Sonoma County residents are set to participate in Earth Day celebrations throughout the area in late April. Officially, Earth Day is designated as April 22 according to the Earth Day Network, the organization responsible for organizing events on a global scale, but many of the festivities in the local area are staged over the course of the month.
Windsor Earth Day and Wellness Festival
The Windsor Farmers Market is scheduled to its doors for the first day of the year coinciding with Earth Day.
“There will be all kinds of activities for the kids where they can plant seedlings and then take them home for their gardens,” market manager Tina Castelli said.
Parks and Recreation employee and recreation program supervisor Eva Corbin said the town would be having “lots of interactive fun” for its 6th annual Earth Day and Wellness Festival, held on Sunday, April 21, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. around the Town Green.
Plenty of entertainment is also planned for the event, Corbin said. The Pomo Youth Dance troupe, Holistic Hooping and “Earth Capades” are all set to perform, as well as belly dancing and musical groups.
The Windsor Garden Club is also sponsoring a Spring plant sale for the event.
Healdsburg Earth Day Festival
In Healdsburg, Earth Day festivities will be held on Saturday, April 20 in the plaza. The Progressive Club of Healdsburg High School organized the event which will last from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The club has invited speakers including Dr. Andy Lee Roth from Project Censored, Susan Lamont from the Peace & Justice Center of Sonoma County and Elizabeth Vega from the Stewards of the Coast and Redwoods.
“The purpose is to educate and empower people to take action for the environment and the people who inhabit it,” said Healdsburg High School teacher Rebel Fagin.
Scheduled music performances include Hoytus & One Heart, Diego Jameau, Studio Gray Dancers, Happy Accident, Floral, Gravity Hill, Tricky Dick & the Hooligans, Seed and the HHS Jazz Hounds.
Geysers tours
At the Geysers, Calpine is scheduling its own Earth Day event, though this one is not until Saturday April 27. Then, from 10am until 3pm, visitors can take guided bus tours of the geothermal power plant. Music, demonstrations and activities are also planned for the event at the Calpine visitors center. For more details call 987-4270.
E-waste recycling
People interested in making a difference can also take advantage of a free electronic waste recycling event in support of Sonoma County Roller Derby. On Sunday, April 21, those with excess electronic waste can stop by the corner of Riley Street and 5th Street in Santa Rosa where the ladies of roller derby will be poised to unload items of e-waste between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m.
Large electronic items, such as dishwashers are not on the accepted items list. For more information call 584-2890.
Earth Day with Green Valley
Iron Horse Vineyards in Sebastopol will celebrate Earth Day with Green Valley on Sunday, April 21 from 12 to 4 p.m.
The event features guest speaker Jared Diamond, author of the newly published “The World Until Yesterday,” a sequel to his Pulitzer Prize winner “Guns, Germs, and Steel” and “Collapse.”
Organizers said Diamond’s work describes how geography and environment shape the destiny of nations. The event includes a walk around food and wine tasting featureing local vineyards. General admission tickets are $50. VIP tickets, including a meet and greet with Diamond, are $250. Proceeds will benefit National Geographic. Contact jo*@ir****************.com for more information.
County Parks events
Officials from the Sonoma County Parks system said they are happy to present Parks Celebration 2013 including dozens of free or low-cost adventures in Sonoma County’s regional parks, state parks and public open spaces from Earth Day through Memorial Day.
Some of the events occuring near Earth Day include:
Introduction to the Coastal Prairie on Saturday, April 20 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. as the Bodega Bay Fire District and Sonoma Coast State Park.
Visitors can learn about the most diverse and endangered native grassland in North America and four of the threats to its existence: urbanization, shrub encroachment, invasive species, and conversion to agriculture. Then hike through some of the remaining one percent of California’s native prairie along the Kortum and Pomo trails.
Instructor: Michelle Cooper, Bodega Marine Lab. Sponsored by Stewards of the Coast and Redwoods. $5 for Stewards members, $15 for non-members.
Registration required. Register at stewardsofthecoastandredwoods.org. For information, email st******@mc*.org or call 869-9177
Volunteer Trail Work Day on Saturday, April 20 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Annadel State Park.
Join the Sonoma County Trails Council (SCTC) to help repair the trails at Annadel State Park. Meet at 9 a.m. at the Lawndale Trailhead parking area and look for the white SCTC tool trailer. Bring gloves, a hat and water that you can take with you while working. Wear long pants, boots or sturdy shoes and sunscreen or rain gear, depending on weather. No experience necessary; SCTC has tools and trained crew leaders. To ensure there are enough tools and beverages for participants, please reply to Ken Wells (ke******@so***.net) if you plan to attend.
Wildflower Walk at Shiloh Ranch on Saturday, April 20 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Shiloh Ranch Regional Park.
Join rangers on a wildflower walk at Shiloh Ranch Regional Park in Windsor. Master Gardener Phil Dean, who has led nature walks in the county for nearly a decade, will identify and talk about the various flowers brightening the park this spring. No registration is necessary. Walkers should bring their own water and dress appropriately for the day’s weather. Heavy rain cancels all hikes. Free. Parking is $7 or free for Regional Parks members
Campfire with a Ranger on Saturday, April 20 from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Riverfront Regional Park.
Gather in the redwood grove at Riverfront Regional Park near Windsor for a family campfire hosted by Ranger Bill. Park rangers can encounter some fascinating situations on the job. Ranger Bill has worked as a ranger for 25 years and will regale you with some of the surprising events of his time in the parks. We’ll provide the marshmallows. You bring a blanket, roasting stick, a flashlight and mosquito repellant. Free. Parking $7 or free for Regional Parks members.
Matthew Hall and Lynda Hopkins contributed to this story.
Earth Day History
The first Earth Day took place on April 22, 1970. It was the brainchild of a Wisconsin senator named Gaylord Nelson inspired both by the impacts of a 1969 oil spill off Santa Barbara, California, and by the potency of the student anti-war movement.
On that day in 1970, millions of Americans and thousands of colleges joined together to participate in what is now considered by many historians to be the beginning of the modern environmentalism movement. Many believe that the public passion for Earth Day paved the way for the Clean Air, Clean Water, and Endangered Species Acts.
