Sustainability Commission readies Earth Day/Arbor Day booths, plans native‑plant giveaways and transportation outreach

City staff and commissioners discussed logistics and outreach for Sammamish’s combined Earth Day and Arbor Day event, scheduled by staff as a three‑hour event on Saturday the 19th from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The city will host two booths: one staffed by the Sustainability Commission and another by an Eastside Climate Partnership program staffer.

Rose said the Sustainability Commission booth will focus on flexible transportation and the Sustainable Sammamish guide and will hand out pollinator seed packs as a giveaway tied to a “sustainability wheel” activity. She said the Sammamish Stewards will operate separate Arbor Day activities: a Washington Native Plant Society scavenger hunt, coloring sheets for children, and native‑plant seedlings to take home.

Commissioners requested more detail on volunteer roles and asked staff to reserve time at the April commission meeting to brief volunteers on booth tasks, prizes and talking points; staff agreed to add that to the next agenda. Commissioners also discussed transportation giveaways and outreach: staff said students are pursuing ORCA cards and that Ambassadors are working to get youth to tap ORCA cards to record trip data.

Several commissioners raised waste and composting concerns tied to the event: whether food‑truck vendors use compostable service ware and whether the city can reduce landfill waste by encouraging reusable water bottles or distributing compostable bags. Staff said the Q&A matrix will track those questions and promised to follow up on vendor material requirements and composting options for the event.

Ending: Staff asked commissioners to sign up to volunteer; they will add booth role training to the next meeting agenda and follow up on questions about food‑truck materials, composting and possible transit giveaways for youth.