Climate Action Week with Recreation Northwest restoring Padden Creek in Fairhaven Park!
As we have all seen in recent years the effects of Climate Change in communities around the world have had drastic impacts on the environment. Many of us wonder, what can I do to have a positive impact? There are several ways in which we can all help in our everyday lives thinking at a local level. One of which is taking action in participating with the City of Bellingham for the All In for Climate Action Week! This week-long event takes place September 20-26,2021, focusing around the theme “Actions that Make an Impact” Several businesses with a mission revolving around sustainability are taking part in Climate Action Week and you can find out more about specific events here.
On Wednesday, September 22, 2021 Recreation Northwest is hosting a volunteer event for our own participation for Climate Action Week. We will be cleaning up a section of Padden Creek in Fairhaven Park removing any trash/debris that is having a negative impact to the health of Padden Creek. While also being mindful of our own carbon footprint, all of the volunteers participating in the clean up event will be biking from our office downtown and bike to Fairhaven Park. This also aligns with the theme for the week on not using gas-powered vehicles contributing to the burning of fossil fuels into our atmosphere. You can sign up for the event and find more specific details here.
This is the third annual Climate Action Week in Bellingham, while other years have focused on education, this year the City is focusing on action. Events this year will focus on providing opportunities for our community to take impactful actions that help Bellingham reach its climate goals.
Our mission as an organization is “We promote outdoor recreation and bring people together to enjoy, preserve and improve the places where we play.” Fairhaven Park is deeply rooted in this community, and we strive to keep it in its natural state.
We look forward to seeing some more friendly faces in this community as we clean up Padden Creek in our participation for All in for Climate Action Week!

Todd Elsworth is one of the many “Mossy-haired lunatics roaming the dripping peninsulas”, described in “I’m Here for the Weather” by Tom Robbins. As executive director, he works to fulfill our mission to teach the health benefits of nature, promote outdoor recreation, and steward the places where we play.