Earth Month

Events

• Our Actions Create Ripples: Caring for Our Water ~ Weds. 4/1 | 6pm-8pm @ Sun Prairie Public Library
  • What happens to water after it goes down the drain? Learn how our water system works, the difference between stormwater and wastewater, explore local water data, and find out what simple actions YOU can take to protect our waterways! 
• Slow Mow - Let it Grow Signup ~ Open for online registration
  • Slow Mow-Let It Grow is a pollinator conservation initiative that encourages reduced mowing practices from early Spring until temperatures are consistently above 50°F and the landscape is blooming. Click here to learn more and register.
• Flush to Faucet: Wastewater Treatment Plant Tour ~ Thurs. 4/2 5:30pm-7pm @ 3040 Bailey Rd. 
  • Tour Sun Prairie's Wastewater Treatment facility to see how this plant cleans wastewater and harnesses its power to capture biogas for use as fuel, and biosolids for use as fertilizer. 
• Rain Barrel Sale ~ Opens 4/6 for online sale and pick up in DeForest
  • Capturing rainwater from rooftop gutters in rain barrels lowers your water bill, protects our waterways, and conserves water. During Earth Month, Dane County and the Madison Area Municipal Stormwater Partnership (MAMSWaP) are selling 50-gallon rain barrels for $82 and Sun Prairie residents are eligible for an additional $30 reimbursement! Order online starting April 6th, available while supplies last, for pick up at the DeForest Yard Waste Site only. Click here for more information.
• Roots and Runoff: Native Rain Garden Workshop ~ Thurs. 4/9 | 6pm-8pm @ Sun Prairie Public Library
  • Curious about adding a native rain garden to your property to help with water infiltration, support pollinators, and add beauty and interest to your yard? This workshop will teach you all you need to know to prepare a site, select plant species, and maintain a rain garden. Attendees will have the opportunity to start a milkweed plant from seed and bring it home to grow and plant.
• Ice Age Movie Screening ~ CANCELLED due to severe storm warning

  • Settle in with popcorn for a screening of the movie Ice Age, the tale of a woolly mammoth, sloth, and saber-toothed tiger who reluctantly team up to return a human baby to his tribe while facing a changing climate.

• Repair Cafe ~ Weds. 4/15 | 5pm-8pm @ Sun Prairie Public Library
  • Gather to repair broken items, reduce waste, and share skills! Bring your small appliances, electronics, clothing, bicycles, or other household items that need a repair. Volunteer repairers will work with you to try to troubleshoot and repair them for free. Click here to learn more. 
• Bee Hydrated: Pollinator Water Station Workshop ~ Thurs. 4/23 | 6pm-7:30pm @ Sun Prairie Public Library
  • Learn about native pollinators and how we can support them. Make a pollinator water station to place outdoors! 
• Arbor Day Seedling Giveaway ~ Fri. 4/24 | 11am-3pm @ Wetmore Park
  • Celebrate Arbor Day by picking up a free tree seedling, funded with help from the National Wildlife Federation (NWF). For more information about the species available, click here.
• Parks Friends Clean Up ~ Sat. 4/25 | 9am-12pm @ Sheehan Park
  • Help care for and clean up the city's parks by removing litter with the Park's Friends! Click here to learn more.
• The American Southwest Film Screening ~ Tues. 4/28 | 6pm-8pm @ Sun Prairie Public Library
  • Told from an indigenous perspective, this film explores the effects that infrastructure, like dams, built on the Colorado River has had on its surrounding communities and ecosystems. Enjoy popcorn and an inspirational film! Click here to learn more.

Other Ways to Get Involved & Take Action

• Spring Roll Eco-Transit Challenge
  • This fun, free initiative encourages people who live and work in Dane County to swap solo drives for biking, riding the bus, walking, rolling, and carpooling more often—and celebrates those already choosing sustainable transportation year-round. Click here to learn more & register to log trips.
• Learn About Leaf Free Streets
  • Did you know leaves that collect on our streets every fall can harm our waters? More than 50% of the annual amount of phosphorus in urban stormwater can come from leaves in the street! When it rains, stormwater flows through leaf piles in streets creating a “leaf tea” that is rich in dissolved phosphorus. This "leaf tea" travels through storm sewers making its way to our lakes, rivers and streams. Too much phosphorus can lead to toxic algae blooms, low oxygen levels and green murky waters, none of which are good for animals living in the water or those of us who use it for recreation. Click here to learn more and find out how you can help!