A Day of Climate Action returns with gardening workshops, clothing swap, disaster preparedness and more

REDLANDS, Calif. – The city-wide event 'A Day of Climate Action in Redlands' is back for a second year. Hundreds of volunteers from across the community are expected to show up on Earth Day to participate in a range of projects to learn about sustainable living.

Why it matters: From composting and backyard gardening to disaster preparedness and clothing swaps, the event aims to bring the community together in working towards local climate mitigation and adaptation.

Details: A Day of Climate Action in Redlands, spearheaded by Accelerate Neighborhood Climate Action (ANCA), will provide the community with a variety of engaging projects held throughout town from 9:00 a.m. to 12 noon.

Following the projects, participants will gather at the Redlands Bowl from 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. to celebrate with a free lunch, live music, information tables and activities for kids.

Here are some of the projects open for registration at www.redlandsearthday.org:

• Sustainable University of Redlands Farm: Learn how to turn food waste into soil by starting a backyard compost or building a worm bin. Learn how to create a drought-tolerant landscape, build a rain garden or grow a vegetable garden. Plus information on medicinal herbs will be offered at this workshop.
• Church of Religious Science: Learn about edible weeds, how to create a pollinator garden, and help clean up the neighborhood by picking up trash.
• Three Sisters Farm: This workshop is ideal for those serious about backyard gardening, to learn about sustainable farming practices and what can be done to adapt to our changing climate.
• Disaster preparedness: Learn about how to prepare for natural disasters at two separate workshops providing Community Emergency Response Team program information. One project is hosted by the Common Vision Coalition and the other at First United Methodist Church. Simpler Life Emergency Disaster Kits will be available for purchase on-site.
• First Baptist Church: Workshops on creating a pollinator garden and alternative energy.
• Repair Café at the Contemporary Club: Bring small appliances, lamps, bicycles, jewelry and more for free repairs by skilled volunteers. The Repair Café is part of a global movement to bring back these skills to our communities. This project requires you to register on the Earth Day website.
• Redlands Bowl: A variety of projects will take place at the Redlands Bowl starting after 9:00 am, including learning all about political lobbying for sustainable living policies, how to spin and make wool, how to make non-toxic cleaning products, and how to preserve food.
• Clothing swap at the Mission Gable patio at the Redlands Bowl: Visit the youth-organized clothing swap that aims to address the issue of fast fashion that contributes to carbon emissions. Participants can exchange clothing in good condition for the same number of items.

To participate in any of these or other Earth Day projects go here. Some projects require participants to pre-register.

This special celebration of Earth Day Redlands is spearheaded by ANCA and planned and organized by the following Redlands organizations: Citizens Climate Lobby, City of Redlands, Common Vision Coalition, California Climate Action Corps, Inland Empire Resource Conservation District, Leadership Redlands Alumni, Sustainable University of Redlands Farm (SURF), Treestock, and California Native Plant Society.

For more information, contact redlandsearthday@gmail.com.

Editor's note: This post was updated to remove information about free "go bags" during the disaster preparedness event.