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Home  < Activities & Programs  < Special Events  
    

2009 Minneapolis Earth Day really cleans up – literally!

More than 2,000 volunteers joined their neighbors on April 18th and removed over 20,000 pounds of trash from their neighborhoods, parks and watersheds at 41 locations throughout Minneapolis.

Thank you to all volunteers, coordinators and sponsors for helping keep Minneapolis a beautiful place to live, work and play!

To expand the image click on the desired photo in the slideshow.

Check back soon for details on the 2010 event.

If you are interested in helping coordinate a clean up site in your neighborhood, please contact Arik at 612-230-6484 or arudolph@minneapolisparks.org.

We would like to thank volunteers from following organizations for coordinating 2009 Clean Up sites:

Anthony Middle School Community Education Kenny Neighborhood Association
Armatage Community & Montessori School Community Education Latinos En Accion
Bottineau Neighborhood Association Luther Memorial Lutheran Church 
Cargill Marcy-Holmes Neighborhood Association 
Citizens for the Minnehaha Creek Corridor Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board Youthline
Columbia Park Neighborhood Association Prospect Park East River Road Improvement Association
East Harriet Farmstead Neighborhood Association and Linden Hills Neighborhood Council Shingle Creek Neighborhood Association
Folwell Neighborhood Association Solomons Porch community
Fulton Neighborhood Association  Spirit Garage
Hale, Page, and Diamond Lake Community Association (HPDL) Webber-Camden Neighborhood Organization
Hawthorne Environment Committee West Bank Community Coalition.
Jacob’s Well  West Calhoun Neighborhood Council 

 

2009 Clean Up Sites

Armatage Park 2500 57th St. W McRae Park 906 47th St. E
Cedar Lake Cedar Lake Pkwy & 25th St. W Minnehaha Park 4801 Minnehaha Ave. S
Columbia Park Columbia Pkwy & 35 Ave NE, playground parking lot Minnehaha Parkway Minnehaha Pkwy & 11th Ave. S
Creekview Park 5001 Humboldt Ave. N ML King Park 4055 Nicollet Ave. S
Dairy Queen  4719 Lyndale N North Mississippi Park 4900 Mississippi Ct. N
East River Parkway  E River Pkwy & Franklin Ave.  Nokomis Park 2401 Minnehaha Pkwy. E
Farview Park 621 29th Ave. N North Commons Park 1801 James Ave. N
Father Hennepin Bluffs Park 100 6th Ave. SE Pearl Park 414 Diamond Lake Rd. E
Folwell Park 1615 Dowling Ave. N Pershing Park 3523 48th St. W
Gluek Park 1926 Marshall St. NE Phillips Park - Club Youthline 2323 11th Ave. S
Green Central Gym 3400 4th Ave. S Powderhorn Park 3400 15th Ave. S
J.D. Rivers Picnic Site Glenwood Ave. & Washburn Ave. N Riverside Park 2820 8th St. S
Kenny Park 1328 58th St. W Sibley Park 1900 40th St. E
Kenwood Park 2101Franklin Ave. W Stewart Park 2700 12th Ave. S
Lake Calhoun West Calhoun Pkwy & 32nd St. W Theodore Wirth Park 3200 Glenwood Ave., Wirth Beach parking lot
Lake Calhoun  East Calhoun Pkwy & 32nd St. W West River Parkway W River Pkwy & 24th St. 
Lake Harriet 4135 Lake Harriet Parkway, Band Shell parking lot West River Parkway W River Pkwy & 36th St.
Linden Hills Park 3100 43rd St. W West River Parkway W River Pkwy & 44th St.
Loring Park 1382 Willow St West River Parkway 500 W River Pkwy. N, Mill Ruins parking lots
Lynnhurst Park 1345 W Minnehaha Pkwy Webber Park 4400 Dupont Ave. N
Luxton Park 112 Williams Ave SE    

About the Earth Day Clean Up

A collaborative effort between the Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board (MPRB) and City of Minneapolis Solid Waste and Recycling, the Minneapolis Earth Day Watershed Clean Up was initiated in 1995 to draw attention to the water quality improvement needs of Minneapolis’ lakes and the effects that individual actions have on urban water quality.

The goal of Earth Day is to provide both a volunteer experience and environmental education to Minneapolis residents and park users who participate in the event. This annual event involves cleaning major watersheds and water bodies in the City of Minneapolis including: the Chain of Lakes, Lake Nokomis, Lake Hiawatha, Powderhorn Lake, Diamond Lake, Shingle Creek, Minnehaha Creek, Bassett’s Creek and the Mississippi River. 

Environmental Education is a key part of the Clean Up. Onsite programs offer volunteers the opportunity to learn about various issues effecting our environment and community today. The programs are interactive and geared for individuals of all ages.

Past programs included:

  • River/Stream water testing presentations
  • Stream erosion/pollution presentations
  • Recycled art programs for youth
  • Birdhouse building
  • Wildlife effects of pollution
  • Water-cycle education games

Going back to the year 2000, take a look at what we have done!

YEAR
SITES
VOLUNTEERS
TRASH REMOVED (in pounds)
2000
10
1,354
7,800+
2001
9
724
7,000+
2002
11
969
No Data
2003
11
710
4,800+
2004
11
953
No Data
2005
13
974
7,320+
14
1,364
13,200+
24
2,059
17,200+
36
2,859
22,500+
41
2,000+
20,000+

This event would not be possible without the support and contributions from individual volunteers, neighborhood groups supported by the Neighborhood Revitalization Program, private businesses, non-profit agencies and community service organizations. The Minneapolis Recycle Run also serves as a fundraiser for future Earth Day Clean Up efforts. This year’s event is Sunday, April 19, at Lake Harriet. More information

2009 PRESENTING PARTNERS


Cargill Minnesota Twins Xcel Engery Center Toyota


2009 SUPPORTING SPONSORS


Aveda Friends of the Mississippi River REI NRP Bryn Mawr Soap Common Roots Cafe Barr
Kowalski’s Markets Blue Sky Guide Peace Coffee Clean City Hennepin County Marathon Sports Panera Bread

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