Today is Arbor Day and environmentalists, elementary school students and politicians assembled on Wilmington’s Rodney Square to celebrate.
Vendors, like the Delaware Nature Society and alternative energy companies, handed out pamphlets about environmentalism and gave away dogwood plants. Vegan activists gave out free cookies, and budding gardeners grasped their seedlings.
"I plant stuff because I want vegetables and stuff to grow in my garden so I can eat them," saidMonae, aged five. She and her classmates from Saint Michael’s School and Nursery came out to Earth Day as part of a field trip. They were given plants and other favors to encourage healthy eating and environmental awareness.
Across the square, Jim Wylie demonstrated an electric bike meant to encourage people to get out of their cars.
"So they have a little electric motor to help them get up the hill. Our business is called Hybrid Cycles. We’re out of West Chester. And we’ve been in West Chester for about six years," he said.
There were booths for green laundry detergent and cleaner waterways. There were animal pelts and Tropo, a mascot for the Air Quality Partnership of Delaware.
And the Delaware forest service recognized the city of Wilmington for being a Tree City USA for the past 22 years.
Ashley Peebles from the Forest Service said in her ten years of experience, she’s seen Wilmington dedicate more and more resources to greening the city.
"Just like city sidewalks and street lamps are an important component of the urban environment, so are our trees, so we’re very, very happy to present the Mayor with the Tree City USA for 2015," she said.
"Trees, wherever they are planted, are a source of joy and spiritual renewal," said Herb White, the city’s urban forest administrator, while reading part of this year’s Arbor Day Proclamation. After his address, the city’s Department of Public Works carried out its third tree planting of the day.
