Parties for the Planet

Earth Hour was great. We mean, what mom WOULDN’T want to be in bed with the lights out by 8 o’clock?

But now it’s time to step it up a bit with all the activities that are being planned for Earth Day—everything from weed-pulling to salmon-releasing, and from picnics to theatre productions.

Vancouver’s big planetary shin-dig is happening at Jericho Beach Park, from 11 to 5 pm on Saturday, April 26. Hosted by the Evergreen Foundation, and with a live music line-up organized by the Vancouver Folk Music Festival, the event will give participants a chance to help root out invasive plant species, plant wildflowers and seedlings, and enjoy nature tours and kids’ activities.

A similar bash is being held on Saturday, April 19, from 11 am to 3 pm at Surrey’s Bear Creek Park at 88th and King George Hwy. Take part in a costume parade, a fish release or some tree planting, and enjoy live music, story-telling and other family-friendly activities. And you can click here for information about Surrey’s ‘Environment Extravaganza,’ a host of free environmental events that will take place between this month’s Earth Day and Oceans Day in June.

North Shore families might want to pop into the eco-fair at Capilano Mall to check out green products and services on April 26 and 27. At noon and 2 pm on April 26, children are invited to a free performance of ‘Growing Up Green,’ a production staged by Green Kids Inc.—a theatre group devoted to environmental education for the younger generation.

But, hey, you may want to have a car-free Earth Day and stay home. Don’t worry, you can still get into the spirit by signing up with the World Wildlife Fund’s newest initiative, The Good Life. Join thousands of other Canadians who have pledged to take on a customized set of actions that will help their household decrease their eco-footprint. Pledges to date already equal nearly five thousand homes being taken off the grid completely!

Here’s to she who unites us all—Mother Earth.

Congratulations to the winners of the Earth Hour Clean Air Pass Contest: Allison from Winnipeg, MB; Meredith from Stratford, ON; Tina from Mississauga, ON; Angela from Mississauga, ON and Martha from Vancouver, BC.

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