[Archived] City of Alexandria Celebrates Earth Day

­­For Immediate Release: April 22, 2021

Today, the City of Alexandria and AlexRenew celebrate Earth Day with a special collection of resources to raise awareness of actions all Alexandrians can take for a more environmentally friendly lifestyle. Earth Day was founded 51 years ago when thousands of people came together to demonstrate and demand cleaner air and water. This year’s event is completely virtual, and features City agencies and organizations dedicated to protecting the environment.

Alexandria Earth Day 2021’s theme is “Restore Our Earth,” which focuses on being conscious of how behaviors impact the earth and taking actions to restore its ecosystems. Residents are invited to visit the Alexandria Earth Day webpage to learn more about how to help restore water, land, climate and air quality. A collection of Earth Day artwork from Alexandria City Public Schools students will also be featured.

As a continuation of the Earth Day celebration, the recipient of the annual Ellen Pickering Environmental Excellence Award will be announced by the Alexandria City Council on Tuesday, May 11. This award recognizes members of the Alexandria community who demonstrate a commitment to protecting the environment and preserving local natural resources.

Year-round opportunities to get involved include stream cleanups, becoming an Eco-City Ambassador after participating in the City's Eco-City Academy, becoming an Energy Master, and environmental education classes and activities with the Jerome “Buddie” Ford Nature Center. Residents can also attend meetings of the Environmental Policy Commission and the new Energy and Climate Change Task Force to learn about the City’s ongoing efforts.

Visit alexandriava.gov/EarthDay to view the virtual Earth Day materials, and for more information about the Ellen Pickering Environmental Excellence Award, and the City’s plans and initiatives to lead the community toward a green and sustainable future.

For inquiries from the news media only, contact Andrea Blackford, Senior Communications Officer, at andrea.blackford@alexandriava.gov or 703.746.3959.

For reasonable disability accommodation, contact lisa.goldberg@alexandriava.gov or call 703.746.4181, Virginia Relay 711.