The City of Cornwall is hosting a variety of activities for Earth Week 2023. Learn how you can take action during this year's Earth Week, from April 17 - 22. There are many opportunities to get involved, from Cornwall’s Gives a Shirt initiative to Eco Day activities and public speaking events, there's something for everyone.

Cornwall Give a Shirt – Spring Collection

The City of Cornwall, throughout the whole week, will be hosting a community-wide textile collection called Cornwall Gives a Shirt – Spring edition! Set out bags of gently used clothing, linens, and footwear on your regular collection day during the week the week of April 17-22. Be sure to mark these bags with a large and clear sign marked with "Cornwall Gives A Shirt."

If you missed your collection date or have additional items to add to the program, you can also bring donations to the City of Cornwall’s EcoDay at Lamoreaux Park on April 22nd.

For the Spring collection, residents should donate summer and spring items which will prevent our partners like New for You (Agape), Salvation Army and Serendipity Boutique from holding onto fall or winter clothing. Don’t worry, you’ll still be able to donate those items in the Fall during our 7th Annual Cornwall Gives a Shirt Fall collection.

Movie Screenings – April 17

To celebrate Earth Week, the Cornwall Public Library will be showing two documentaries on April 17 - To the Arctic and What Lies Below.

To the Arctic is narrated by Meryl Streep and explores a polar bear family’s struggle in a frigid environment of melting ice, immense glaciers, spectacular waterfalls, and majestic snow-bound peaks. The film takes audiences into the lives of a mother polar bear and her twin seven-month-old cubs as never before captured on film, as they navigate the changing Arctic wilderness, they call home. The documentary will be shown from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Please register for this event.

What Lies Below is a Canadian documentary featuring Lawrence Gunther, a blind graduate from York University’s master’s program in environmental studies and a highly regarded speaker, writer, and radio host on the subject of fishing and Canada’s aquatic ecosystems. The documentary explores what local people are doing to ensure the future sustainability of Canada’s water and traditional fisheries. Lawrence Gunther draws on his perspective to explore and share what others aren’t able to see taking place beneath the waves. The documentary will be shown from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Please register for this event.

Seed Bomb Workshop April 18

Two free Seed Bomb workshops – one for adults and the other for children and will be held in Cornwall Public library on Tuesday April 18. The adult workshop will take place from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. The children’s workshop will take place from 5:15 p.m. – 7:15 p.m.

Kristen from Radical Roots will be sharing detailed information about seed bombs and what benefits people get from planting them.

Participants will be able to their very own seed bombs to take them home and plant.

The Children's workshop is open to any child 3 and over.

The maximum number of participants per workshop is 50. These will last two hours. Please register for this event.

Addressing Climate Change – April 20

Come learn more about the impact of climate change on the world and the ways that small local organizations can help mitigate it. CBC television and radio journalist Laura Lynch will present a virtual lecture on the issue from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Benson Centre. Please register for this event.

Eco Printing Workshop – April 21

Discover and practice the art of eco-printing on paper with fiber artist Janet Tulloch. Learn a simple bookbinding technique to turn your prints into mini journal covers.

You will leave the event with one mini journal and two additional eco-prints that you can later use as cards, more book covers, or simply frame them as mini works of art.

The workshop will take place at the Cline House studio on April 21, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and costs $25 + HST. Included in the price are all the materials needed. Please register for this event.

Earth Day Clean-Up April 21

It's Earth Day, so you know what that means? It's time to roll up your sleeves and help spring-clean our City. City of Cornwall staff will be participating in clean-ups to remove litter across the City from noon until 1pm. Local residents are also invited to participate. Plan on doing your own clean-up on Earth Day? Make sure to send us your photos at fracine@cornwall.ca

3rd Annual Eco-Day – April 22

Earth Week will culminate with the 3rd Annual Eco Day. From 10 am to 2 pm, residents are invited to Lamoureux Park, where several all-ages activities and information booths will be taking place. These include a landfill diversion challenge as well as other educational activities.

The St. Lawrence River Institute, Cornwall’s Youth for Climate Action Working Group, Transition Cornwall+, SDG Butterflyway Project, and Cornwall Transit are some of the organizations participating in Eco Day at Lamoureux Park.

Raisin Region Conservation Authority will be hosting their annual tree giveaway and the City will be accepting drop-offs for Give A Shirt as well as the following recyclables: batteries, eye glasses, light bulbs, printer ink, small electronics (nothing bigger than a bread box please).

To register for any of Cornwall’s 2023 Earth Week events and activities go to Cornwall Ontario Canada online:

https://www.cornwall.ca/en/live-here/earth-week.aspx