Where will you EMERGE? Earth Day 2021 Community Challenges now online!

This year, the Celebrate Earth Day Planning Committee is encouraging residents to “Live Local & Stay Safe” by releasing a suggested list of Community Challenges to get out and enjoy activities and explore hidden gems of Maple Ridge. The list and a custom, online map showing the challenge locations and more are posted at www.mrearthday.ca

This year’s activities encourage residents to get outdoors, get active, and explore their community while staying safe through social distancing, mask-wearing, and hand washing.

“Our theme for 2021 is ‘Emerge,’” says Celebrate Earth Day coordinator Leanne Koehn, “This can be seen as emerging from the cold & dark of winter into the warmth & light of spring, from the threat or damage of Covid-19 to the optimism of vaccines rolling out, or from people moving from isolation and inactivity back into their community.”

Join the Earth Day Community Challenge!

The community challenges come from various community organizations and individuals. Outdoor & Indoor Activity Challenges include hiking, climbing, skateboarding, & gardening and Community, Arts & Culture, and Local History Challenges include visiting various “hidden gem” locations in Maple Ridge – public art sites, heritage sites, restaurants with dog-friendly patios, unique businesses, little libraries, and so much more.

“It’s very exciting to see what people love about Maple Ridge,” Koehn continues, “HUB Cycling suggested lots of great biking routes, the ‘Museum Pics’ challenge residents to recreate historic photos, the Downtown BIA is launching the ‘Kindness Rocks’ challenge, you can Adopt-A-Butterfly with ARMS, and the City of Maple Ridge gave us a sneak peek at their Dog-Friendly Maple Ridge locations.”

Win Prizes!

Residents will be encouraged to take photos of their challenges & activities and post them to social media sites (Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram) with the hashtag #emergemr. Anyone who posts a challenge photo and uses the hashtag will be entered in a prize draw which will take place on Earth Day.

Send in Your Suggestions!
Know a place you think should be added to the challenge map? Send in your suggestion with a photo, street address, & description to leanne@rmrecycling.org and maybe you’ll see it appear on the map!

Hope to see you EMERGE-ing in the community!

For more details, visit www.mrearthday.ca or the “Celebrate Earth Day in Maple Ridge” Facebook Page.