. and Lahser.
Register at rougepark.org
Friends of the Rouge
9 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Fort Street Bridge Park, 150 Denmark St., Detroit
Register: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfctHkg1H4huIFp85XRs4gBvRaVjG39qCVzrhRVPUbclvph-Q/viewform
Clark Park Coalition
10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
1130 Clark St., Detroit
Meet at the Clark Park parking lot.
Sidewalk Detroit
10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Eliza Howell Park and Brightmoor neighborhood
Meet at Brightmoor Artisans Collective (BAC), 22735 Fenkell Ave., Detroit
Wear boots and bring gloves and water bottles to refill.
Register in advance at https://forms.gle/gbUPdDp8X4ZXhENM7
Belle Isle Conservancy:
9:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Outside the Belle Isle Aquarium, 3 Inselruhe Ave., Detroit
Trash bags (made of recycled ocean plastic pollution) and gloves will be provided at check-in.
Each volunteer is required to sign a digital waiver in advance of the event.
Volunteers encouraged to return collected litter to the Belle Isle Aquarium to be weighed to document the impact made on Belle Isle and along the Detroit River.
Sunday, April 23
People for Palmer Park
Cleanup: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Trash pick-up, weeding, sweeping, raking and clearing.
Meet at Palmer Park Community Building, 1121 Merrill Plaisance St., Detroit
Gloves, trash bags, tools, hand sanitizer and light refreshments will be provided.
Old Growth Forest Ceremony: 12 p.m.
Palmer Park's Witherell Woods will be inducted into the Old Growth Forest Network
The 70-acre Witherell Woods in Palmer Park is the largest old-growth forest in the tri-county area, and one of only seven forests in the City of Detroit.
Aziza Fairy Forest Trash & Treasure Hunt: 12 p.m. – 3 p.m.
Bring the kids to search for the treasures: the tiny, invisible, magical Aziza Fairies from Africa and their hand-painted doors that will hang from branches throughout the forest trails.
Along the way, families are encouraged to pick up trash to leave the woods sparkling clean.
Register at palmerparkearthday2023.eventbrite.com
Essex Region Conservation Authority
Earth Day Community Tree Planting: 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Help plant more than 1,800 native trees in the City of Windsor
Meet at green space south of Wyandotte Street East between Florence & Martinique in Windsor, Ontario.
Register at https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/earth-day-community-tree-planting-2023-tickets-542823538817
Saturday, April 29
Detroit Riverfront Conservancy
Rain Barrels on the Riverfront: 9:30 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Hands-on workshop to build and paint rain barrels.
Gabriel Richard Park, 7130 E Jefferson, Detroit
Free event, rain barrels available for the discounted price of $75.
Register at https://mirainbarrel.com/signup/?action=evregister&event_id=97
