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Call the following local organizations to find how you can volunteer to help the environment:
Eagle River Watershed Council are advocates for the health and conservation of the Upper Colorado and Eagle River basins through research, education and projects — Contact Melissa MacDonald, interim executive director, at 970-827-5406.
Eagle Valley Alliance for Sustainability is a community organization promoting sustainable practices in recycling, energy & renewable power, and green building. — Call 970- 827-9999.
Eagle Valley Land Trust is dedicated to preserving scenic vistas, open space, historic lands, waterways and wildlife habitat in Eagle County — Call 970-524-0870.
Gore Range Natural Science School’s mission is to awaken a sense of wonder and inspire environmental stewardship through natural science education — Contact Carolyn Connolly at 970-827-9725.
Eagle River Watershed Council are advocates for the health and conservation of the Upper Colorado and Eagle River basins through research, education and projects — Contact Melissa MacDonald, interim executive director, at 970-827-5406.
Eagle Valley Alliance for Sustainability is a community organization promoting sustainable practices in recycling, energy & renewable power, and green building. — Call 970- 827-9999.
Eagle Valley Land Trust is dedicated to preserving scenic vistas, open space, historic lands, waterways and wildlife habitat in Eagle County — Call 970-524-0870.
Gore Range Natural Science School’s mission is to awaken a sense of wonder and inspire environmental stewardship through natural science education — Contact Carolyn Connolly at 970-827-9725.
VAIL, Colorado The Earth is worthy of celebration every day and we in Colorado's Vail Valley should worship said sphere regularly in recognition of its ability to give us everything we need, like food, water, air and shelter. Notice “Escalade” was not in the list of necessities.
Though the Earth is getting more respect lately, it seems we need a tiny square on the calendar to remind us of our magical planet’s importance — and fragility. So on Wednesday — the official Earth Day — I invite you to rally around our beautiful planet with the same fervor as you do other holidays, like Independence Day. After all, green is the color of independence. Sustainability will bring us freedom from foreign oil, freedom from poor air quality, freedom from polluted water, freedom from chemicals in our food, freedom from having to shave our legs every day.
According to the Earth Day Network, Earth Day marks the anniversary of the birth of the modern environmental movement in 1970. Earth Day founder Gaylord Nelson, then a U.S. senator from Wisconsin, proposed the first nationwide environmental protest “to shake up the political establishment and force this issue onto the national agenda.
On April 22, 1970, 20 million Americans took to the streets, parks and auditoriums to demonstrate for a healthy, sustainable environment.
“Groups that had been fighting against oil spills, polluting factories and power plants, raw sewage, toxic dumps, pesticides, freeways, the loss of wilderness, and the extinction of wildlife suddenly realized they shared common values,” writes the Earth Day Network.
Nowadays, you’d be hard-pressed to get that many people to show up to anything other than a professional sporting event or Clapton concert, but Earth Day Network’s mission is to rally the troops.
Founded by the organizers of the first Earth Day in 1970, Earth Day Network promotes environmental citizenship and year round progressive action worldwide. Through Earth Day Network, activists connect, interact, and impact their communities, and create positive change in local, national and global policies.
So Earth Day is as good as time as any to start your civic participation to help shape a more sustainable society. There are many ways to get involved. Here are a few ideas to get you started:
Attend Party for the Planet Saturday
Walk, skateboard, bike, carpool or ride the ECO Transit to the second annual Party for the Planet on Broadway Street in downtown Eagle. The Earth Day party starts early, from 9:30 a.m. to noon, with tree planting along Brush Creek. The caravan then moves to downtown Eagle.
There will be a Skateboard Park Exhibition sponsored by CJ’s Board Shop in Gypsum, games for children, a food tent, and a beer garden serving New Belgium. Attendees will have the chance to learn about the latest sustainable ideas, products and solutions, including green cars.
For the uber creative, Party for the Planet will host a Retro-Grade Recycled Parade, so pull your garbage and recycling from the curb and invent something worthy to strut down Broadway.
