Communities across the North Olympic Peninsula are planning to spruce up in honor of Earth Day today, Saturday and Sunday throughout the North Olympic Peninsula.
Celebrations, hikes, lectures and films also are planned.
Here is a sample:
PORT ANGELES
Klallam challenge
PORT ANGELES — During the Klallam Earth Day Challenge on Saturday, volunteers will work on cleaning up beaches and creeks from Pillar Point to Dungeness Spit.
Headquarters will be The Landing mall, 115 E. Railroad Ave.
Teams assigned to areas will work from 8 a.m. to noon.
From noon to 4 p.m., a celebration is set at The Landing mall, with music by Howly Slim, food and awards.
For more information and to sign up, visit www.klallamearthday.org.
Marine debris talk
PORT ANGELES — Olympic National Park coastal ecologist Steven Fradkin will present “Earth Day, Marine Debris and Us!” from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. today.
The talk, part of the April Lecture Series sponsored by the Feiro Marine Life Center and Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary, will be in Room 205 of The Landing mall, 115 E. Railroad Ave.
A $5 donation is suggested. The program is free to Feiro members.
Fradkin will talk about the Japanese dock that washed ashore in December on the Pacific coast near LaPush. He will discuss the removal process and other coastal debris, where it is coming from, what is being done and ways to help.
For more information, visit www.feiromarinelifecenter.org or phone 360-417-6254.
Cleanup benefit
PORT ANGELES — The annual Clallam Spring Clean Up, a benefit for the Port Angeles Food Bank, will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday.
City and county residents can clean up their homes, yards and neighborhoods, and hauling the waste materials to the Regional Transfer Station, 3501 W. 18th St.
Household garbage and large items will be accepted for disposal. Yard waste, tires, large appliances, and other metals will be recycled.
The $10 admission benefits the Port Angeles Food Bank. Checks and cash only will be accepted. No credit cards or food donations will be accepted.
Loads will be limited to one per household and can be no larger than a full-sized pickup truck or a 5-foot-by-8-foot trailer. No commercial loads or vehicles.
Tires, metals, waste oil, antifreeze, auto batteries and yard waste must be separated for recycling, and there is a limit of up to four tires and four appliances per household.
Computers and televisions can be recycled at the Goodwill or at EcycleNW in Blyn. For information, visit www.ecyclewashington.org.
For more information, contact the Solid Waste Division Recycling at 360-417-4874 or visit the city’s Transfer Station webpage at www.cityofpa.us/transferstation.htm.
Climate change film
PORT ANGELES — A free screening of a new climate change documentary “Do the Math” is set for 7 p.m. Sunday.
The screening at the Elwha Klallam Heritage Training Center at 401 E. First St. is one of more than 700 community screenings that are part of Earth Night, a nationwide event organized by the international climate campaign 350.org.
“Do the Math” follows Bill McKibben, an environmental author and the founder of 350.org, on last November’s 21-city tour that helped spark a new fossil fuel divestment campaign.
The film features NASA scientist James Hansen, environmental activist Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Nobel Peace Prize recipient Desmond Tutu.
After the film, at 8 p.m., 350.org will livestream a panel discussion with McKibben, Hansen and others.
SEQUIM
City cleanup days
SEQUIM — The city’s annual Spring Clean Up program will be from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. today and Saturday.
The program is open only to those living within the city limit.
Coupons will be in the April issue of Sequim News, which is mailed with the city’s utility bill. Those who do not receive a utility bill and newsletter can bring proof of city residency to City Hall, 152 W. Cedar St., or the Public Works/Community Development Building, 615 N. Fifth Ave., to pick up the coupons.
With coupons, residents can bring pickup loads, one each or about 1 square yard, of trash such as appliances, furniture or tires to the Sequim City Shop at 169 W. Hemlock St.
Without a coupon, the cost is $10 for the same amount.
No refrigerators, freezers, paints or hazardous materials will be accepted.
Cascade Bark at 11 Washington Harbor Road will offer the facility as a drop-off point for brush and yard waste from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday only.
Residents must bring the coupon for yard waste.
For more information, phone the Public Works Department at 360-683-4908.
For household hazardous waste, use the Moderate Risk Waste Facility at the Regional Transfer Station, 3501 W. 18th St. in Port Angeles.
Phone 360-417-4875 or visit www.clallam.net for more information.
Earth Day festival
SEQUIM — Sequim Pre-3 will host an Earth Day festival at Jardin du Soleil Lavender Farm, 3932 Sequim-Dungeness Way, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday.
A $2-per-child donation (cash only) is requested at the door, with all proceeds benefiting Sequim Pre-3.
Family-friendly entertainment by local music and dance groups is planned. Crafts will focus on using recycled materials. Local vendors will have booths.
Families are encouraged to bring picnic lunches. Refreshments also will be available for purchase.
For more information about Sequim Pre-3, visit www.pre3.org.
GARDINER
Earth Day celebration
GARDINER — Wild Birds Unlimited, 275953 U.S. Highway 101, will hold its eighth annual Earth Day celebration from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday.
The event is dedicated to local organizations that work to preserve, promote and rehabilitate local native wildlife and habitat.
Northwest Wildlife & Raptor Center founders Jaye and Gary Moore will present rehabilitated birds of prey. Donations will be collected for the center.
Bluegrass musician Cort Armstrong and FarmStrong, a Northwest bluegrass band, will perform.
