Kirkland Conserves

05/26/2026

Join us for the WM Recycle Right® Event on Saturday June 13th! Bring your old electronics, paper for shredding, and gently used textiles for safe and sustainable recycling. From laptops and cords to clothing and linens, we’re helping keep useful materials out of the landfill and giving them a second life. Please email [email protected] for any questions! https://www.kirklandwa.gov/Whats-Happening/Community-Events/Public-Works-Department-Events/Recycle-Right-Event

05/21/2026

Social media is great when you're engaging with awesome content from Kirkland Conserves, but do you ever wish you were doing something better with your couch time? Tired of swiping left or right on humans, and think judging seaweed might be easier?

Help the Seattle Aquarium conduct research on seaweed, or kelp, through Kelp Quest! Participants will help sort and label photos to help research scientists sift through the large amount of data collected from remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) to help assess kelp health and (hopefully) figure out why it might be declining in our marine waters.

How does this relate to Kirkland? While it's true that we don't have kelp in Lake Washington, the water from the lake - and the pollution that flows with it - does drain out to Puget Sound. Opportunities like this are a good reminder that everything out there is affected by the choices we make here, and that we can make choices that help!

Ready to dive in? Check out more info in the link below!

Welcome to Kelp Quest, a chance for you (yes, you!) to participate in the Seattle Aquarium’s marine research.

05/14/2026

The City of Kirkland is conducting a Behavior Change Campaign focused on natural yard care practices at home. This initiative seeks to better understand how residents currently care for and maintain their yards and lawns. The focus group will provide us with direct feedback from the community on perceptions, preferences, and practical considerations influencing decision-making. These efforts will directly inform future City programs.

Participants should reside within the City of Kirkland and have a yard/lawn at their residence that they have decision-making responsibility for. Please note that there will be opportunities for in-person and virtual focus groups, as well as virtual interviews. Participants will receive a $100 visa gift card as a token of appreciation for their contribution and time.

A full job description for focus group participants is available at www.kirklandwa.gov/stormwater. Interested individuals can fill out the potential participant questionnaire at www.surveymonkey.com/r/KirklandFocusGroup. Questions should be directed to [email protected].

05/14/2026

Hello Kirkland Residents,

Please plan for possible delays when traveling and leaving from the Spring Recycling Collection Event at Lake Washington Institute of Tech on Saturday, May 16. Due to nearby construction on 132nd Ave NE, traffic will be reduced to one lane in certain areas, and flaggers will be directing vehicles. Road will remain OPEN!

Thank you for your patience and please allow extra travel time.

Recycling Event: 9 a.m.–3 p.m. at the LWTech South Parking Lot
For event details visit: https://www.kirklandwa.gov/Whats-Happening/Community-Events/Public-Works-Department-Events/RCE

05/14/2026

Do you live on the lake? Do you know someone who lives on the lake? Are you interested in learning more about how to help protect lake shorelines and create healthy habitat on Lake Washington?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, this workshop is for you!

What: The Washington Lakes Workshop, hosted by the Washington State Lakes Protection Association

When & Where: May 28th from 6-8 PM, hosted online

More details: This year’s WALPA Community Lake Workshop, "Shared Shorelines and Watersheds," will dive into lake shoreline protection and why it matters to all watershed users. This town hall-style event will bring together experts from state and local agencies, academia, and environmental consulting to discuss how individuals and groups can actively participate in protecting and managing their lakes.

Possible topics might include shoreline and watershed best practices, invasive species management, wave erosion and armoring, shoreline permitting, and more. Got a particular question? Show up and ask the experts!

This year’s WALPA Community Lake Workshop, "Shared Shorelines and Watersheds," will dive into lake shoreline protection and why it matters to all watershed users . This town hall-style event will bring together experts from state and local agencies, academia, and environmental consulting to discus...

05/08/2026

Join us as a Recycling Steward this summer :)
This is a great opportunity to serve your community while building your knowledge about recycling, composting, and garbage sorting. Help answer questions at local events, reduce waste, and make a difference with us! Interested in becoming a recycling steward? Email us at [email protected] to get involved!

05/06/2026

Due to a drier than usual winter and low snowpack in the mountains, the Department of Ecology is predicting drought across the whole state this summer.

One of the best ways you can save water is to make changes to your landscaping that help it make the most of the water you give it.

Here are some top tips for things you can do in the garden now to help save water and reduce water bills this summer:

🌳Add compost and mulch to your garden. Building healthy soil that is a better "sponge" is the number one way to keep water where you put it and have it do the most good for your plants. Arborist wood chip mulch is especially great at helping soil hold onto moisture, and builds healthier soil over time as it breaks down - and it’s free through chipdrop!

🌿Plant native plants, or drought resistant sun loving plants that require less water and maintenance (new plantings will still require some watering through their first summer as they establish their roots - but these plants will require less water than others over time).

💧Consider installing drip irrigation or a soaker hose system to deliver water right where it’s needed - at the base of your plants.

🌧Ready for an even bigger change? Check out Kirkland's Yard Smart program and schedule a site visit to see if you qualify for rebates up to $5,000 to disconnect your downspouts and replace lawn with a rain garden or native landscaping.

Are you doing anything in the garden to prepare for a hotter and drier summer?

04/29/2026

𝗙𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗩𝗲𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗹𝗲 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗸 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀

Has your vehicle sprung a leak? Find out for FREE at Lake Washington Institute of Technology! If the technicians find a leak in your vehicle and recommend further service, you’ll be issued a $250 voucher to be redeemed at participating auto shops in Kirkland. By participating in this program, you’re helping to prevent pollution from entering our local streams, wetlands, and lakes.

✅ Where: Lake Washington Institute of Technology Auto Repair Shop

✅ When: May 4-May 7 from 7 a.m.-12 p.m.

Sign up for a free inspection at www.calendly.com/freevehicleinspections

04/29/2026

We're a month into spring and I'd say spring has officially sprung! With spring comes adorable baby animals - but what do we do if an animal needs help? Follow these simple steps to ensure our Kirkland critters are safe and sound!

1) Don't intervene right away. If the animal is injury free, let it be! Parents often leave their young for what we see as long periods of time, but the babies are often just fine. Observe the baby from afar to see if it is alert and injury free. Periodically check throughout the day to ensure this doesn't change. If you see a young bird on the ground, don't panic! Fledglings leave the nest and end up on the ground, but the parents will come by and feed it.
Let's tackle an example: I see a bird who hit my window and is sitting by the window, looking a bit dazed but without any obvious injury. I'd wait and monitor the bird for about an hour, and if after that it still hasn't moved or it seems to be getting worse, I'd call a wildlife rehabilitation center.

2) If you do see an injured animal, or the animal is in imminent danger, call a wildlife rehabilitation center. The experts are there to answer your questions and will help you investigate the situation safely and tackle next steps if necessary. You can find a list of our local wildlife rehabilitation centers on the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife website.

While we hope that all our little baby animals are safe and sound in Kirkland, it's always good to be prepared. And now you know what to do when the bird hits the ground!

04/24/2026

🌎📚 Earth Week AND World Book Day? What a perfect time to recommend one of our favorite books here at Kirkland Conserves: "Braiding Sweetgrass" by Robin Wall Kimmerer. Dr. Kimmerer draws on her experience as an enrolled member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation and a botanist to weave connections between Indigenous knowledge and Western science. "Braiding Sweetgrass" offers us the opportunity to reconnect with nature and acknowledge our reciprocal relationship with the living world.

Is there a book you've been loving lately? Share in the comments below!

Learn more about the author and the book at robinwallkimmerer.com