Earth Week at Pierce Downer Elementary

Pierce Downer Earth Week “Pledge Tree”

Our Pierce Downer community came together for an inspiring and impactful Earth Week, filled with opportunities for students to learn, act, and lead in caring for our environment.

Each day brought a new focus:

• Mindful Monday: Students created a “Pledge Tree,” decorating leaves of native Illinois trees and committing to sustainable actions.

• Tidy-Up Tuesday: A campus-wide cleanup encouraged stewardship of our shared spaces.

• Walk, Bike & Roll Wednesday: Our inaugural Bike Bus brought together 137 bikes and over 200 participants, including families and our “sidewalk squad.”

• Trash-Free Thursday: 172 students—over half the school—participated in Waste-Free Lunch, reducing packaging waste and building lasting habits.

• Fun Friday: A Puzzle Exchange promoted reuse while building community.

• 

  PiPiM

This year, Waste-Free Lunch expanded to include composting, supported by parent volunteers who helped students understand how and why to compost. Compost bins and pickup service were generously provided by Waste Not, a partner also supporting composting efforts at Whittier Elementary.

The impact was significant. During our Earth Day celebration and a single lunch period, 32 pounds of compostable food waste were diverted from the landfill. Through our “Battle of the Boxes” recyclables challenge, students collected more than 450 pounds of recyclables, and raised awareness about recycling items that cannot be recycled curbside. (SCARCE, for example, is an organization that accepts many such items for recycling).

We’re proud of the enthusiasm and leadership shown by our students and families. Earth Week is just the beginning—together, we’re building habits that support a more sustainable future.