Earth Day – April 22nd, 2012
Posted Apr 18, 2012 11:25:37 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
It’s a day that is celebrated on the 22nd of April each year.
“Earth Day” is the largest and most celebrated environmental event worldwide.
Roughly 6-million Canadians are expected to join 1-billion people in over 170 countries around the planet in staging events to address local environmental issues. Nearly every school child in the entire country will take part in an “Earth Day” activity.
“Earth Day” had its beginnings in the US as an environmental awareness event in 1970.
Back in 1990, 2-million Canadians joined 200 million people in 141 nations in celebration of the very first “International Earth Day.”
Here is a list of the events taking place in and around Waterloo Region on “Earth Day” 2012.
CITY OF WATERLOO
The City of Waterloo, along with the cities of Kitchener and Cambridge, are asking residents to help remove litter during the month of April. In addition, at the Waterloo Earth Day event this coming April 28, the community is invited to lend a hand to plant 1,000 native trees and experience hands-on environmental activities.
20 MINUTE MAKEOVER
Take a break at 2:00pm on Friday, April 20th to step outside and spend 20 minutes cleaning up litter around your school, church, business or yard! Teams of 10 or more individuals are invited to register their litter clean-up activity for supplies on-line at www.waterloo.ca/20MinuteMakeover
TIM HORTONS COMMUNITY CLEAN-UP
On Saturday, April 21st from 10:00am until noon, families and friends are encouraged to lend a helping hand by removing litter from Waterloo Park. Participants receive a free t-shirt, refreshments and great prizes from Tim Hortons while quantities last. A grand prize draw will take place at noon with a chance to win a mountain bike. The event will run – rain or shine.
If residents miss this community clean-up event, they can organize their own community litter clean-up on city parkland throughout the month of April. Tim Hortons’ clean-up supplies and prizes are available on a first-come, first-served basis. If residents are 18 years of age or older, they can register their group’s litter clean-up activity online at www.waterloo.ca/EarthDay
EARTH DAY WITH CITY STAFF
Celebrate Earth Day on Saturday April 28th in Waterloo! Join city staff between 10:00am to 2:00pm for FREE family fun at the Laurel Creek Conservation Area.
Celebrate the world we live in through action and awareness: plant one of 1,000 trees/shrubs and enjoy a variety of free, hands-on educational activities! Go Wild with a traditional drum circle, build a bird house or meet the nature centre critters! Get wet with lots of fun water activities or explore nature and agriculture in your own backyard!
CITY OF KITCHENER
There are countless ways residents and businesses can clean — and green — the community and support the environment, leading up to Earth Day on April 22nd.
ORGANIZE YOUR OWN CLEAN-UP
Organize your own clean-up of a local park, public space or school yard. To register a clean-up with the City of Kitchener, for supplies and support, visit www.kitchener.ca/earthday
ENVIRONMENTAL SHOWCASE – April 19th (4:00-6:00pm)
Come speak to members of the environmental advisory committee, past grant recipients, local environmental non-profit agencies and researchers; learn how you can get involved. Conestoga room, Kitchener City Hall, 200 King St.W
20 MINUTE MAKEOVER
See the difference 20 minutes can make! Stop what you are doing on Friday, April 20th at 2:00pm and give Kitchener a makeover by picking up garbage around your place of work or home.
TIM HORTONS COMMUNITY CLEAN-UP
The community clean up is being held at a new location this year on Saturday, April 21st from 10am to noon at McLennan Park. Bags and gloves will be provided by the City of Kitchener. Free T-shirts, refreshments (while supplies last) and great prizes for participants provided by Tim Hortons (including water bottles, travel mugs, gift cards and Raleigh bicycles). No pre-registration is required.
BLOOMIN’ EARTH FESTIVAL
Saturday, April 21st from 9:00am to 5:00pm at Kitchener City Hall. Enjoy an outdoor market filled with yesterday’s treasures, free recycled workshops, REthreaded fashion show and live entertainment.
