World Environment Day was celebrated Thursday in Delaware… with New Jerseyans invited to join the festivities as well.

After all, the event was hosted by the Delaware River and Bay Authority, operators of the Delaware Memorial Bridge, the Cape May – Lewes Ferry and other infrastructure connecting The First State and The Garden State. At the Veterans Memorial Park, agencies, organizations, vendors and even students spread awareness about sustainability, clean air and water, conservation, composting and many other matters.

(in this video: Silvana Dominioni of the DRBA; Dee Durham of Plastic Free Delaware; DNREC Air Quality; a lesson in composting from Gunning Bedford Middle School)

“This is our annual celebration to show our passion and commitment to the environment, to our community and to the employees,” DRBA Environmental Health and Safety Director Silvana Dominioni said.

Participants included Dee Durham of Plastic Free Delaware. Durham, who is also a member of New Castle County Council, distributed samples of laundry pods and sheets in plastic-free packaging and discussed legislative initiatives with visitors of all ages.

“Many more studies are coming out all the time about the health impacts of micro-plastics,” Durham said. 

The theme of World Environment Day 2025, in fact, was Beat Plastic Pollution.

Dominioni said all of the work getting this annual extravaganza together was worth it.

“Seeing everybody happy and just seeing everyone enjoying the event, seeing the flowers and the give-aways, and just being able to celebrate with us… it’s wonderful.”