Earth Day is every day here in Eau Claire as shops, restaurants, and local attractions consistently work hard to make the planet happy! From eco-friendly initiatives to sustainable products to green travel opportunities, Eau Claire celebrates its efforts in creating a clean, sustainable, and efficient community. This Earth Day in Eau Claire, explore environmentally friendly businesses that bring awareness to the health of the planet and advocate for a green future! Check out seven ways to celebrate Earth Day in Eau Claire below.
Click here to check out the City of Eau Claire's green plan, climate action, net zero energy buildings, sustainability awards, and more resources on Eau Claire's mission towards a sustainable city.
Stock up on household essentials at the Eau Claire Refillery
The Eau Claire Refillery is exactly what it sounds like– a place to refill all your cleaning and hygiene products with natural, sustainable ingredients! The Refillery is located on Barstow Street in downtown Eau Claire and offers all the household essentials you could ever need including laundry soap, dish soap, wood & floor cleaner, all-purpose cleaner, shampoo & conditioner, face wash, makeup remover, skincare, body care, oral care, and more. Here's how it works: stop in with your favorite containers, or use one available at Eau Claire Refillery, fill up with your desired amounts, and pay by the amount you take. Come back when you're running low, and stock back up on all your favorite eco-friendly products! Check out Eau Claire Refillery's website for DIY events at the shop.
Shop sustainably at vintage stores
Pick out a new outfit more sustainably by shopping at Eau Claire vintage stores! Skip the fast fashion, and find pieces that are classic & timeless or a blast from the past at thrift shops with carefully curated pieces. Eau Claire Vintage went storefront in the summer of 2023, and this shop has the coolest collections of graphic band t-shirts, Nike shoes, name-brand denim, stylish hoodies, and other high-value treasures. Seven Suns Vintage is another downtown Eau Claire boutique stocked with vintage Harley-Davidson fashion, real leather boots and shoes, high-end dresses, authentic band tees, and many more accessories and clothing pieces. Check out our blog Antique Stores and Thrift Shops in Eau Claire to see more places to shop sustainably this Earth Day.
Travel with Green Fleet
Green Fleet is your go-to guy for getting you around Eau Claire in an eco-friendly. This transportation service offers luxury rides between Eau Claire and the Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport and exclusively drives electric Tesla vehicles to provide a sustainable and high-quality transportation service. Green Fleet also offers services in Eau Claire to/from La Crosse, Arcadia, Wausau, Marshfield, Tomah, Rice Lake, Chicago, Milwaukee, Green Bay, and Rochester, as well as hourly, private car services for your convenience. Visit the link to book a ride with Green Fleet while in Eau Claire!
Use the city's walking and biking trails
With Eau Claire's highly-developed state trail and local trail systems, taking a walk or bike ride not only helps the earth but is an experience in itself! The Chippewa River State Trail can be accessed from downtown Eau Claire in Phoenix Park which will lead you in multiple directions throughout Eau Claire. Once you're on the Chippewa River State Trail, you can access breweries like Lazy Monk Brewing, The Brewing Projekt, and Leinie Lodge, and you can ride to restaurants like Valley Burger Company, Court'n House, or The Nucleus Cafe. From this trail system, you can also hop onto the Red Cedar State Trail and travel to Menomonie restaurants, breweries, and parks. Maybe you're wanting to take a full-day trip on the trails, or maybe you're just looking to get some steps in. Skip the car ride, and enjoy the outdoors on the trail systems in Eau Claire!
Pick out an eco-friendly outfit at Planette Kids
Planette Kids is all about supplying sustainable, eco-friendly, and fashionable kids' clothing in the Chippewa Valley. The shop is located in downtown Eau Claire and is a bright, vibrant, and playful addition to the small shop scene. Shop for babies, toddlers, and young kids at Planette Kids and find eclectic prints made with organic materials. The shop also offers kids books, blankets, toys, stuffed animals, and more accessories that are kind to the planet!
Have a play date at the Children's Museum
As a place to play that also helps the earth, the Children's Museum of Eau Claire is a state-of-the-art attraction that's as environmentally conscious as ever. Many areas of the museum are built with a sustainable design and are now structured to be even more environmentally friendly. The Children's Museum of Eau Claire is the first two-story building in the world to use structural round timber, which is trees in their natural state. This carbon-securing, regionally sourced timber is holding up the building's frame rather than steel, concrete, or engineered wood. The Children's Museum of Eau Claire is also the first commercial building in Eau Claire to have a 100% renewable energy building and includes the installation of all electric geothermal source heat pumps, rooftop mounted PV, & battery backup. Plan your visit to the Children's Museum to experience a whole new world of play in Eau Claire!
Plant a tree from Down to Earth Garden Center
Shop at the neverending plant nursery and garden shop at Down to Earth, and pick the perfect plant to add life to your home! Here at Down to Earth Garden Center, you'll find all sorts of plants like climbers, low light plants, pothos, mini evergreens, sansevierias, calatheas, flowering plants, unique fruit and green trees, and accessories to fill your garden. Shop for seeds and seedling supplies, or choose from a wide range of bushes and trees that suit your yard best in honor of earth day!
