The City of Melrose will Celebrate Earth Week April 22 – April 30 with a Series of Social and Educational Events and seven Earth Week inspired Wordles of the Day and a Scavenger Hunt!
MELROSE – The City of Melrose has announced the return of Earth Week, a series of social and educational events dedicated to driving awareness to the green initiatives happening throughout Melrose and local and global environmental issues.
Earth Week is scheduled to take place from April 22 – 30 and will feature several social and educational activities and will begin on Earth Day with a Ceremonial Ribbon Cutting at the site of the 2022 Litter Letters and end with a Tree-Plenish event organized by Melrose High School’s Environmental Club.
In addition, the Earth Week Committee challenges community members to solve a series of seven earth-inspired Wordles of the Day by visiting www.cityofmelrose.org/EarthWeekWordle.
“The City is thrilled to host Earth Week 2022 and partner with the inspirational community groups that dedicate their time and energy towards reducing our environmental footprint right here in Melrose,” said Mayor Paul Brodeur. “The state of the environment and the challenges it faces is a very important issue for the City of Melrose. That’s why – together with our community partners – we are spearheading several different initiatives, including planting more trees, cleaning up the community, and offering engaging social and educational opportunities, such as hikes, bike rides, and conversations.”
On Earth Day, April 22, at 1 p.m., community members can join Keep Melrose Beautiful and Mayor Brodeur for the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony taking place at the site of the 2022 Litter Letters installation, the 3-D construction of letters erected from PVC pipes and mesh fencing created by local Melrose resident and photographer Jack Welch. The Litter Letters will be located across from the City Yard – 72 Tremont Street.
Last year, the Litter Letters spelled out the word REDUCE and community members filled them with recyclables picked up during the annual Community Clean Up hosted by Keep Melrose Beautiful. This year, the hope is that community members will once again fill the Litter Letters with the bottles and cans they pick up during the Community Clean Up taking place on April 23.
Earth Week in Melrose is brought to the community by Mayor Brodeur’s office and several non-profit community groups, including Keep Melrose Beautiful, Zero Waste Melrose, the Melrose Energy Commission, Friends of the Middlesex Fells, Melrose Pedestrian and Bicycle Committee, and Melrose Public High School’s Environmental Club. In 2021, Melrose hosted Earth Week for the first time in celebration of the City’s 10-year anniversary as a Green Community as designated by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
The view the entire schedule and descriptions of the 2022 Earth Week events online, visit www.cityofmelrose.org/mayor/earth-week/pages/earth-week-2022-schedule.
Earth Week Wordle of the Day!
When: April 22 – April 29, at 12 p.m. every day
What: A new Earth Week inspired Wordle challenge will be released daily and folks of all ages are welcome to play and solve the Wordle of the day!
Where: Visit www.cityofmelrose.org/EarthWeekWordle to play!
Litter Letters Ribbon Cutting Ceremony
When: April 22 (Earth Day!)
Where: Corner of Lynn Fells Parkway and Tremont St., across from City Yard
What: To celebrate the return of the Melrose Litter Letters and in honor of the second annual Earth Week, the city of Melrose and Keep Melrose Beautiful will host a ribbon cutting event as part of the grand revealing of the 2022 Litter Letters, which were sponsored by the Melrose Rotary Club.
Community members will be able to fill these letters with the littered bottles and cans they collect during the Keep Melrose Beautiful Community Clean Up.
Climate Action Scavenger Hunt
When: April 22 – April 29 (any time that works for you!)
Where: Throughout Melrose. To start, visit www.cityofmelrose.org/EarthWeekHunt
About: Calling all Climate Detectives! We’re in search of evidence that Melrose is taking action to reduce our collective impact on climate change. Starting on Earth Day we’ll be scouring Melrose for signs that we’re reducing our greenhouse gas emissions or adapting to an already changing climate. You may discover things you hadn’t noticed before so grab your smartphone and family or friends and join us as we hunt for specific artifacts throughout the city and online. Find the most items and your name will be entered into a raffle for $50 in Shop Melrose gift cards!
Family Walk with Winchester Trail: Registration Required
When: April 22, 9:30 – 11 a.m.
Where: Long Pond Parking Lot, South Border Rd, Winchester
About: A comfortably-paced walk along the Long Pond Trail in the Winchester section of the Middlesex Fells, looking at the meadow, woods, pond, and swamp areas. We’ll touch on the history and natural history of the Fells and the history of the early Native American inhabitants. Park in the Long Pond parking lot on South Border Road. Sponsored by Friends of the Fells. To register for this hike, visit friendsofthefells.wildapricot.org/event-4762583.
Keep Melrose Beautiful Community Cleanup
When: April 23, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Where: To view the list of neighborhood locations or add a location that needs some litter-clean-up-love, visit www.signupgenius.com/go/20f044eaea62fa7fb6-earth2.