Hardscrabble and Little Hercules will play into the afternoon. Attendees are encouraged to bring their own reusable plates, bowls, utensils and drinking containers for food and beverages, and if you bring your own cup you’ll receive $1 off in the beer garden.
To help plant trees along Brush Creek, please RSVP to Carolyn Connolly with Gore Range Natural Science School at carolync@gorerange.org or 970-827-9725 ext. 13.
To volunteer for Party for the Planet, an hour or the day, please RSVP to Hannah Irwin at Hannah@eaglevalleyalliance.org or 970-827-9999.
Host an Earth Day Dinner
The whole idea behind throwing an Earth Dinner is to spark discussion about people’s connection with food and the Earth, to identify everything you’re eating (where and how it’s grown and the recipe’s origin) and to create a meal using as many local and organic ingredients as possible.
Theresa Marquez is the catalyst behind the Earth Dinner. She’s the chief marketing executive for Organic Valley — an organic cooperative that represents 750 organic farmers in 22 states — and she’s also an environmental activist, sitting on numerous boards promoting sustainable agriculture.
“Myself and some colleagues were lamenting about how everyone plants trees on Earth Day, when 70 percent of the world’s resources are used to grow food,” said Marquez in a past interview. “Why isn’t Earth Day a national holiday? Well, there’s no dinner. If you have a fun dinner that went along with Earth Day, everyone would start celebrating it.”
For more information on how to host an Earth Day dinner, visit www.earthdinner.org
Volunteer
A good way to ease your concerns about the state of our environment is to volunteer with organizations that are working to improve it. The Eagle River Watershed Council is hosting its 10th annual Community Pride Clean Up day on May 2, and hundreds of volunteers are needed. You can form your own team (or join a team), and then volunteers bag trash from 9 a.m. to noon, followed by a barbecue at 4 Eagle Ranch in Wolcott from noon to 2 p.m. Not only will you tidy up your community, you’ll gain a sense of camaraderie too.
Other organizations that need volunteers include the Eagle Valley Land Trust, the Eagle Valley Alliance for Sustainability and the Gore Range Natural Science School.
Change a habit
Kick the bottled water habit and carry a reusable container, like a glass juice bottle. Change your light bulbs to a longer lasting, less energy-sucking compact fluorescent light bulbs. Skip driving for a day or join a carpool. Turn down your heat and throw on a blanket.
Try to change one small habit everyday, even if it’s as small as buying an organic apple instead of a conventional one, because environmental solutions begin with our choices. And ... have a happy Earth Day.
Freelance writer Cassie Pence is married to the superhero of green cleaning Captain Vacuum, AKA Tim Szurgot. Together they own Organic Housekeepers, a cleaning company that uses strictly organic, natural and nontoxic cleaning products. Contact her at cassie@organichousekeepers.com.
Though the Earth is getting more respect lately, it seems we need a tiny square on the calendar to remind us of our magical planet’s importance — and fragility. So on Wednesday — the official Earth Day — I invite you to rally around our beautiful planet with the same fervor as you do other holidays, like Independence Day. After all, green is the color of independence. Sustainability will bring us freedom from foreign oil, freedom from poor air quality, freedom from polluted water, freedom from chemicals in our food, freedom from having to shave our legs every day.
According to the Earth Day Network, Earth Day marks the anniversary of the birth of the modern environmental movement in 1970. Earth Day founder Gaylord Nelson, then a U.S. senator from Wisconsin, proposed the first nationwide environmental protest “to shake up the political establishment and force this issue onto the national agenda.
On April 22, 1970, 20 million Americans took to the streets, parks and auditoriums to demonstrate for a healthy, sustainable environment.
“Groups that had been fighting against oil spills, polluting factories and power plants, raw sewage, toxic dumps, pesticides, freeways, the loss of wilderness, and the extinction of wildlife suddenly realized they shared common values,” writes the Earth Day Network.