KITCHENER’S NATURAL AREAS PROGRAM (KNAP) EARTH DAY CELEBRATION
Saturday, April 21st from 1:00 to 4:00pm at Huron Natural Area, 801 Trillium Drive.
This family celebration includes building a KNAP bird box (available to the first 100 families); tree planting, crafts and other activities including live animals and activities and artifacts from the Neutral Nation Village. Featuring the Canadian Raptor Conservancy with live birds of prey shows at 1:00, 2:00 and 3:00pm.
A free bus shuttle will be available between the Bloomin Earth Festival, Tim Hortons community clean up and the KNAP event at Huron Natural Area.
A schedule is available online; space is on a first come, first served.
WATERLOO REGION WATER WAGON
The Region’s Water Wagon will be at these two events:
– Kitchener Huron Natural Area Earth Day – April 21st (1:00pm to 4:00pm)
– Waterloo Earth Day – April 28th (10:00am to 2:00pm)
CAMBRIDGE
20 MINUTE MAKEOVER
Friday, April 20th, 2012
Bags and gloves provided – register your workplace or school
CAMBRIDGE COMMUNITY CLEAN UP DAY
Saturday April 21, 2012
9:00am to noon
City Green booths at:
Hespeler – Tim Hortons on Holiday Inn Drive
Galt – Galt Arena Gardens parking lot / Soper Park
ORGANIZE YOUR OWN CLEAN UP ON ANY DAY APRIL 1st TO 30th
Bags and gloves provided; contact Paul Willms at least 3 days before your planned event to arrange your clean up supplies for your group…
willmsp@cambridge.ca
GRCA EARTH DAY EVENTS
GUELPH ROTARY FOREST EARTH DAY – Saturday, April 21st
Across from Guelph Lake Nature Centre, Guelph 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Residents of Guelph and area are planting a 40-acre forest at the Guelph Lake Conservation Area. Although the focus of the events is planting trees, there is lots more going on including music and vendor tents. A limited number of shovels will be provided so planters are encouraged to bring their own. Groups are encouraged to participate. Challenge your co-workers, your neighbours, your class and your family.
There is no charge for admission and there will be free refreshments. Visitors can bring their own mugs. Parking will be available at the Lakeside Church on Conservation Road. Guelph Transit busses will provide shuttle service from the parking lot to the Earth Day Event site.
There will also be free shuttle buses leaving from St. George Square in downtown Guelph every 30 minutes. The new forest will eventually be home to 65,000 trees.
NEW FOREST IN THE CITY TREE PLANTING – Sunday, April 22nd
Brantford 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Brantford Parks and Recreation with support from the Brant Tree Coalition is holding this event to encourage people to get out and plant trees. Planting will be at Bury Court, southwest of Highway 403 and Garden Avenue.
WATERLOO EARTH DAY – Saturday, April 28th
Laurel Creek Conservation Area, Waterloo 10:00am to 2:00pm
Waterloo Earth Day is a free fun-filled day of family activities with an environmental theme. Activities include tree planting, bird box building, awesome nature shows, crafts and eco-tips to help your family reduce your ecological footprint.
CAA /TREES ONTARIO TREE PLANTING – Saturday, May 5th
Laurel Creek Conservation Area – 10:00am to 12:00pm
Hosted by CAA South Central Ontario & Trees Ontario, this Annual Community Planting Weekend is designed to bring CAA members, along with their families, friends, and members of the general public together, to help plant trees. Please bring a shovel, gardening gloves and lots of energy. The CAA South Central Ontario and Trees Ontario will supply the trees, forestry specialists, mulch and snacks.
UPPER GRAND TRAILWAY TREE PLANT – Saturday, May 5th
Upper Grand Trailway 10:00am to 1:00pm
Bring your family to plant trees along the Upper Grand Trailway. Meet at the Trailway Parking lot. Lunch to be provided by the Grand Valley Lions Club.