Clandestine Caterers will serve pizza made in their mobile wood-fired oven.
Among other groups with booths will be Discovery Bay Bird Rescue, The Wind People-Traditional Northwest Native Wooden Flutes, Chocolate Serenade, Dungeness River Audubon Center, Tribal Edge Primal Arts Training center, Trinity River Marine, Peninsula Friends of Animals, Eagle Creek NW Native Plants, North Olympic Salmon Coalition, Jefferson County Water and Beach Watchers, Wild Olympics campaign, Sierra Club, Power Trip Energy Corp., Bay Watch of Discovery Bay and artists Natalie Brown, Carmele Minor and Jason Hines.
For more information, phone 360-797-7100 or visit www.gardiner.wbu.com.
PORT TOWNSEND
Main Street cleanup
PORT TOWNSEND — Port Townsend’s Main Street Program will host an Earth Day Spring Clean Up from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday.
Volunteers will meet at Adams Street Park at the corner of Water and Adams streets to spread gravel at the park, repair garbage cans on Water Street with the PT Foundry, do some weeding and add a bench to the park.
To RSVP, phone the Main Street office at 360-385-7911 or email admin@ptmainstreet.org.
Home builders expo
PORT TOWNSEND — Jefferson County Home Builders will host a free Home & Garden Expo at the Port Townsend Community Center, 620 Tyler St., from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday.
Half-hour presentations on such topics as rain gardens, roof care, home energy, low-impact development, community gardens, solar power installations and irrigation are planned.
Booths inside the center and on the center lawn will offer information, tips and advice.
QUILCENE
Watershed cleanup
QUILCENE — Volunteers will remove trash and invasive plants from the Quilcene River watershed Saturday.
Participants will start the day with a required safety meeting at 9 a.m. at the Quilcene Ranger Station, 295142 U.S. Highway 101, before driving into the forest for the cleanup.
The Quilcene River watershed supplies drinking water for Port Townsend.
Volunteers need to register beforehand so organizers can supply tools and organize groups.
Youths 12 and younger must be accompanied by an adult.
To register, phone Jefferson County 4-H coordinator Sue Hay at 360-379-5610, ext. 208, or email shay@jefferson.wsu.edu.
WEST END
Earth Day cleanup
CLALLAM BAY — An Earth Community Beach Cleanup is planned for Clallam Bay/Sekiu on Saturday.
Volunteers will remove refuse from local beaches from Pillar Point to Bullman Beach.
A trash bag and gloves handout will be offered at 9 a.m. at Compass Rose and Ray’s Grocery in Clallam Bay, in the Hoko River area by the mailboxes in the Vista neighborhood, in the Sekiu River area at the northwest corner past the bridges and at the historic marker pullout at Shipwreck Point.
A dump bin will be available at Clallam County Park in Clallam Bay.
From 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., volunteers will find refreshments, music and a “Most Unusual Find” display and contest with prizes to follow at Chito Beach Resort, 7639 state Highway 112.
Entry deadline is 3 p.m.
“Unusual finds” also can be entered at the Dumpster in Clallam Bay.
The event is sponsored by the Clallam Bay/Sekiu Chamber of Commerce, the Clallam Marine Resources Committee and the Clallam Bay/Sekiu Lions Club.
For more information, phone 360-963-2442 or 360-963-2212.
Hoh River habitat tour
FORKS — Mike Hagen, executive director of the Hoh River Trust, will lead a tour of habitat restoration sites along the Hoh River on Saturday.
Participants will meet at the Peak 6 Store parking lot, 4883 Upper Hoh Road, at 11 a.m. for the free two-hour tour.
RSVP to Betsy Bermingham at bbermingham@anchorqea.com.
For more information, visit http://tinyurl.com/hohriverwalk.
Land trust
The North Olympic Land Trust will host two Earth Day events Saturday.
Two guided hikes of the 255-acre Elk Creek Conservation Area near Forks are set, with hikes leaving from the Elk Creek Conservation Area parking lot, about 2 miles up Calawah Way, at 10:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.
The 2.5-mile hike starts in a young forest and transitions to an old-growth forest along Elk Creek.
As part of the Klallam Earth Day Challenge, the land trust will sponsor cleanup of beaches west of Joyce, followed by a tour of the Pysht River Conservation Area restoration.
Participants will meet at the Crescent High School parking lot at 9 a.m., with return set for mid-afternoon.
Attendees should bring waterproof boots, gloves and lunch. Some snacks and drinks will be served.
RSVPs are appreciated but not necessary. For more information, email Lorrie Campbell, stewardship director, at lorrie@nolt.org or phone 360-417-1815, ext. 7.
Quinault work day
LAKE QUINAULT — Olympic National Forest, in partnership with the National Forest Foundation and Lake Quinault Lodge, will celebrate Earth Day on Saturday by working on restoration projects to enhance the rain forest and Quinault Loop Trail.
The work will be from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Lake Quinault Lodge, 345 S. Shore Road.
Volunteers must register before the event. Lunch and tools will be provided.
Volunteers can choose to perform trail maintenance such as cutting brush and clearing winter debris from the trail, clear areas of non-native plants or move gravel to trail areas to divert water off the trail.
To register and obtain a list of what to bring, visit http://tinyurl.com/d4kwjj4.
For more information, contact Sandra Miller at 360-288-2922 or Miller-Sandra2@aramark.com.
