Earth Day Trash Bash, is a collaboration between the cities & citizens of Clive, Des Moines, Norwalk, Pleasant Hill, Polk County Conservation, Polk Soil and Water Conservation District, Iowa Rivers Revival, Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation, and Des Moines Water Works.
Earth Week
2023
Earth
day is
every
day
April 15-22
Greater DM Metro
Greater DM Metro
Our historical Earth Day Trash Bash was modified during the pandemic and we've continued to evolve. This year's Earth Week continues to offer opportunities across a wide range of dates for individuals and groups leading up to Earth Day. After three years of re-imagining Earth Day Trash Bash and working apart, we are excited to be back together with more than 1,000 volunteers and community partners, celebrating in downtown Des Moines and greening up the entire Des Moines metro.
Earth Day is Every Day!
Earth Day in the U.S. began in 1970 as 20 million Americans, from all walks of life, mobilized in an effort to change our environment. Today, Earth Day is celebrated by more than a billion people per year in 192 countries.
Schedule
Volunteering for Earth Day is a great way to build team culture and enjoy the great outdoors. So, whether you are working remotely or in an office, a student, or living in our community...we have lots of way for you to get involved. So grab your "team" or sign-up as an individual for one of our metro-wide volunteer opportunities from April 15-22.
Our week of greening up and giving back kicks off with a Confluence Brewing Southside Cleanup of the Gray's Lake Watershed on April 15th, 9-11 a.m. Volunteers that register for this site (password: Confluence) get an added bonus of a Confluence tote and a drink after the clean-up. The fun continues throughout the week and all volunteers are invited to join in the "BASH" celebration on April 21 at Noon which includes a free lunch (presented by Iowa Rivers Revival, music, and educational booths.
Typical Earth Day Trash Bash Schedule
12:00-1:00
Earth Day Volunteer “Bash”/Team Rally (Cowles Commons, 221 Walnut Street)
Gather your team for food, music by Bruce Day and educational booths.
Volunteers that register for any of our Earth Day Trash Bash dates (April 15-22) are welcome to our free lunch "bash" (Presented by Iowa Rivers Revival).
1:00-1:30
Commute to your registered location (if your event you selected is on Friday), group photos & safety talk
1:30-4:30
Earth Day Volunteer Projects (Greater Des Moines Metro)
4:30-5:00
Clean-up, Collect Tools/Supplies, Post-Project Photos & Award Submissions (see below)
Registration
We will help you plan ahead, protect yourself and provide you opportunities to give back to continue making the Metro a great place to live, work and play in! Tools and supplies will be provided for hosted sites. Don't forget to RSVP during registration for your free thank-you lunch (presented by Iowa Rivers Revival) at the volunteer recognition "bash" on Friday, April 21 from 12:00-1:00 p.m.
TEAMS: If you have a confirmed group, and you see enough openings online, let us know and we can reserve them for you. For our Des Moines sites, we will provide a password-protected link for your reserved spots so that your teammates can each fill out their individual registration/waiver and get the confirmation details for your site. Email trashbash@dmgov.org your group details to start.
INDIVIDUALS: If you don't have a team, feel free to register for a spot on your own.
YOU-DO-YOU (SELF-LED): If our staff-led activities don't fit your schedule and you need greater flexibility, pick one of our "You-Do-You" self-led options and select the location you'd like to help at or contact us to schedule an area not listed. Don't forget afterwards to share with us how much you cleaned up and where you cleaned to help our communities reach their goals.
To find a location to volunteer, click a City or tab below to view opportunities.
- City:
- Clive
- Who:
- City of Clive Parks and Recreation
Jeff Lucas - Where:
- Clive Greenbelt (8 locations)
- Why:
- The Clive Greenbelt has 297 acres of greenspace and is considered a premier park in the metro. This trail system connects to downtown Des Moines and sees thousands of visitors a year. This community clean-up event is held throughout Clive and focuses on making Clive parks and trail areas "Distinct By Nature." We ask that each individual volunteer register themselves due to a waiver that is required at the end of the online registration process, and to get an accurate count of volunteers. A variety of different volunteer areas and activities are offered!
- When:
- Thursday, April 20, -
- Registration:
- Visit Clive Parks and Recreation online at https://cityofclive.activityreg.com/selectactivity_t2.wcs?leaguesid=1805
- Note:
- Adults 18 and older. Training and tools provided on-site by Parks staff. Volunteers are encouraged to bring their own gloves and water bottles. Restrooms will be available at some areas throughout the Greenbelt Trail (plan ahead).
- City:
- Des Moines
- Who:
- City of Des Moines Parks and Recreation
trashbash@dmgov.org - Where:
- Various Locations Throughout the City
- When:
- April 15-22
- Registration:
- Click HERE to view our openings and register online (opening end of March).
- COVID-19 Protocols:
- Please read our COVID-19 Protocols online at dmparks.org.
- Who:
- City of Des Moines Public Works
parksvolunteer@dmgov.org - Where:
- Various Street Corridors
- When:
- Throughout the Earth Month (April)
- Registration:
- Contact Caleb at cjadams-brown@dmgov.org
- Who:
- Des Moines Water Works
- Where:
- Water Works Park
- When:
- 4/21/23
- Volunteers Needed:
- FULL
- Who:
- City of Des Moines Public Works
- Where:
- Gray’s Lake Station
- When:
- Friday, April 21, 1:00 p.m.
