Clean Water Celebration 2018 Achievements
Take a look at some of the achievements from the Clean Water Celebration 2018!
For Sun Foundation’s 26th, 2018 CWC Environmental Classroom:
Over 2,000 middle and high school students and 85 teachers attended the program from 38 schools, and we had over 300 volunteers
As part of the Clean Water Celebration’s theme this year, PLASTIC DEBRIS FROM RIVERS TO SEA, the Skip the Straw day was created to bring more awareness to the problem of plastic debris, and to create an event in which everyone in the community could participate.
Over 500 million straws are used every day just in the United States, enough to go around the earth 2 ½ times. Many of these straws end up in landfills or as plastic debris in our rivers, oceans and seas.
Skip the Straw? It’s easy! Restaurants, businesses and schools are encouraged to adopt a “straws upon request only” policy for the day, serving straws to patrons only if they ask for one. Patrons of such establishments can easily participate – by just saying “No Straw Please!”
The Peoria City Council issued a proclamation at their April 10th meeting, designating Monday, April 23 officially as Skip the Straw day. The Cities East Peoria and Pekin are also endorsing the event.
Restaurants and participating organizations included Biaggi’s, The Lariat, Kouri’s/Peoria and Pekin, Avanti’s (all area locations), Sterling Family Restaurant, Alexander’s Steakhouse, Famous Dave’s, W.E. Sullivan’s, Ivy Club, Edge, Noir, Rhythm Kitchen, Kelleher’s, Oliver’s on Prospect, Jim’s Bistro, Hearth, Joe’s Original Italian, Cayenne, Thyme, Sugar, Cracked Pepper, Caterpillar/Eurest (all area facilities), Peoria Civic Center, Nick and Willy’s, Naturally Yours, Jimmy John’s/Metro Centre, East Peoria Green Team, Bradley University student group, Peoria City/County Health Department,Peoria County Recycling and Resource Conservation Department, Fine Arts and Foreign Language Learning Standards, Peoria Academy and Dunlap CUSD#323. Bradley University and Clean Water sponsor the Illinois-American Water Company.
The Sun Foundation’s Clean Water Celebration has brought environmental education to over 60,000 students in the past 26 years and is the largest event of its type in the world. The Peoria Civic Center is the site for presenting hands on learning, internationally known speakers and breakouts with animals and artists. Admission is free. The Sun Foundation raises funds for financial need bus transportation grants for attending schools …The Illinois American Water for 26 years has been the Sun Foundation’s supporting partner for the program. The program is sustained by the Sun Foundation staff, the Clean Water Celebration planning committee, program sponsors, donations, awarded grants, fundraising events and donations.
2018 Making Waves awards:
Elkay for work to reduce the use of plastic water bottles with installation of water bottle refill stations, for their support of organizations working to build a sustainable future
Marcus Eriksen (5 Gyres Institute) for his vision and work to change our view about the need for and hazards of single use plastics
Farmington High School Environmental Studies Class for their studies in environmental issues
Margaret LeJuene (Bradley University Environmental Art) for art that makes a difference…e.g., painting our storm sewer grates, upcoming plastic ocean installation at Peoria PlayHouse Children’s Museum
Peoria Civic Center for their continued work to make sustainable changes in waste reduction…supporting zero waste events, reducing the use of single use plastics
Baylee Ritter for speaking up and out to encourage the development of tools to improve ocean management practices that incorporate ecological limits and climate change.
Trees Forever for their work ensuring that our “hardest working residents”, trees, survive to sustain our lives here on this planet, Earth
Videos from the Event
Save the Date!
The 27th annual Clean Water Celebration will take place April 28-29, 2019, with keynote speaker Hannah Testa.
