The Edmonds Downtown Alliance (Ed!), the Edmonds Chamber of Commerce and the City of Edmonds are launching a climate action campaign April 8-24. The effort, known as Green Edmonds, in a partnership involving Ed!, the chamber, the city’s parks, recreation, cultural arts and human services department and Mayor Mike Nelson’s office.

The goals of the campaign are:

• To increase visibility for Edmonds businesses/organizations that are making efforts to limit their environmental impact.
• To raise awareness in the greater Edmonds community about sustainable practices and garner engagement in eco-conscious choices.

Green Edmonds will consist of an online social media campaign along with several small community events, all taking place over two weeks around Earth Day (April 22). Followers of Ed! and the Edmonds Chamber on social media can expect to see posts throughout the campaign sharing the eco-conscious pledges made by local businesses and their clientele, as well as climate facts and practical tips to inspire community members to make their own climate action pledges.

“Earth Day is an annual community-focused event in Edmonds. This year with the Green Edmonds Campaign we are excited to have even broader community involvement. I appreciate the collaborative vision of our partners Ed! and the Edmonds Chamber of Commerce with this effort to spread the word about protecting our environment,” Nelson said.

The public is invited to participate by posting their pledges and including the hashtag #greenedmonds. Participating businesses may also choose to display Green Edmonds window clings to demonstrate their participation, and some have signed up to host a Green Edmonds pledge chalkboard on which the public can write and photograph their own pledges. These chalkboards will also be utilized at the city parks cleanup events on April 23 (more details below).

“This year’s Earth Day theme is ‘Invest in Our Planet.’ So many of our local businesses are already doing just that by taking meaningful steps to reduce their carbon footprint, and part of what we wish to do with this campaign is to celebrate their efforts,” said Carrie Hulbert, Ed! program manager.

“We really hope this is something that not only allows the community to witness the thoughtful stewardship we see in our Edmonds business leaders, but also inspires the entire Edmonds community to ‘think green’ as they go about their daily lives,” said Erica Sugg, membership coordinator for Edmonds Chamber. “We’d love to see the #greenedmonds hashtag on everyone’s social media feeds in April and beyond!”

In addition to the social media campaign, the following events have been scheduled:

• Edmonds Chamber Community Update with the City of Edmonds
  • April 12, 12:30-1:15 p.m. over Zoom
  • Presentation by Development Services Director Susan McLaughlin on the City’s visions and initiatives for climate action and sustainability
  • Free and open to all. Details and zoom link here: https://business.edmondschamber.com/events/details/chamber-community-update-city-of-edmonds-10046
• Earth Day City Parks Cleanup Events
  • April 23, 10 a.m.-noon
  • Habitat restoration and cleanup at Marina Beach Park, Brackett’s Landing, Yost Park and Pine Ridge Park.
  • Pre-registration required: www.soundsalmonsolutions.org/events.
• Edmonds Chamber Foundation Earth Day Art Event
  • April 23, Noon-2 p.m. at Edmonds Waterfront Center
  • All Ages Art Contest, “Trash or Treasure” Game, Sound Disposal Truck

For more information about the Green Edmonds Campaign, including how to participate as a local business or organization, contact Erica Sugg at the Edmonds Chamber of Commerce office at erica@edmondswa.com or 425-670-1496.