Earth on Us at the Washington County Fair

July 31 – August 2, 2026 | Washington County Fair, Minnesota

Over three days at the Washington County Fair, Daniel hosted an Earth on Us tabling event in the 4-H Lounge, inviting fairgoers of all ages to stop by, play, and learn simple everyday actions that protect the planet.

A Busy Table in the 4-H Lounge

The Earth on Us table sat right inside the 4-H Lounge, alongside Washington County 4-H displays and Beyond Ready banners. Kids, parents, and grandparents pulled up chairs throughout the day, and many stayed far longer than they expected once they picked up the sorting cards.

Playing the Recycle Right Game

The Recycle Right game was the highlight for most visitors. Using the color-coded paper, compost, glass, plastic, and metal bins, players drew everyday items and decided where each one belongs. Some answers surprised people — greasy pizza boxes, shredded newspaper, and plastic drink cups are common recycling mistakes.

• Sorting everyday items into paper, compost, glass, plastic, metal, and trash
• Learning which "recyclable-looking" items actually belong in the garbage
• Signing the Recycle Right pledge and taking home an Earth on Us button
• Scanning the QR code to keep playing the game at home

Conversations With Families

Beyond the game, the best part of the fair was the conversations. Parents asked how to bring Recycle Right into their kids' classrooms and clubs, 4-H members asked how to run the activity at their own county fair, and several visitors talked through what their local hauler does and does not accept.

Thank You

Thank you to Washington County 4-H and University of Minnesota Extension for hosting Earth on Us in the 4-H Lounge, and to every family who stopped by to play, pledge, and talk about recycling. Small everyday actions add up — and this weekend hundreds of people took one.

Interested in bringing Earth on Us to your school, club, library, or county fair? Email info@earthonus.org or visit our Host Events page. ♻️