Nowadays, you’d be hard-pressed to get that many people to show up to anything other than a professional sporting event or Clapton concert, but Earth Day Network’s mission is to rally the troops.
Founded by the organizers of the first Earth Day in 1970, Earth Day Network promotes environmental citizenship and year round progressive action worldwide. Through Earth Day Network, activists connect, interact, and impact their communities, and create positive change in local, national and global policies.
So Earth Day is as good as time as any to start your civic participation to help shape a more sustainable society. There are many ways to get involved. Here are a few ideas to get you started:
Attend Party for the Planet Saturday
Walk, skateboard, bike, carpool or ride the ECO Transit to the second annual Party for the Planet on Broadway Street in downtown Eagle. The Earth Day party starts early, from 9:30 a.m. to noon, with tree planting along Brush Creek. The caravan then moves to downtown Eagle.
There will be a Skateboard Park Exhibition sponsored by CJ’s Board Shop in Gypsum, games for children, a food tent, and a beer garden serving New Belgium. Attendees will have the chance to learn about the latest sustainable ideas, products and solutions, including green cars.
For the uber creative, Party for the Planet will host a Retro-Grade Recycled Parade, so pull your garbage and recycling from the curb and invent something worthy to strut down Broadway.
Hardscrabble and Little Hercules will play into the afternoon. Attendees are encouraged to bring their own reusable plates, bowls, utensils and drinking containers for food and beverages, and if you bring your own cup you’ll receive $1 off in the beer garden.
To help plant trees along Brush Creek, please RSVP to Carolyn Connolly with Gore Range Natural Science School at carolync@gorerange.org or 970-827-9725 ext. 13.
To volunteer for Party for the Planet, an hour or the day, please RSVP to Hannah Irwin at Hannah@eaglevalleyalliance.org or 970-827-9999.
Host an Earth Day Dinner
The whole idea behind throwing an Earth Dinner is to spark discussion about people’s connection with food and the Earth, to identify everything you’re eating (where and how it’s grown and the recipe’s origin) and to create a meal using as many local and organic ingredients as possible.
Theresa Marquez is the catalyst behind the Earth Dinner. She’s the chief marketing executive for Organic Valley — an organic cooperative that represents 750 organic farmers in 22 states — and she’s also an environmental activist, sitting on numerous boards promoting sustainable agriculture.
“Myself and some colleagues were lamenting about how everyone plants trees on Earth Day, when 70 percent of the world’s resources are used to grow food,” said Marquez in a past interview. “Why isn’t Earth Day a national holiday? Well, there’s no dinner. If you have a fun dinner that went along with Earth Day, everyone would start celebrating it.”
For more information on how to host an Earth Day dinner, visit www.earthdinner.org
Volunteer
A good way to ease your concerns about the state of our environment is to volunteer with organizations that are working to improve it. The Eagle River Watershed Council is hosting its 10th annual Community Pride Clean Up day on May 2, and hundreds of volunteers are needed. You can form your own team (or join a team), and then volunteers bag trash from 9 a.m. to noon, followed by a barbecue at 4 Eagle Ranch in Wolcott from noon to 2 p.m. Not only will you tidy up your community, you’ll gain a sense of camaraderie too.
Other organizations that need volunteers include the Eagle Valley Land Trust, the Eagle Valley Alliance for Sustainability and the Gore Range Natural Science School.
Change a habit
Kick the bottled water habit and carry a reusable container, like a glass juice bottle. Change your light bulbs to a longer lasting, less energy-sucking compact fluorescent light bulbs. Skip driving for a day or join a carpool. Turn down your heat and throw on a blanket.
Try to change one small habit everyday, even if it’s as small as buying an organic apple instead of a conventional one, because environmental solutions begin with our choices. And ... have a happy Earth Day.
Freelance writer Cassie Pence is married to the superhero of green cleaning Captain Vacuum, AKA Tim Szurgot. Together they own Organic Housekeepers, a cleaning company that uses strictly organic, natural and nontoxic cleaning products. Contact her at cassie@organichousekeepers.com.
