Good and Green March Newsletter

Issue 47 | March 2023

Good and Green News & Updates

Visit the Sunrise Good and Green Webpage

We Look Forward to Seeing You at the Sunrise Earth Day Festival 2023!

This year, we rally behind the international theme “Invest In Our Planet”, which highlights the importance of dedicating our time, resources, and energy to solving climate change and other environmental issues. Investing in our planet is necessary to protect it and the best way to pave a path towards a prosperous future.

Saturday, March 25

10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Sawgrass Sanctuary

237 North New River Circle

Free admission!

Sunrise Earth Day Event Flyer [PDF]

Are You Tuning in to "Flip My Florida Yard"?

Emmy® award-winning director Chad Crawford has teamed up with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to show how homeowners can create a landscape that is more in tune with Florida’s natural environment using drought-tolerant plants and water-saving techniques. “Most people want an environmentally-friendly yard, they just don’t quite know how to go about doing it,” says Crawford. “Well, this series is going to show you how to do it step-by-step.” Flip My Florida Yard is filmed in locations throughout Florida showcasing a wide variety of settings, including small urban developments, coastal and waterfront residences, multi-acre rural properties, and neighborhoods with HOAs.

Flip My Florida Yard

Sunrise Utilities Will Participate in Broward Water Matters Event

The 21st Annual Water Matters Day is scheduled for Saturday, March 11, at Tree Tops Park in Davie. The City of Sunrise Utilities department will be participating in the annual Water Matters Day event. If you at the event, come by our booth and say hello. The Sunrise Senior Center will also be honored at the event with an Emerald Award! The event is full of educational exhibits and booths to help residents learn about water conservation techniques, smart irrigation, native landscaping, and what role they play in protecting and conserving our water supplies. The event will also include a tree giveaway for Broward County residents. More details are available on the event website.

Water Matters Day

SAB Member Shares Her Experience Learning about Pollinators from Local Expert

Sustainability Advisory Board member, Bradette Jepsen, was one of many avid gardeners who attended a Pollinator Gardening Workshop at Jesse Durko Nursery in February. Attendees ranged from master gardeners to homeowners with no official training. Before the talk, a tour of the lush Jesse Durko Nursery revealed stunning plant groupings from native to tropical plants, home to many butterflies and birds. The workshop emphasized the importance of native plants in attracting pollinators, including bees, butterflies, and other native species. Starting and maintaining a successful pollinator garden using Florida-friendly landscape practices includes planting native plants in the right place, and no use of pesticides.

Florida-Friendly Landscaping for Home Landscapes

"All of us were there for the same reason: to get tips from Janine Griffiths of Green Thumb, Inc. [pictured above] for creating a garden that attracts pollinators” said Bradette.

Invest in Our Planet

How to Do Earth Day 2023

When we Invest In Our Planet together, we are supporting healthy, happy, and wealthy communities worldwide. Here are a few ways to actively participate at the Sunrise Earth Day Festival:

Reduce your plastic consumption - stop by the Pass Up Plastics booth to take the pledge, and receive a reusable prize while supplies last.
Plant trees or a pollinator garden - trees are one of the most powerful tools to combat the climate crisis. Get a free, Florida- and wildlife-friendly tree to take home and plant in your yard.
Sustainable Fashion - visit the Good and Green booth to test your knowledge of sustainable fashion, and get a recycled plastic bracelet while supplies last.
Educate yourself about climate change - visit the MODS STEMobile to learn about wearther-related challenges and phenomena.

If you can't make it to the event, implement as many of the 52 Actions and Tips from the Earth Day Network as you can. Each action (even the small ones) you can do is added to what others are doing all around the planet - added up together it makes a difference!

Sunrise Earth Day Plant Giveaway

The Sunrise Earth Day Festival will include a plant giveaway. This year there will be six (6) different tree species to choose from, and each species is Florida-friendly, and attracts pollinators. You will be able to select one (1) tree per household while supplies last. Review the Sunrise Earth Day Plant Giveaway Selection to learn about the options and which tree is right for your yard. Supplies are limited so please have a backup choice in mind.

See the List of Plants Available at the Sunrise Earth Day Festival!

Let's Make 2023 the Best Earth Day Ever

Join us for the Sunrise Earth Day Festival on Saturday, March 25!

Enjoy live entertainment, great food and family-friendly activities – all in a beautiful outdoor setting. The event will be held at Sawgrass Sanctuary (237 North New River Circle).

Sunrise has made some significant investments in parks throughout the City! Come see the newly completed expansion to Oscar Wind Park now connecting the park and Sawgrass Sanctuary.

Did you know? Sawgrass Sanctuary is an Emerald Award winning park!

Remember to bring your own reusable water bottle. In keeping with the event’s conservation theme, water bottle refilling stations will be available throughout the park. No coolers, glass bottles, pets or bicycles will be allowed in the park during the Festival. A bike parking area will be available.

The event will kickoff with a 10:15 am Tree-Planting Ceremony in commemoration of Arbor Day, followed by recognition of the 2023 Sunrise Drop Saver Poster Contest Winners.

Other festival highlights include a Kids’ Corner with hands-on activities, eco-arts and crafts, rides, "Fishing Fun" on the pier with YEA, and more!

Sunrise Earth Day Festival is a carbon-neutral event. Certified through Broward County's Plan It Green program.