Earth Day is observed today, April 22, but there are also events planned through the weekend:
TODAY
“Worldwide Declines and Extinctions of Amphibians,” a lecture by intergrative physiology department Professor Cindy Carey, and “Amphibian Deformities and their Link to Emerging Infections,” a lecture by ecology and evolutionary biology department Assistant Professor Pieter Johnson, will be from noon to 1 p.m. in the new BioLounge at the University of Colorado Museum of Natural History on the CU Boulder campus. Free lunch will be provided.
Trails 2000 is sponsoring an Earth Day trail work event from 4 to 6:30 p.m. at Durango Mountain Park at Hidden Valley. The work focus is to improve bench cut and clear brush. Wear long pants, long sleeve shirt, sturdy shoes, a hat, sunscreen and workgloves. Info: , 970-259-4682 or info@trails2000.org.
The Children’s Museum of Denver, 2121 Children’s Museum Drive, is having an Earth Day celebration that includes stories, planting seeds in homemade newspaper pots, and making a “litter bug” out of recycled goods. Info: .
The City and County of Denver is having a free Earth Day Fair from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Civic Center Park. Attendees are encouraged to take in items (phone books, batteries, electronics, books, CDs, clothing, household goods) to be recycled or reused. More than 45 exhibitors representing all types of environmental organizations will be present and displaying information on energy conservation, recycling, composting, pollution prevention, transit options, renewable energy, saving water, natural resources and more.
The “Down to Earth” Expo will be from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Lakewood’s Civic Center Plaza, 480 S. Allison Pkwy. Information on sustainability will be provided by a host of organizations including: Metro Clean Cities Organization, the Colorado Division of Wildlife, Whole Foods and others. There will also be live music and demonstrations.
A tree and wildflower seed giveaway by Lakewood’s Urban Parks Division is from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Whole Foods Market in Belmar, 444 S. Wadsworth Blvd. Park staff will be on hand to answer questions and provide information on watering and landscaping topics. Whole Foods will donate 5 percent of the total April 22 store sales to raise funds to replace the playground at Belmar Park.
An Earth Day dinner will be at 7 p.m., following a cocktail reception at 6:30 p.m. at Lala’s Wine Bar and Pizzeria, 410 E. Seventh Ave. The cocktail receptions features organic vodka; the dinner is a four-course, organic menu with organic/sustainable wine pairings. Cost is $39 per person. Info: . or 303-861-9463.
The Colorado State University Earth Day Celebration and Student Sustainability Fair will be at 10 a.m. at the Lory Student Plaza on the CSU campus. There will be live music, “green” booths and displays, and the first-ever Student Sustainability Fair, which educates students about actions that can be taken towards living a more sustainable lifestyle. Author and ecologist Amy Seidl will take part in the Earth Day celebration. Info: 970-491-4314.
Denver Golf, in partnership with The Mile High Million and The First Tee of Denver are planning an Earth Day landscape improvement project at City Park Golf Course. The event involves the planting and mulching of over 100 new trees and 200 shrubs along 26th Avenue between Colorado Boulevard and York Street. The project builds upon Denver Golf’s efforts to convert unused out-of-play areas into naturalized landscapes. Volunteer registration for the event has reached capacity and is now closed.
“Environmental Justice for All – Strategies to Achieve Healthy and Livable Communities,” a free lecture by Robert Bullard, the Ware Distinguished Professor of Sociology and Director of Environmental Justice Resource Center at Clark Atlanta University, will be at 6 p.m. at Colorado College, Packard Hall, 5 W. Cache La Poudre St., Colorado Springs. Info: coloradocollwfw.wsu/news_events/ 04 719-389-6607.
Front Range Community College is hosting a seminar, discussion and democratic conversation on global warming from 7:30 to 9 p.m., following a potluck dinner at 6:30 p.m. in the Community Room at FRCC, 2190 Miller Drive, Longmont. Participants include Mark Saiki, Professor of American History at FRCC-BCC; Pieter L. van der Mersch, CU’s BMOC; Randy Brooks, FRCC Instructor; Ken Jones of the FRCC Environmental club; and Kathy Partridge, Boulder Valley Unitarian Universalist Fellowship. Info: 303-678-3722, e—mail marksaiki@q.com or visit ., and go to “events” section.
AAA Colorado is sponsoring a battery recycling effort for Earth Day. From April 22-25, consumers can bring car batteries to Grease Monkey, 7181 N. Pecos St. or Mike’s Conoco, 4880 Federal Blvd. for recycling as part of the Great Battery Round-up.
The Denver Zoo, 2300 Steele St., is having a two-day Earth Day celebration, Party for the Planet, on April 22 and 23. Visitors can learn about what they can do to help the planet from the next generation of conservationists and view projects created by children grades K-12 during the Denver Zoo’s annual Youth Summit, Denver’s premiere event for local service-learning students to demonstrate and celebrate the positive impact they have had on the environment. Info: 303-376-4800 or .
