Issue link: https://fredparent.uberflip.com/i/660502
26 Fredericksburg Parent and Family • April 2016 Each year for Earth Day, Marstel-Day's employees follow a company tradition of getting out into the community to volunteer on a variety of environmental projects—allowing the company to give back to the communities in which we live and work, and to make a hands-on positive environmental impact. Over the years, the company has participated in a diverse range of projects that has included removing invasive species, collecting and removing litter, planting native species, cre- ating a living shoreline, constructing reef structures and much more. These projects provide an opportunity to give back to the environment, and would not be possible without the great partner organizations in our communities, such as Friends of the Rappahannock, Downtown Greens and Tree Fredericksburg, to name a few. To see our activities from last year, visit our Earth Day story map at www.marstel-day.com/earthday/. Earth Day activities can also be done in your own backyard. A few years ago, Marstel-Day planted its own wildflower and vegetable garden at the Fredericksburg office. It offers our staff fresh produce in the summer, beautiful wildflowers, and food for local pollinators. This space was also recently designated as a National Wildlife Federation Certified Wildlife Habitat. These results show that making environmental changes can start at home or at the office. What can you do on Earth Day? You might be wondering how you and your family can participate in this year's Earth Day, and the great news is that there are wonderful options here in the Fredericksburg region! One of the key events is the annual Earth Day Festival at Old Mill Park. This is a free, family-centered event that has hands-on exhibits, live music, demonstrations, and much more. History of Earth Day Earth Day is celebrated interna- tionally on April 22. It was held for the first time on March 21, 1970, as a way to highlight environmen- tal issues and concerns. Senator Gaylord Nelson created it to gener- ate mass interest in the environ- ment and to fight the environmental problems of the day. Today, over 192 countries commemorate this day and it is coordinated by the Earth Day Network (earthday.org). Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marstelday Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MarstelDay/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/MarstelDay Earth Day Tradition 's This year, we at Marstel-Day are looking forward to another great year celebrating Earth Day. We'll be partnering with several local organiza- tions on projects that involve tree planting in Fredericksburg, assembling platforms at a national wildlife refuge, creating trails around the region and much more. We'll be sharing our experiences on social media, so be sure to follow along! Marstel-Day is an environmental consulting company based in Fredericksburg that offers a variety of innovative solutions to business, government and nonprofit clients. This year the event will be held Saturday, April 23, 11am - 4pm To learn more, visit www.earthday fred.com. Sponsored Material