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Bellevue proclaims Earth Day and Arbor Day; students urge local climate action
Summary
The Bellevue City Council on April 7 read proclamations declaring April 19 Earth Day and April 24 Arbor Day; two students from Bellevue East and members of Green Bellevue urged the council to deepen climate education and sustainability efforts.
The Bellevue City Council read proclamations on April 7 declaring April 19, 2026, Earth Day and April 24, 2026, Arbor Day in the city and heard public comments from local students pressing for more community action on climate and conservation.
In a brief public-comment session following the proclamations, Bellevue East High School student Killian Olo described how school and community programs shaped his interest in conservation and urged local leaders to use municipal influence to push climate action beyond the city’s borders. “If we are to minimize the impacts of climate change on our cities and ecosystems, we must work together as a whole,” Olo said. He promoted Bellevue’s April 19 Earth Day event, which will showcase electric vehicles and community sustainability projects.
Isabella Jasco, a Bellevue East senior who serves on the board of Green Bellevue, told the council her school’s composting program has become part of students’ routine and urged the city to build on that progress with expanded climate education. “Our composting efforts have not gone to waste — it’s become second nature for many students,” Jasco said, adding that the city should broaden attention to climate change alongside existing recycling and tree-planting work.
Mayor Rusty Hike read the two proclamations and thanked the students and Green Bellevue for their volunteer work and community leadership. The Earth Day proclamation noted Bellevue’s history of local environmental action and promoted community events planned for April 19; the Arbor Day proclamation highlighted Bellevue’s Tree City USA recognition and urged residents to plant and protect trees.
Council members offered brief praise for the students’ work and invited them to sign in at the podium for photos after the meeting. The proclamations are ceremonial declarations; council members did not vote on new policies during the ceremony. The Earth Day event is scheduled for April 19, and the Arbor Day observance is set for April 24, 2026.
