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- Subscribe - Contact Us - Rate Card - Place an Ad Archives Revels Classifieds Real Estate Menu Guide Wedding Weather Subscribe Contact Us April 20, 2006 Earth Day: Enlightened fun for global change By Melissa Schweisguth Tidings Correspondent Hip-Hop group Eastern Sunz will be performing at the North Mountain Park Earth Day celebration on Saturday at 3:15 p.m. Submitted photo On April 22, our world unites to celebrate the wonder we call Earth, and recommit ourselves to protecting and restoring it. While this occasion naturally sheds light on environmental problems, its main message is one of hope — empowering individuals and communities with tools for positive change, and uniting us for a wider impact. The Rogue Valley’s annual fiesta takes place at North Mountain Park from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., with diverse exhibits, all-ages fun, regional bands, a free shuttle service, great food and more. The event increases in size and scope every year, so whether you’ve gone before or not, this isn’t to be missed. After all, it combines two of our region’s most loved things — a community party and environmental stewardship. Planting the seeds Sen. Gaylord Nelson established Earth Day in 1970. (To set the record straight, there is a lesser-known “Earth Day” coinciding with the spring equinox — more on that next year.) Inspired by anti-war organizing on college campuses, Nelson envisioned holding a “national environmental protest,” as he later wrote. He hired a team of college students to organize rallies that involved about 20 million Americans nationwide. This first Earth Day had significant effects, including the birth of the EPA and the first versions of the Endangered Species Act and the Clean Air and Water Acts. Earth Day observations continued through years, but so, too, did ecological degradation. At the same time, increased global connectivity exposed the worldwide existence of these problems. In 1990, Nelson’s original Earth Day coordinator headed up another round of widescale organizing, this time enlisting 200 million people from 141 countries. Conservation, recycling and restoration efforts took root in these countries, and the first UN Environmental Summit took place a few years later — all inspired by Earth Day. In 2000, the turning of the millennium inspired a third round of concentrated international organizing, with a particular focus on global climate change that continues today. Making it local Rogue Valley Earth Day www.roguevalleyearthday.net Earth Day Dinner ideas earthdinner.org Earth Day Network www.earthday.net The Rogue Valley’s Earth Day festivities began at the Ashland Community Food Store and moved to Ashland’s North Mountain Park in 2001. Each year, regional businesses come together to sponsor the event, and a dedicated planning committee works for months to organize and promote it. Complete details are available on the event’s Web site, www.roguevalleyearthday.net. Paige Prewett, event manager, says, “Earth Day is an opportunity for celebration, discovery and community. It’s an occasion for people around the world to honor the planet that sustains them, and to learn how we may take better care of our home. The Earth Day planning committee strives to create a lively event that inspires local action, both individually and collectively. We hope that every visitor leaves with ideas and information to shape a brighter future for Earth and all of her inhabitants.” This year, visitors will have the opportunity to explore sustainable options at 70 exhibits ranging from local farming, energy and water conservation, solar installations, renewable energy programs, wilderness and endangered species protection, clean water, green energy vehicles, bicycling, waste reduction, recycling, composting, home gardening permaculture, relocalization and more. Exhibits feature a mix of educational materials, demonstrations and hands on activities, with informed, friendly representatives who love sharing the simple secrets of green living. Many exhibitors also participate in a special component called “Geoquest,” which features a series of participatory learning activities just for kids. The entertainment stage has moved up to the ballfield and features “bigger name” acts, notes Prewett. The music starts at 11 a.m. with Dancing Spirit Drum performing traditional songs of the Wasco tribal nation, followed by the North Mountain Park Puppet Theatre, the Rogue Valley Children’s Peace Choir, the Rogue Valley Peace Choir and a one-man water show called “H2wOah” from Science Works. Shasta Taiko offers a fusion of traditional taiko and contemporary world music at 1 p.m. Blue Turtle Seduction will bring their signature blend of bluegrass, mountain-reggae, world music and funk to the stage at 2. Eastern Sunz closes out the day at 3:15 with “conscious hip-hop grooves” focused political and environmental issues. An open drum circle will allow all to express their own musical side. Other special features include a “bicycle rodeo” obstacle course, arts and crafts, face painting, a Wildlife Images exhibit, children’s art, a bike clinic and a natural building demonstration featuring cob and strawbale — two methods suitable for the regional climate. To refuel themselves after all this inspiration and action, attendees can enjoy sustainably produced food and drink from local businesses. Visitors are encouraged to bike, walk or take the free shuttle in honor of the occasion. Parking is also limited on-site. The free shuttle runs from Medford through Ashland, with an expanded schedule that includes a mid-day return to Medford. Visit the event Web site for complete details. “This is a great opportunity for folks to experience how easy and fun mass transit is,” says Prewett. Making it last Just as Earth Day has been around for 36 years, so, too must we commit ourselves to using what we’ve learned and sharing it with others on a daily basis. The environmental challenges facing our region and our world grow larger each day, impacting economic, cultural and social issues. Every new step we take towards sustainability — large or small — recharges us with optimism for the future and ensures real change. Start on Earth Day by picking up a few packets of seeds or buying a few compact florescent light bulbs, carried home in a cloth bag or reused paper shopping bag. Cook up a dinner or invite friends for a potluck — using local organic foods — and share ideas for green living. After dinner, start a compost with food waste if you don’t have one already. Pull that bike out of the garage for a tune up, get an updated bus schedule or organize a carpool with coworkers. City government departments, utilities, regional transit services, the County Extension and Earth Day exhibitors are always just a phone call or Web site away to answer questions and offer additional resources. It really is easy being green, and the possibilities are endless with potential impacts that are unlimited. 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