Catamount Institute’s second annual Student Research Symposium will be from 10 am. to 1 p.m. at Worner Center, Colorado College, 902 N. Cascade Ave. Info: 719-471-0910, ext. 104 or jackson@catamountinstitute.org.
Bulbs Plus Inc., 2217 E. Platte Ave., Unit B, Colorado Springs, is having an open house event, with information on energy efficient lighting, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Info: 719-632-2670 or .
The Nature and Raptor Center is celebrating 30 years of community service with an Earth Day dinner from 5:30 to 9 p.m. at the Sangre de Cristo Arts and Conference Center, 210 N. Santa Fe Ave., Pueblo. The evening includes a nature art show and sale; live music; and awards for local environmental leaders. Info: 719-549-2414, info@gncp.org or visit .
Garbanzo Mediterranean Grill, with locations in Greenwood Village and Denver, is celebrating Earth Day by giving the first 100 customers through the door a free, reusable canvas tote. The initiative is part of the fast casual concept’s belief in leading by example and educating its guests about the small changes that can be made for a big planet. Info: .
“Koyaanisqatsi: Life Out of Balance,” will be shown at 8 p.m. in Hill Hall 204 on the Colorado School of Mines campus. Explore the world through photography in this visual concert featuring composer Phillip Glass. Co-sponsored with the International Film Club.
Author David Wann will give a talk, “Culture Shift: Creating a Sustainable Economy,” at 4 p.m. at CTLM 102 on the Colorado School of Mines campus. Preceding the talk, help plant trees with CSM Grounds at 3 p.m. Register with tbenton@mines.edu.
Organixx Restaurant, 1520 Blake St., is hosting an Earth Day Eco-friendly Scavenger Hunt Downtown from 9 to 11 a.m. The Scavenger Hunt starts at Organixx and is a lively race to find eco-oriented objects and perform tasks to recognize the importance of Earth Day. Lunch is provided for all participants and there will be prizes. Register: 303-825-1550. Organixx is donating 50% of the net sales for Earth Day to SAME Cafe, a non-profit restaurant whose philosophy is that “everyone, regardless of economic status, deserves the chance to eat healthy food while being treated with dignity.”
THURSDAY
Rooney Road Recycling Center, 151 S. Rooney Road, is offering recycling tours at 10 a.m., noon and 2 p.m.
Rob Farrington of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory will present a program on transportation issues and the environment, focusing on America’s dependency on foreign oil at noon in Berthoud 241 on the Colorado School of Mines campus.
FRIDAY
An Earth Day concert and silent auction will be at 7 p.m. at the Trinidad Brewing Company, 516 Elm St. The concert features “Planet O,” from Gardner, and Kevin Crosby and Friends. There is an $8 cover. The 16′ Tipi Raffle is $10 a ticket. The event benefits Earth Mountain Education Farm, and its sustainable community development projects: The Trinidad Community Garden, the Learning Farms CSA Cooperative and The Living Center Holistic CO-OP.
Mayor Lionel Rivera, City Forester Paul Smith, Southern Colorado Supervisor Mikle Harvey from the Colorado State Forest Service and other special guests will attend an Arbor Day ceremony to help celebrate Colorado Springs’ 32nd year as a “Tree City USA.” The event is at 11 a.m. in Bonforte Park, on the 2400 block of North Wahsatch, Colorado Springs. Info: contact City Forestry at 719-385-5942 or visit . and click on “Forestry.”.
Julia Butterfly Hill, founder of the Circle of Life, spent two years living in the branches of a 1,000-year-old redwood tree. Find out what she’s doing now. Meet Hill at 6:30 p.m. at the Boulder home of John Powers. RSVP: Contact Anna Zawisza at annaz@sustainablecolorado.org or 303-405-6791.
The Pikes Peak Environmental Forum will be from noon to 2 p.m. at Nosh, 121 S. Tejon, Colorado Springs. The forum is sponsored by Alpern Myers Stuart LLC. The speaker will be Eric Cefus of Catamount Institute. Cefus will discuss the Pikes Peak Sustainable Business Network,. Info: 719-231-6265 or ppenvf@gmail.com.
The City of Durango and San Juan Basin Recycling Association are collecting unwanted electronics for recycling from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. April 24 and 25 at the Durango Recycle Center, 710 Tech Center Drive. The cost for disposal ranges from $15-$25 for televisions and monitors; to $5 for CPU’s, scanners and fax machines. Large office equipment will cost $0.25 per pound. Other miscellaneous items including keyboards, mice, power cords and cell phones will be collected free of charge. Those bringing large volumes should call ahead to 970-375-4831 to schedule an appointment and should take a detailed inventory list to the event.
