Pierce County is hosting the Third Annual Earth Day Celebration from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. on April 12 at Meridian Habitat Park in South Hill Puyallup. Join us for an exciting afternoon of nature-based and climate action activities from various community partners. The event will also feature two bilingual mindfulness walks, a free tree giveaway, and so much more. Learn more and register at this link to enter a prize drawing.    

Check out Pierce County’s Earth Month webpage to find more resources and activities, and to learn about community organizations you can get involved with.  

Food Waste Prevention Week

Pierce County is proud to join more than 700 partners across the country to support Food Waste Prevention Week, a week-long awareness campaign to inspire cultural changes that reduce food waste at home, at work, and in our communities. Reducing wasted food:

Saves money

A family of four can save between $1,500-$3,000 per year by reducing wasted food.

Conserves resources

Land, water, energy, and human resources are used to grow, package, and transport food.

Improves food access

Safe and nutritious food can be better utilized to strengthen food access in our communities.

Food waste in landfills releases methane gas, a significant contributor to climate change. By working together to divert good food from landfills, we conserve resources, reduce environmental impacts, and build stronger, more resilient communities. Find resources to help reduce food waste here!

Please do not throw unused or expired medicine in the trash or flush it down the toilet. Washington State has a free medication return program. Unused or expired medications, including pet medications, can be returned to area kiosks or via postage-paid return envelopes! Visit MedTakeBackWashington.org to find a list of accepted items, kiosk locations and hours, or to order mail-back supplies.

Super recycler's tip:

Empty over-the-counter plastic pill bottles can go in curbside recycling, but empty prescription bottles are not recyclable in Pierce County.  

Do you have a recycling question? Send it to us at PCRECYCLE@PierceCountyWa.gov. We’ll send you a direct response and your question may appear in a future newsletter!

Gear up for Bike Month This May

Join us in celebrating Bike Month! Here are three quick ways to get involved: 

1. Check RideTogetherPierce.com/Bike to tips and tricks on traveling by bike, local bike groups and the Pierce County Bike Map. New to biking? The “First Time Riders Guide” will get you started! Is your destination far away? Consider bringing your bike on the bus or train.

Learn about Composting, Recycling in April

Learn with us in April as we continue our Dig into Composting series and begin our Breaking Through Recycling Confusion series!

View the full schedule and register at PierceCountyWa.gov/EarthMattersSeries.

Compost Clinic

6-7 p.m. April 16

Virtual: Zoom

Overview of Composting Methods

10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. April 19

Hybrid: Bonney Lake Library and Zoom

Vermicomposting

10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. April 26

Hybrid: Parkland Community Center and Zoom

Decoding Plastic Recycling

6-7 p.m. April 17

Virtual: Zoom

Drop-Off Recycling and Repair Resources

6-7 p.m. April 24

Virtual: Zoom

Edible Gardens Workshops in April

Explore the basics of successful vegetable gardening with free workshops by Pierce County and Harvest Pierce County educators. 

In April, our offerings include:

• Garden Care - April 5
• Garden Bugs - April 12

Hybrid and in-person classes are offered through October. View the schedule and register.

Read with us:

• Cycling to school almost became extinct until one man revived the bike bus, The Guardian
• We Must Center Indigenous and Rural Climate Solutions, Yes! Magazine 

Do with us:

• Kids’ summer eco-camp with our environmental educators. Registration is open!
• Discover Local Agriculture- Spring Easter Ag Hunt: April 5m 1 - 4 p.m., Windmill Gardens
• Shred events: upcoming paper shredding events
• Sprinker Recreation Center: April 5, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• Dupont City Hall: April 12, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• Northwood Elementary (Edgewood): April 19, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• 14th Annual Pierce County Bike Swap: April 19, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Tacoma Community College, Lot A.
• Celebrate Trails Day: The Foothills Rails-to-Trails Coalition is rallying volunteers to plant 200 native and climate resilient trees. Registration is required. April 26, 2025 
• South Sound Sustainability Expo: April 26, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. University of Washington Tacoma Campus Prairie Line Trail 
• Learn about the new WE-bike instant rebate program and upcoming ways to try e-bikes. For Washington residents 16 and up.
• Check out the Earth Day South Sound calendar to learn about Earth Month-related events happening around Pierce County! 
• Washington state is launching an instant rebate program that helps residents purchase certain cycling equipment and electric bicycles.
• The City of Tacoma will also be launching an e-bike rebate program in April, focused on overburdened communities highly impacted by air pollution

For Educators  

• Discovering, Exploring, and Sharing Climate Resources Webinars: You can register for any of these events today, at this this link. 
• April 1 4-5:30 p.m.: Climate Adaptation and Mitigation  
• April 14 4-5 p.m.: Hope and Transformative Climate Action 
• Salmon Summit: Virtual opportunity to see scientists tag juvenile salmon. Register your class online for a 20-minute session. 
• Angel Outside: An Outdoor School Story! You’ll find the film available in both Spanish and English. 

We welcome your feedback on this newsletter! Share your thoughts via email HERE.