A unifying and impactful 4th edition for the Earth Day Forum

The 4th annual Earth Day Forum was held on April 18 at Chateauguay Valley Regional High School (CVR) in Ormstown with the aim of bringing together a community committed to environmental issues.
Taking advantage of one of the first warm, sunny days after a long period of rain, more than 400 visitors attended the Earth Day Forum to discover local initiatives in a friendly atmosphere rich in dialogue and varied activities.
The event brought together 29 organizations (community groups, institutions, and government agencies) and 12 businesses to provide citizens with direct access to a variety of resources and to raise awareness of the region’s various environmental initiatives.

Concrete actions toward recycling

Several recycling initiatives have been a real success. The paper shredding truck drew about 30 participants. Coming from seven municipalities—half of whom were from Ormstown—they brought in approximately 60 boxes of documents. This service is primarily aimed at raising public awareness about the shredding and recycling process. The sock drive was also a success, with over 18 kilograms collected. These will be sent to Smartwool Canada, a company specializing in merino wool clothing, to be recycled. Finally, nearly 3 kilograms of used markers and pens were collected and taken in by Staples recycling program.

A mobilization that also translates into concrete support

Taking a dual environmental and community-focused approach, the Huntingdon Guides and Scouts, in collaboration with Genie in a Bottle, raised $700 to support their activities. In addition, a nearly full 55-liter barrel of bottle caps was sorted for use in future community art projects, once again demonstrating the community’s creativity and commitment.

A promising future edition

In response to the public’s enthusiasm, the organizers are already planning the next edition with the goal of expanding recycling initiatives and enhancing the visitor experience.

The Earth Day Forum thus reaffirms its vital role as a key event for environmental action in the Haut-Saint-Laurent region, while increasingly extending its reach beyond the region.