Arkansas Citizens' Climate League

05/23/2026

What are your plans for the Memorial Day Weekend? Our Resource Center within the Elizabeth McGill Drop-In Center will be closed Monday the 25th.
Our staff (and the solar panels☀️) look forward to soaking up some sun!
We wish you a meaningful holiday with family and friends.

05/19/2026

The Arkansas Climate League is supportive of a diverse transportation system which uplifts walking, biking, buses, carpooling, etc.

We're excited to see that Fort Smith Transit, First Presbyterian Church of Fort Smith, AR, University of Arkansas - Fort Smith and other important local partners are inviting you to a virtual and in-person Transportation Fair next week. This is a chance to make your voice heard on what you would like to see next on transit.

As part of this effort, the US Department of Transportation Thriving Communities Program team will be in town. Let us know in the comments where would you recommend they cruise around to see what's thriving in Fort Smith.

05/18/2026

The Climate League is honored and energized to be a member of the UAFS Center for Economic Development 's Center for Non-Profits. 😀

Through our grassroots efforts, we've partnered with, learned from and talked with many local non-profits who are strengthening the fabric 🪢 of families, neighborhoods and the greater community. 💚

Being part of the UAFS non-profit network gives us access to trainings, connections and expertise that will enhance our work and collaborations. We are stronger together. 🤝

The UAFS Center for Non-Profits is a regional hub dedicated to strengthening nonprofit organizations across the River Valley. Learn more here: https://uafs.edu/ced/cnp/index.php?fbclid=IwY2xjawR3-HFleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFiUzRSRkZmRnV0V0hlanNhc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHjJNH2x2H-QFI2g9PBdmXzrf2svK2552TYis68BjLPiIa85XHr99E6H2dryy_aem_ofGQPydFVUJTsvmBqLMX2A

05/14/2026

Signage denoting the Antioch for Youth & Family Discovery Garden at 1100 North 7th Street in Fort Smith is on the way!

Earlier this week Climate League Outreach Director Herbert McGill introduced our good friends at Antioch to the fantastic folks at Time Striping, Inc .

Time Striping, Inc is donating the metal sheeting and printing of the sign. 🥰 How generous and cool is that? 👏

05/13/2026

Checking in with all our home and community gardeners after last weekend's hail storm in the Fort Smith area. ⛈️
How did your garden fare? 🌱
Sadly some cabbage and other plants in the Antioch for Youth & Family Discovery Garden were a little torn up. 😬

05/11/2026

We want to make sure you know about this City of Fort Smith, Arkansas Survey about what's important to you as the City makes future plans. https://form.typeform.com/to/cWrvr8PC?typeform-source=www.fortsmithar.gov

This is great chance to make your voice heard. It takes just three minutes.☺️

05/10/2026

Thanks for letting us drop into your Mothers' Day with some exciting news: 💫

Last week all the pieces and players came together. We're delighted to announce that In a practical collaboration between Future School of Fort Smith, an anonymous Arkansas Climate League donor and Solar Under the Sun , five Future School of Fort Smith students have been awarded scholarships to attend the 3.5 day 2026 Solar Under the Sun Solar School, which will be hosted in Fort Smith in June. 🌞

🧰 👩‍🔧The hands-on project for Solar School this year will be the installation of a small Climate League solar array with a battery storage system that operates independently from the grid in the Antioch for Youth & Family Discovery Garden. Our solar array plans were carefully designed to demonstrate how community-led projects can improve everyday life while also encouraging conversations about the importance of diversifying our energy sources for the future.

📘🥪 Solar School is June 4-7, 2026. Participation includes meals, a free t-shirt, and print copies of learning materials. Curious about registering for Solar School 2026 with Solar Under the Sun this year? Check out the linkmfor more info, including registration: https://www.solarunderthesun.org/solarschool/solarschool.cfm

🎉Learn more about the Future School of Fort Smith and their innovative Big Picture Learning School approach here: https://fsfuture.org

05/07/2026

Wow! The City of Fort Smith, Arkansas Farmers Market solar canopy is ready to go online! Will you be attending Saturday's Flip the Switch celebration?

☀️🔌 It’s Time to Flip the Switch!

The City of Fort Smith invites the community to celebrate a major milestone in our investment in renewable energy with the official “Flip the Switch” event for the new downtown solar canopy at the Fort Smith Farmers Market.

Date: Saturday, May 9
Time: 8:30 AM
Location: 2nd & Garrison Avenue in downtown Fort Smith

This new solar canopy is part of the City’s broader solar energy initiative, approved in 2024, and is designed to generate approximately 500,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity annually—helping to offset energy costs and create long-term savings for our community.

In addition to clean energy production, the structure provides covered parking and shade for vendors, enhancing one of downtown Fort Smith’s most vibrant community gathering spaces.

The farmers market solar canopy is part of a larger citywide solar plan expected to generate over 17 million kilowatt-hours annually and deliver significant long-term cost savings for taxpayers.

“This solar canopy represents a smart investment in Fort Smith’s future by delivering clean energy, lowering costs, and enhancing one of our most valued community spaces,” said Mayor George McGill. “Projects like this show how innovation and responsible stewardship can work hand in hand to benefit our residents now and in the years ahead.”

Community members, partners, and media are invited to attend as we officially activate the system and celebrate another step forward in Fort Smith’s commitment to innovation and resourcefulness. 🌱

05/04/2026

Have you seen one of these beauties?
We're so grateful to the folks with The Diana Project for advising us on how to support the Diana Fritillary as we build out the pollinator garden in the Antioch for Youth & Family Discovery Garden.
How are you nurturing pollinators?

05/04/2026

Volunteers like John McGill (left) give a huge boost to our grassroots resilience work. (Thank you, John!!)

Interested in learning more about how you can help out in the garden, on social media, at events, from your home? Check out this google form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf6tRcumIhGc_2Y29o-rVEG36C4xsMixhiI2REwQ5fZUtT_Gg/viewform