In a city known for its eco-friendly strides and constant sunshine, it is no wonder there are countless ways to commemorate the 40th anniversary of Earth Day. Look for many events happening around town on April 17 (the Saturday before Earth Day, April 22) that go beyond merely planting a tree.
Senator Gaylord Nelson founded this day on April 22, 1970 to encourage awareness and appreciation for the environment and its countless resources. Today, with climate change and resource depletion running amuck, increased consciousness about the importance of conserving our environment is more important than ever.
To start the day, burn off some calories while enjoying the fresh air and contributing to a good cause with the Run For Your Life 5K fun run/walk, sponsored by the UA’s Student Health Advisory Council. Check in and registration begin at 8 a.m. and participants start the course at 9 a.m. at the west end of the UA mall. The registration fees benefit the Tucson Community Food Bank and the Diamond Children’s Medical Center. The learn more, see RFYL.arizona.edu.
If running isn’t really your thing, there are also two festivals happening that day.
The 16th annual Tucson Earth Day Festival at Reid Park will feature music, food and exhibits focused on Southern Arizona’s unique environment from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., all free of charge. There will also be a parade beginning at 10 a.m. where participants young and old are encouraged to dress up like their favorite species, whether it is of the insect, plant or animal variety for the “All Species Procession.” Middle school students will also be presenting their model solar electric cars and homes at the solar competition beginning at 10:45 a.m. For more information, go to TucsonEarthDay.org, email tucsonearthday@yahoo.com or call 206-8814.
UA’s Biosphere 2 is also holding their second annual Earth Day 2010: Now Generation Festival. The festival is free with admission to the biosphere and completely free of charge to children 12 and under. From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. visitors are encouraged to look at the environment in new ways with science/art activities, live music featuring Ghanaian, Brazilian and Native American performance groups, new exhibits looking into solar energy, rainwater harvesting, green roofs and a phenology garden, thematic tours, a green jobs panel discussion and sky gazing from Mount Lemmon SkyCenter telescopes. Queries can be answered by calling 838-6200 or clicking on B2Science.org.
