EARTH DAY CELEBRATIONS ACROSS AREA

By Ella Tyler

On April 22, 1970, an estimated 20 million Americans participated in massive coast-to-coast rallies to protest the deterioration of the environment. Ten years afterwards, Senator Gaylord Nelson, who conceived the idea, said, “Earth Day 1970 made it clear that we could summon the public support, the energy, and commitment to save our environment. And while the struggle is far from over, we have made substantial progress. In the ten years since 1970 much of the basic legislation needed to protect the environment has been enacted into law: the Clean Air Act, the Water Quality Improvement Act…” (Citation)

Thirty-eight years later, Earth Day events might be less dramatic, but the day is still commemorated as a time to pay attention to our human habitat, teach a child something about nature, take positive action for the environment, or simply enjoy the outdoors.

Local events include:

On Saturday, April 19 –

Mothers for Clean Air’s 5K at MacGregor Park. You can still register for this event at the MFCA website. Even if you don’t want to run, take your old sneakers by to be recycled and check out the variety of ways this is a “green” event. The t-shirts are organic cotton with the logo in soy- based ink, and there will be recycled bags from Whole Foods and drinking cups made from corn. Winners will receive custom-painted clay pots containing a Texas mountain laurel. MacGregor Park is at 5225 Calhoun Rd; enter at the entrance on Martin Luther King Blvd.

Armand Bayou Nature Center is partnering with the City of Pasadena Environmental Services and Harris County Watershed Protection Group – Clear Water Clear Choice for an event from 10 am to 4 pm. There will be a variety of entertainers and environmental and educational displays and demonstrations. Armand Bayou Nature Center is at 8500 Bay Area Blvd. For more information, call (281) 474-2551 or see the Nature Center’s website. There is a small admission charge.

Celebrate Earth Day at the Houston Arboretum, 4501 Woodway Drive, from 10 am to 4 pm. Activities will include an organic produce market, a compost demonstration and sale, earth-friendly vendors, events for kids, live music, and refreshments. Also, the Arboretum is collecting and recycling clean plastic garden pots and trays all month.

Trinity River National Wildlife Refuge will host activities at the Champion Lake Public Use Area from 11 am until 2 pm. Enjoy canoeing, kayaking and boating tours, bird and butterfly viewing, walking the levee trail, and dip netting and fishing lessons for the kids. Champion Lake is located at the end of CR 417, two miles east of FM 1409 in southern Liberty County. Admission is free. Call (936) 336-9786 for more information.

Waste Management and Sony Electronics will host a free recycling event from 9 am to 3 pm at Rice University Stadium – West side. Bring your old computers, TV’s, printers and other electronics.

On Saturday, April 19th and Sunday 20th –

The Houston Zoo is having a Party for the Planet for Earth Day on from 9 am to 3 pm each day. The event offers conservation activities, keeper chats, contests and a recycling relay race. Kids can get “go green” tips from ‘Recycling Ben’ and meet Waste Management Cycler, the robot who makes recycling fun! Regular zoo admission applies.

On Sunday, April 20

‘Living Smart with Patricia Gras’ the Channel 8 show that has won numerous awards, including a Synergy Award from CEC, will feature a half-hour conversation with LaVerne Williams, AIA, LEED AP, about green architecture (especially homes), green living, and other matters affecting the quality of our home life. The show will air at 3 pm on Sunday, and repeat at 1 pm on Thursday.

On Monday, April 21 –

Willow Waterhole Walkers will casually celebrate spring and the Earth with a Walk-Around at 7 am. The hour’s 1 1/3 mile ambulation will circle Waterhole #2 and observe the newly planted trees and shrubs, the blooming wildflowers, and early morning bird life. The park is at the NW corner of S. Post Oak and S. Main; enter at 5300 Gasmer. For more information call Will Howard at (713) 728-1981.

University of Houston is celebrating Earth Day from 10 am to 3 pm with a fair. A variety of environmental groups, including CEC, will have information tables. The event will be on the third floor, in the special events center.

On Tuesday, April 22

Bruce McCarl, PhD, will be speaking at Lone Star College – CyFair at 1 pm on “Texas in the Climate Change Squeeze; The Most Vulnerable State?” He is a professor of Agricultural Economics at Texas A&M University and was part of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change that is co-recipient of the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize. This campus is at 9191 Barker-Cypress Rd at West Rd, in Cypress.

The United Nations Association of Houston and the University of St Thomas’ Center for International Studies presents “Avoiding Catastrophic Climate Change: the UN and the United Kingdom Leading the Way” at 7 pm at the University of St. Thomas, Crooker Center, 3909 Graustark Street. The speaker will be Paul Lynch, Her Majesty’s Consul General of the United Kingdom. For information or to RSVP info@unahouston.org

The Houston Astros are going to “Play Green” Tuesday at the Astros – Padres game. They will wear green caps. Play Green is to introduce improvements to the Astros’ recycling programs. The Astros began a recycling program last year, and now recycle about 3 tons of paper, aluminum and plastic each game. As part of the event, various environmental groups, including CEC, have been invited to have information tables on the Main Concourse in Home Run Alley.

The first 10,000 visitors to the game will receive a green cap and a tote bag. The game begins at 7:05. Also, the Astros are offering half-price tickets in our five group seating areas. For details, contact Cody Arnold at (713) 259-8315.

On Thursday April 24

Jaime Gonzalez, Community Education Manager for the Katy Prairie Conservancy will speak at Lone Star College – CyFair at 7pm on the conservation work of the Katy Prairie Conservancy.

Friday, April 25

Lights Out Houston begins at 10 pm and continues through the weekend. Lights in 55 million square feet of office buildings in downtown and all government-owned buildings will be turned off. Security lighting, any obstruction lighting, emergency lighting and lights in occupied offices will remain on, as will streetlights. For more details, see the event website