Colorado School of Mines President W.M. “Bill Scroggins,” will discuss the school’s growing role in bringing renewable technologies and sustainable projects to the Front Range and across the world at noon in Berthoud Hall, Room 241, on the Colorado School of Mines campus. Independent filmmaker Joe Brown with the Colorado Environmental Film Festival will present several short films, “Short Films for Deep Thought.”
Colorado School of Mine’s Earth Day Celebration will be at 4 p.m. in Kafadar Commons on the Colorado School of Mines campus. There will be live music by Los Cheesies and Mitten Funk, as well as free food and beverages. The celebration will introduce students and community members to a number of educational booths presented by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Verizon HopeLine, Region 8 EPA, the Colorado Renewable Energy Society, Zap electric vehicles, renewable technology demonstrations and Mines’ Colorado Fuel Cell Center. Mines students will collect and recycle used bike tubes, cell phones and ink cartridges during the event. Donated cell phones will go to the Verizon HopeLine project to benefit victims of domestic violence.
April 25
The Trinidad Community Garden, at White Road and North Linden Avenue, is having an Earth Day celebration with kids activities, an organic gardening workshop and a potluck picnic.
Over 400 volunteers will be working from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at High Plains Environmental Center, 1854 Piney River Drive, Loveland, to preserve and restore the area’s natural landscapes and habitat in order to encourage their use by wildlife and migratory birds. Volunteers will plant nearly 1,000 native plants, shrubs and trees, and will also help to install drip irrigation to sustain the new plants. Info: .
The 2009 Pikes Peak Earth Day event will be from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Colorado College Cornerstone Arts Center, 825 N. Cascade Ave., Colorado Springs. Activities include speakers, live music on a solar stage, food, earth-friendly exhibits, a science fair, 50 thought-provoking booths, interactive displays and presentations. There will also be recycled art along with an art exhibit in the Cornerstone art gallery and arts and crafts for children. Info: .
The Colorado Springs Earth Day 2009 Celebration, a free event, will be at 10 a.m. at Colorado College, Edith Kinney Gaylord Cornerstone Arts Center, 825 N. Cascade Ave. The event features live music, food, lectures and panel discussions, demonstrations, workshops and tours highlighting best practices for a sustainable healthy future for Colorado Springs and beyond.
South Suburban staff will participate in the annual tree sale and community event focusing on sustainability and environmental stewardship from 8 a.m. to noon at the Lone Tree Recreation Center, 10249 Ridgegate Circle. To honor South Suburban Parks and Recreation’s 50th anniversary, 50 trees will be planted along the Mary Carter Greenway near the South Platte River in Littleton, where the community forest has suffered from utility installations and power line clearing requirements. Info: .
Catamount Institute is hosting its first annual “Running Off The Grid Earth Day Fun Run,” featuring a 5K race through Monument Valley Park and a kid’s “Fun Run” at Colorado College’s Worner Center quad that will finish at the 2-9 Pikes Peak Earth Day Festivities. The 5K race will start at 9 a.m.; the kid’s fun run at 10 a.m. Early registration is $22 per person through April 23 and $30 after. Children ages 12 and under are free. Register: .; The Colorado Running Company, 833 N. Tejon, Colorado Springs, 80903; or at Catamount Institute, 740 W. Caramillo St., Colorado Springs, 80907. Info: Contact Jan Eitel at 719-471-0910, ext. 107 or eitel@catamountinstitute.org.
The City of Denver is hosting two plastic garden pot recycling drives. Plastic garden pots of any size and color will be collected for recycling from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. April 25 at South High School, Louisiana Avenue and Franklin Street; and from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. June 27 at Denver Botanic Gardens, 1005 York St. In addition to plastic garden pots, hanging baskets (with wires removed), plastic carrying trays and flower pack holders will be collected for recycling. Plastic garden pots are also accepted for recycling anytime at local participating garden stores. For a list of participating stores, visit .
Join JRCC at 3 p.m. in the field behind their building, 912 N. Weber, Colorado Springs, for an afternoon Earth Day concert featuring Tom Hagerman of Devotchka. Info: 719-473-4801
April 26
“Green Interior Design: Eco-Friendly Finishes,” a talk by Annette Stelmack, a sustainability consultant for Inspirit, LLC, and Laurie Hessmer of New Era Paint, will be at 2 p.m. at the Aurora History Museum, 15051 E. Alameda Pkwy. Cost is $3 ($2 Aurora residents). Register: 303-326-8650.
April 29
Career Education Center Middle College of Denver HS (CEC) Constructions Trades teacher, Mark Bell, will present examples of renewable energy and sustainable construction at the CEC Green Fair from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in room 118 and outside in the south common area of CEC, 2650 Eliot St. The event is free. Novan Solar will be a guest at the presentation. Displays include a solar photovoltaic, a solar hot water heater, solar hot air heater, day lighting and a construction site orientation. Offerings include a compost demonstration piece and an incandescent light usage of Compact Fluorescent, all built by the students. Info: 720-423-6638 or e-mail Mark—Bell@dpsk12.org.
