Communities' actions highlighted during Earth Day 2026

While state and federal governments, technological advances and changes by energy producers are crucial to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and other climate goals, community-based actions play an important role, too.

That's the message behind the "Our Power, Our Planet" theme for this year's Earth Day celebrations next week. An estimated 1 billion people now participate in annual Earth Day events in nearly 200 countries.

Many projects across Clark County already are working to address climate change and build climate resilience, from recycling and composting to tree plantings and river cleanups.

EarthDay.org, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit that helps organize Earth Day events, contends that clean air and water and climate resilience aren't optional but essential in all communities.

"Real change requires persistent public pressure that is impossible to ignore," the organization said in a January press release announcing this year's theme.

Reducing the demand for and use of fossil fuels is key to creating that change, according to the organization.

While Washington primarily relies on hydroelectric energy, about 30 percent comes from solar, wind, natural gas and biomass energy production, as well as minor amounts of coal and nuclear energy.

Solar energy's popularity has grown over the past decade as costs decline, even in cloudier regions like Southwest Washington. But not everyone can afford rooftop solar, making community solar farms more appealing.

Clark Public Utilities built its first community solar array at its operations center in Orchards in 2015, giving residential customers the ability to purchase a share of the array for $100. A second solar array went online at the Port of Camas-Washougal in 2024. The utility is planning a third solar array at the Port of Ridgefield.

Customers participating in the program receive energy-generation credits on their bills, based on the number of units purchased, for the life of the project.

"We wanted to pass the benefits onto customers who were interested in solar but didn't have the space or the capital to invest in an entire array," Clark Public Utilities spokesman Dameon Pesanti said.

Growing eco-benefits

Community gardens also can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions, both locally and across state lines, by reducing the need for shipping fruits and vegetables.

The cities of Vancouver, Ridgefield, Camas and Washougal, as well as Clark County, offer community garden programs either independently or through garden club partnerships.

The city of Vancouver has five gardens at Marshall Community Park, LeRoy Haagen Community Park, Clark College, Ellsworth Road and Southeast 10th Street, and Fruit Valley Park.

All sites have a yard debris refuse option, and a few sites have compost bins, although composting organic debris within paid plots is encouraged.

"Community garden programs, in general, are a wonderful opportunity for the community to become empowered and engaged and part of a sustainable system that is really fun, too," said Hailey Heath, program coordinator for Vancouver. "They're a great way for people to stay healthy and connected."

The program's 188 plots available for rental - across 1.9 acres of gardens - are very popular. Heath said that when registration opens in mid-February, the plots sell out quickly and nearly always have a waiting list.

"It is a great chance to activate underused spaces and provide this great access to fresh food," she said.

Anyone can benefit at a community garden, even those who've been gardening for years. Heath said community gardens give people the opportunity to learn about new foods or techniques from neighboring gardeners.

Of course, there are environmental benefits as well.

"People are amending the soil, learning about soil health. They may be composting," Heath said. "There are spaces that are rich for pollinator habitat. They help with our cooling or urban heat islands. And the list goes on."

Ridgefield's small but beloved community garden sits on South Fifth Avenue in the city's downtown area.

"It's a city property and was funded through a Community Development Block Grant. There are 22 plots there that serve people in the community. They can apply each year, and they grow their own food, harvest and take care of the plots on their own," said Corey Crownhart, parks manager for the city.

Even backyard gardens or fruits and vegetables grown in a pot can help, said Heather Gordon of the Ridgefield Garden Club.

"You're reducing the fuel cost of and the pollution cost that comes with consuming foods that have to travel," she said.

Additionally, Gordon said, many gardeners use organic farming methods, avoiding the pesticides and herbicides frequently used in industrial agriculture. Nearly all synthetic pesticides are derived from fossil fuels, which then enter streams, rivers and aquifers through stormwater runoff.

For a list of Earth Day celebrations, see The Columbian's events calendar at events.columbian.com.

This story was made possible by Community Funded Journalism, a project from The Columbian and the Local Media Foundation. Top donors include the Ed and Dollie Lynch Fund, Patricia, David and Jacob Nierenberg, Connie and Lee Kearney, Steve and Jan Oliva, The Cowlitz Tribal Foundation and the Mason E. Nolan Charitable Fund. The Columbian controls all content. For more information, visit columbian.com/cfj.

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