It’s Earth Month in Edmonds!
By and large, we are eco-conscious citizens of a magical town by the sea we care to preserve for ourselves and our progeny. We have Ridwell boxes on our porches we fill with things not typically recycled, we are active in our neighborhood Buy Nothing groups, and we give to and grab from the Little Free Libraries that dot our cul-de-sacs. We also plug in our cars, compost, bike when and where we can, and few skiers are strangers to a SNIAGRAB sale. We care deeply about our planet, and we know there is always more to learn and more to do.
This idea of more for the planet we get to call home becomes particularly top of mind during Earth month. Ed!, in partnership with the Edmonds Chamber of Commerce, the City of Edmonds, and Edmonds Parks, Recreation & Cultural Services, is thrilled to bring the first Green Edmonds celebration to town this April. Festivities span much of the month (April 8 – 24) and center around the theme of investing in our planet. Downtown businesses will post their green tips on chalkboards and have made public pledges about their commitments to sustainability (check them out below). There will also be a series of city events that will bring Edmonds citizens together to teach us all about more sustainable choices we can make every day.
Downtown Edmonds Businesses Pledging to Go Green(er)
Let’s start with some of our downtown businesses’ commitments to go green or get even greener. Keep your eyes peeled for a Green Edmonds window cling as you walk into these great places. The clings are proud stamps of their pledges. All Green Edmonds participants will also have table tents with green tips. And note—this list is far from exhaustive:
Certa Farrish Law Group
We have gone paperless and are minimizing business travel by utilizing platforms like Zoom to conduct business meetings and attend Court appearances. We have also eliminated single-use items in our office, such as disposable cups, stirrers, capsules for coffee machines, etc.
We pledge to continue to utilize recycled gold and gemstones so that our sparkle does not impact our green earth.
Crow pledges to continue to work with local artists and makers. Limiting products shipped from far away reduces our carbon footprint.
We pledge to continue to be entirely green, as we have been for the almost six years we’ve been in business. Nearly 100% of our gallery inventory offerings, vintage and antique fine art, and home furnishings are “recycled” and “upcycled.”
We pledge to look into ways to help offset the environmental impact of book production.
We pledge to continue our effort in reducing waste by recycling contact lens cases and lenses. We began this project several years ago and have recycled over 30,000 lens cases to date with the help of our wonderful patient participation. Many of our frame and contact lens partners participate in recycling plastic water bottles from the ocean. We support their efforts! This list is only a fraction of our choices to reduce our impact as we continue to look for other ways to protect our environment.
As a small business that shares the beauty of nature and relies heavily on the health of our earth, we care deeply about sustainable flower farming and the products we use in our design work. We pledge never to use floral foam in our designs and will work hard to reduce our use of single-use plastics. We also pledge to continue to learn and practice non-toxic and sustainable farming.
Fire & The Feast and Feedme Hospitality have added several plant-based options to our menu. Each location will feature at least three plant-based dishes on our menus. You can find them collectively at www.grassfedeatery.com.
We pledge to consider our environmental impact with every single decision we make, with the intent of continually reducing our contribution to climate, pollution, natural resource scarcity issues for our and future generations. We pledge to eat seasonally!
We will remain committed to sustainability by the continued use of recyclable and compostable goods, supporting local farmers and purveyors to lessen the environmental footprint, and supporting farmers and purveyors using sustainable and/or organic methods that protect the environment. We use environmentally-friendly soaps and cleaners, as well as compostable service products. Most of our products are grown and harvested under organic methods by local farms from Northern California to Yakima. When we support local, sustainable practices, we support and enrich our communities, directly paying into a better future for everyone.
At Pear Tree Consignment we believe that high-quality sustainable fashion can have a longer lifespan. We facilitate re-selling and re-purposing clothing and accessories, finding new homes for those pre-loved treasures in your closet.
Go Green with Lavender™️! Pelindaba Lavender pledges to use only its own farm-distilled Organic Lavender Hydrosol. This non-toxic, chemical-free product leverages lavender essential oil’s all-natural antiseptic and cleansing properties to clean our store’s hard surfaces, floors, and windows.
Sourcing locally! Salt & Iron will partner with and order all meat products from Preservation Meat Collective.
At Vinbero, we source sustainable and climate-friendly wine, and we support local, artisan, socially responsible vendors for both food and drink.
We pledge to reduce single-use-waste by encouraging the use of ceramic cups and offering a discount to customers that bring personal mugs. We have also reduced our trash footprint by using compostable to-go cups for over a decade!
Other Green Edmonds participants: Anchor Chic Consignment, ARTspot, Bench & Board, Edmonds Vitamins & Herbs, HouseWares, The MAR*KET, Notary In Motion, Ombu Salon + Spa, Peoples Bank, Rebekah’s Boutique, Rogue, SanKai, The Refinery Salon, and Teri’s Toybox.
Green Edmonds Events
Throughout April, there will be opportunities to learn more about sustainability initiatives in Edmonds. Mark your calendars for these three events:
Edmonds Chamber Community Update with the City of Edmonds
- – April 12, 12:30 – 1:15pm on Zoom
- – Tune in for a presentation by Development Services Director Susan McLaughlin on the City’s visions and initiatives for climate action and sustainability.
- – Free event. Find it here
Earth Day City Parks Cleanup Events
- – April 23, 10am – 12pm at the parks
- – Get your hands dirty with your neighbors by cleaning and restoring Marina Beach Park, Brackett’s Landing, Yost Park, and Pine Ridge Park
- – Pre-Registration Required. Sign up here.
Edmonds Chamber Foundation Earth Day Art Event
- – April 23, 12 – 2 p.m. at the Edmonds Waterfront Center
- – Join the all-ages art contest, compete in a “Trash or Treasure” game, and check out a Sound Disposal Truck
- – Free* and fun for the whole family!
- *Donations to the WISH Fund and Edmonds College scholarship fund gladly accepted
Show us how you’re going green! Add #greenedmonds to your public social media posts, and we’ll share them on our @edmondsdowntown Instagram and Facebook stories.
By Whitney Popa, photos by Matt Hulbert