The City of Bellingham is organizing its third annual ALL IN for Climate Action Week from Monday, Sept. 20 through Sunday, Sept. 26, 2021, to celebrate the knowledge and resources our community has to offer to address climate-related challenges. During Climate Action Week, the community is hosting fun and informative events, activities and presentations about climate actions that make an impact.
In 2009, the Bellingham City Council adopted Legacies and Strategic Commitments that include reducing the City’s impact on climate change. Three years ago, in 2018, Council approved an update to the City’s Climate Action Plan, renewing Bellingham’s commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. This year, City staff developed the first Climate Implementation Plan, which details the items from the Climate Action Plan that City staff will work on each year.
To continue this work and build upon the success of ALL IN for Climate Action Weeks 2019 and 2020, which each engaged more than 1000 attendees, the City is organizing a week of events hosted by the community, in compliance with guidelines to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Several organizations, businesses and local governments in the community have partnered to create a list of virtual and safe in-person events for all ages and diverse interest groups. The list of events includes:
- Virtual and in-person showings of the film The Hidden Life of Trees, followed by a Q&A session;
- Volunteer events such as a habitat restoration work party at Squalicum Creek Park and a litter clean-up event at Padden Creek in Fairhaven Park;
- Bellingham Vegan Restaurant Week featuring special vegan meals at local restaurants;
- A virtual Wild and Scenic Film Festival, including the documentary Chehalis: A Watershed Moment;
- Presentations about preparing for wildfires and sheltering during extreme weather events;
- An event featuring community speakers sharing inspiring energy efficiency stories and tips;
- A treasure hunt activity that invites people to share their ideas to fix the problems caused by climate change;
- An electric vehicle car show where you can learn more about owning an electric vehicle;
- Group bike rides to practice your biking skills;
- Climate-themed Children’s Storytimes, book club kits and book list;
- Hands-on workshops about building, maintaining and harvesting your own compost pile;
- An opportunity for Western Washington University (WWU) students to learn how to make WWU and Bellingham more sustainable;
- A repurposed art supply sale at Allied Arts Reuse Thrift Store; and,
- Presentations about how to live and work Net Zero in the Pacific Northwest and important happenings in the Salish Sea region.
For a full list of activities and to learn more about Bellingham’s ALL IN for Climate Action Week, please visit cob.org/climate-action-week.
