Dudley sets Earth Day cleanup for April 18

The Dudley Board of Health calls residents to an Earth Day cleanup from 8 a.m. to noon on Saturday,

April 18, with a rain date of April 25.

This annual event sponsored by the Board of Health and the Last Green Valley celebrates the arrival of Spring by removing trash from our roadways and waterways.

Starting at 8 a.m. volunteers may pick up trash bags, gloves, sanitizers, reflective vests, snacks and water from the Dudley Highway Garage at 7 Indian Road. Trash is to be returned to the Highway Garage when finished.

Teams are encouraged!

For more information, please contact the Board of Health at 508-949-8012 or email [email protected]

Charlton Celebrates Earth Day, April 25, 2026

Charlton residents of all ages are invited to participate in a town-wide road clean-up and fest in celebration of Earth Day on Saturday, April 25, 2026, from 8 am to 2 pm. 

Residents may sign up online at https://www.townofcharlton.net/238/Earth-Day-Committee  to claim a road, or portion of a road to clean. Online registration begins April 1st; residents may also sign up in person at the event.   

Residents who commit to a road will receive sturdy yellow plastic bags, protective gloves, grabbers, safety vests, tick prevention kits and tick removal kits. These items will be distributed on the Town Common beginning at 8 am the day of the event. Grabber supply is limited; please reuse grabbers from previous years if you have them. Collected trash should be brought to a dumpster, donated by Casella Waste, located behind Town Hall. The Charlton DPW is available to pick up bags for residents who are unable to deliver them to the dumpster; residents need to notify the Earth Day Planning group at [email protected] of the exact location of these bags.

Residents are urged to use gloves to protect themselves from sharp objects and to wear bright clothing or a safety vest so drivers can see them easily.  Residents are cautioned to never open containers of unknown substances.  Contact the Police to dispose of any needles or syringes – do not touch or place them in bags with other refuse. 

While most roads in town need cleaning, some of the worst are the most traveled and therefore more dangerous to address.  If you are up for the task, but not for children, these roads are hot spots:  Route 31, Brookfield Road, Route 20 traffic lights, and Saundersdale Road. 

To encourage participation from children, Erin Anderson, fifth-grade science teacher at Charlton Middle School, held a contest for students to design a tee shirt based on this year’s Earth Day theme: Our Power, Our Planet. The winning design was submitted by seventh-grader Riley Boland. Millenium Power Company has generously donated tee shirts with the winning design, available on a first come, first serve basis, one per person.   

In addition to a town-wide clean-up, Charlton will hold an Earth Fest on Saturday, April 25, 2026, from 11 am to 2 pm. The event will feature live music, food trucks, and vendors promoting environmentally sustainable lifestyle choices. The Earth Day Planning Group invites residents to enjoy the festivities, while learning ways to help the earth, its animals, and plants. 

Earth Fest vendors include AnnieMike’s Honey, Buffumville Army Corps of Engineers, Charlton Business Alliance, Charlton Conservation Commission, Charlton Garden Club, Charlton Heritage Preservation Trust, Charlton Public Library, Eric’s Aviaries, Local 4 Life, Keep Charlton Beautiful Committee, The Last Green Valley, the Opacum Land Trust, Swampdog Native Plants, and more.  

Cara Smick Photography, Charlton Heritage Preservation Trust, The Last Green Valley, and Millenium Power Company have generously agreed to sponsor the event.

The Wormtown Mugwumps, Worcester’s premier purveyors of jug band music, and Acoustic Ruckus, formerly known as Grey Whisker Pickers, will provide entertainment. The event will also feature food trucks 3 Kings BBQ, Suzy Q’s Ice Cream, and Toasted Roasters. 

Funding for Charlton Earth Day is generously provided by The Last Green Valley.

For more information, email [email protected].