Special days. The calendar is full of them, whether it's to celebrate
someone's birth, death, the signing of a famous paper, or some other event that's noteworthy.
It's interesting to note that only recently was a certain time of year recognized worldwide as
a day to celebrate the Earth that made all these other days possible.
Over 180 countries celebrate Earth Day (April 22), a day to focus on the world and the
environment. Children in schools take part in events meant to increase awareness of
environmental issues, and possibly do something about them. The day was first introduced as
an event in the United States in 1970, but has since become regognized all over the world.
April 22 is the day chosen for this appreciation and dedication to our world, and this year
it falls just a couple days after the March Spring Equinox, the official switching in the
Northern Hemisphere from Winter to Spring.
The first Earth Day involved 20 million people teaching and enlightening people as to the
environmental issues of the day. In 1990 it mushroomed to an international event and 200
million people joining in worldwide. The awareness has caused governments to pass clean air
and water laws, and to initiate important public projects to help out our fragile ecosystems.
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"Treehugging" isn't the only thing that takes place on Earth Day. There are also events like
Victoria's Earth Walk, Edmonton's Earth Day Festival, or even the festivals on the Sunshine
Coast, in Roberts Creek and Powell River.
In Roberts Creek and Powell River, two hotbeds of down-to-earth lifestyles, you can enjoy an impressive variety of planet concious stuff: Craft stalls showing off cloth and clothing utilizing all-natural fibres like hemp; jewellery and pottery reminding us that useful items don’t have to come out of a factory; presentations, games and displays to enlighten about the environment; and of course music, because it just isn’t Earth Day without the world’s pain put into song.
Because of the interest of the people for this land of ours Earth Day is sometimes thought of
as Earth Week, or even Month. The Sunshine Coast is a great place to spend a day appreciating
the Earth, but it's comforting to know there's probably an event nearby to go to, whether in
Canada, the USA, or the Middle East.
For more information about Earth Day activities in Roberts Creek, contact Lisa Humphries 604-886-5388
For great information about Earth Day in Canada, visit www.earthday.ca
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