Gear Up for 'Green Day in the Bay'

Whether you have electronics to recycle, a bike to donate or a thirst for learning about environmentally sustainable projects under way in the village, Green Day in the Bay has something for everyone.

The event, held on May 5 in , starts out with an early morning workout, then a trash pickup effort around the village and then an eco-fair, where the public is invited to learn more about environmental groups in the community. Kids are also invited to interact with nature through a natural play area made of logs and branches.

Whitefish Bay's natural conservation efforts and green spaces will be recognized at 10 a.m. that day, when a representative from Bird City Wisconsin officially , presenting signs and flags that will be placed at the entry points of the village.

Also new to Green Day in the Bay this year is a bike donation drive that will repair and distribute old bicycles through the Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin's Safe Routes to School program.

Jake Newborn, the coordinator of the program, said he usually gives out about 35 bicycles a year to qualifying students at 24 Milwaukee Public Schools sites, but last year, due to shortages, he didn't give out any bikes. He is reaching out for donations at Green Day in the Bay because his previous bicycle supplier, the Milwaukee Police Department, decided to recycle the bikes for money instead of donating them to the program.

"We teach bicycle driver's ed — how to get around safely on a bike," Newborn said. "It's healthy, recreational and it's a form of transportation."

The bike drive has been coordinated by Whitefish Bay students ranging from elementary school through high school as part of the districtwide Green and Healthy Schools program.

Green Day in the Bay is coordinated by the Whitefish Bay Civic Foundation and is sponsored in part by . Free giveaways include reusable grocery totes, microfiber cleaning cloths, live plants and bird treats.

for the full event timeline. For more information, check out the civic foundation's Facebook page.

To reserve a spot on a May 5 clean up team, contact Dave Arnold. For other questions, email GDIB@wfbcivicfoundation.org.