About: Hosted by Keep Melrose Beautiful & Melrose Conservation Commission, community members can “sign up to clean up” their neighborhood or another area in Melrose. Participants should wear gloves and boots and bring a garbage bag and any other tools for collecting litter and debris. To sign up visit www.signupgenius.com/go/20f044eaea62fa7fb6-earth2.
Barrel Take-Back-Day
When: April 23, 8 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Where: Melrose City Yard, 76 Tremont Street, Melrose
About: Have a barrel you need to get rid of? If you can’t find a use for an old barrel, recycle it during the City’s “take-back” day!
History, Geology, and the Natural Environment of Bellevue
Pond Hike: Registration required
When: April 24, 1 – 2:30 p.m.
Where: Bellevue Pond Parking Area, South Border Rd, Medford
About: Explore the history, geology and natural environment of Bellevue Pond, Pine Hill and the 19th-century quarries of Middlesex Fells. Climb up Pine Hill with Wright’s Tower, Lovers Rock and a magnificent view of Boston, and examine the old quarries that provided rock for the stone mansions of Spot Pond, Mt. Auburn Cemetery and the walkways of the Boston Common.
To register for the hike, visit friendsofthefells.wildapricot.org/event-4733021. Sponsored by Friends of the Fells.
Earth Week All-Ages Bike Ride
When: April 24, 10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Where: Melrose High School Parking Lot
About: Whether you’re an experienced cyclist or just getting comfortable, bike rides are always more fun together! Join the Melrose Pedestrian & Bicyclist Committee for an all-ages, low-stress ride around some of Melrose’s parks, neighborhoods, and other sights.
Bird and Nature Walk Along the North Reservoir: Registration Required
When: April 25, 8 – 10 a.m.
Where: Hillcrest Parkway, off Highland Avenue, Winchester
About: Explore the long trails on the west side of the North Reservoir, and look for returning migrant birds, such as warblers, vireos, and towhees. Keep an eye out for resident species such as red-breasted and white-breasted nuthatches and pileated woodpeckers. We’ll pay particular attention to the habitats and plant communities that attract the various kinds of birds.
To learn more and register, visit friendsofthefells.wildapricot.org/event-4762569. Sponsored by the Friends of the Fells.
Advancing Home Improvements for a Better Climate: A Panel Discussion
When: April 25, 7:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Where: Zoom – Sign up: www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0E4FA5AC23A0F4C34-advancing
About: Join the Melrose Energy Commission and expert panelists to hear perspectives on high performance homes and the actions that residents can take to reduce energy use, lower their carbon footprint, and add value to homes and small businesses. Our expert panelists will describe the rewards of highly energy efficient and healthy homes to help you consider and plan sensible and healthy improvements. Panelists include Martha Grover – City of Melrose Sustainability Manager; Melanie Coen – Lead Residential Energy Efficiency Program Strategy Analyst at National Grid; Craig Foley – Chief Sustainability Officer LAER Realty Partners and team leader of Rethink 39 Group; and Henry Maclean, AIA and LEED AP and Founder of Timeless Architecture, a collaborative design firm.
Look Up, Step Up: A Conversation with the Extinction Rebellion
When: April 26, 7 – 8 p.m.
Where: Melrose Unitarian Universalist Church
About: Join members of the Extinction Rebellion to learn about our plan to confront the climate and ecological emergency! This talk will be about 45 minutes and will include break-out sessions. To learn more, visit xrboston.org/action/look-up-2022-04-19/
Video Release: How to Use Melrose’s Public Bike Repair Station
When: On April 27, the video will be released to the public.
About: Did you know that the City has a public Bike Repair Station at Morelli Field, on Tremont Street? It’s true! In this video, members of the Melrose Pedestrian & Bicyclist Committee will show you how to use one of these stations to keep your bike rolling all year long.
Tree-Plenish Planting Event: Replenish our Trees!
When: April 30
Where: Saplings will be planted around Ell Pond and throughout Melrose
What: To offset the paper use at Melrose High School (MHS), MHS Environmental Club student volunteers will plant 250 trees on Saturday, April 30. More than 150 trees have been ordered for private yards. An additional 100 trees have been generously donated by community members. Thanks to a partnership between the Melrose Department of Public Works, the Ell Pond Improvement Council (EPIC) and the MHS Environmental Club, the donated saplings will be planted around Ell Pond. To learn more, visit tpevents.org/school/2395.
The Melrose Public Seed Library
When: Now until supplies last and only during Library hours.
Where: Seeds are available on the first floor of the Melrose Public Library, 69 West Emerson Street, Melrose
About: Thanks to a partnership between the Melrose Community Garden and Melrose Public Library, community members can take advantage of a free seed library at the Melrose Public Library, which features a multitude of varieties of open pollinated and heirloom fruit, vegetable, and flower seeds are offered by the library for free. We are proud to have signed the Safe Seed Pledge, showing our commitment to providing socially responsible seeds. To learn more, visit www.melrosepubliclibrary.org/seed-library/