- Registration:
- Click HERE to view our openings and register online (opening end of March).
- Who:
- Polk Soil and Water-Easter Lake Watershed (Yeader Creek)
- Where:
- SE 14th and McKinley (Meet in the NE Corner of Home Depot Parking Lot)
- When:
- 4/21/23, 1:00-5:00 p.m.
- Registration:
- Click HERE to view our openings and register online (opening end of March).
- Who:
- Easter Lake Watershed & City of Des Moines-Parks and Recreation
- Where:
- Ewing Park (Meet in Ashley Oakland Playground Parking Lot)
- When:
- 4/19/23, 1:00-3:00 p.m.
- Registration:
- Click HERE to view our openings and register online (opening end of March).
- Who:
- City of Des Moines Parks and Recreation and Confluence Brewing
- Where:
- Gray’s Lake Watershed
- When:
- April 15, 9:00-11:00 a.m.
- Registration:
- CLICK HERE (Password: confluence).
- Benefit:
- Free Confluence Brewing tote and beverage after the cleanup.
- Sites:
- Choose from Gray’s Lake Park, Thomas Beck Road, and Fleur Drive along Gray’s Lake
- COVID-19:
- Please read our COVID-19 Protocols online at dmparks.org.
- Project 1:
- North Walnut Creek Clean-up
Led by Volunteer Allan Goldberg - Where:
- North Walnut Creek (Meet at Westkirk Presbyterian, 2700 Colby Woods Drive, Urbandale)
- When:
- Saturday, April 15, 9:30 a.m. - Noon (Raindate: April 29)
- Note:
- Contact Volunteer Organizer, Allan Goldberg, 515-480-9323 or algae@post.com, to participate.
- Project 2:
- Earth Day Volunteering – woodland habitat restoration and litter removal
- Where:
- Fort Des Moines
- When:
- Friday, April 21, 12:00-4:00 p.m.
- Note:
- Click HERE for more details and to register online.
- Project 3:
- Earth Day in Action: Save the Fort!
- Where:
- Fort Des Moines
- When:
- April 22, 9:00 a.m. - Noon
- Note:
- Click HERE for more details and to register online.
- City:
- Pleasant Hill
- Who:
- City of Pleasant Hill Parks and Recreation
- Where:
- Copper Creek
- When:
- April 21
- Registration:
- Registration:FULL-Riley Resource Group
- City:
- Des Moines
- Who:
- City of Des Moines
- Where:
- Select one of our self-led locations or let us know where you'd like to clean-up around your home, business, or your neighborhood.
- When:
- Anytime you would like. These are flexible!
- What:
- This is a You-Do-You self-led option. If you are interested in helping out on Earth Day or sometime in the month of April but our openings don't work with your availability or comfort level, then we still want to provide an opportunity for you to help. Register below. You can provide your own supplies, or set up a time to come to our office to pick up supplies. After you help us out, return the supplies and submit your total hours on the link where you registered so we can show the great work our City did together.
- Registration:
- Click HERE to view our openings and register online (opening end of March).
- COVID-19 Protocols:
- Protocols
- Note:
- Minors will need parent signatures on their waivers. If you have any questions, please contact us and we will be glad to help at trashbash@dmgov.org.
Awards
Whether you join an organized Earth Month project or head out to do a clean-up on your own, make sure to share with us along the way #EDTB2023. Not on social media? Email your favorite pics to trashbash@dmgov.org . We’ll be keeping our eye out for any winners of the Best Selfie, Finders Keepers and those showing their Team Spirit.
- Show us your Team Spirit ... wear a team t-shirt, costume or anything to show you've got SPIRIT!
- Snap a pic of Best Selfie of you and your team in action.
- Show us your unique find for the Finders Keepers awards.
History
Thanks to our community's commitment to a better environment and a healthier community, over 6,700 volunteers last year cleared away more than 27,600 pounds of trash, recyclables, and compostable materials from our public spaces. Volunteers donated more than 14,000 hours to our community. Over the past 15 years, they've donated more than $1,000,000 in service and have cleared more than 575,000 pounds of litter, brush, and debris to give our Metro a spring cleaning. We look forward to welcoming everyone back in 2023 as we rebuild volunteer engagement in our parks and open spaces.
Sponsorship
We could not help our community, the Earth or recognize these volunteer efforts without the support of our sponsors. Thank you to our sponsors for helping make Iowa's largest Earth Day event a success again!
Want to sponsor?
Platinum Sponsor Benefits
Diamond Sponsor Benefits
Sponsorship Levels
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Presenting
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Diamond
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Platinum
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2023 Presenting Sponsors ($8,000 +)
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2023 Diamond Sponsors ($3,000 +)
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2023 Platinum Sponsors ($1,000 +)
Special Thank You to our Partners:
City of Des Moines, City of Clive, City of Norwalk, City of Pleasant Hill, Des Moines Water Works, Polk County Conservation, Polk Soil and Water Conservation, Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation, and Iowa Rivers Revival
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