This year, 2012, Earth Day celebrates its 42nd anniversary. Find ways to celebrate, from planting seeds, to learning how to harvest sunshine. Find an event that works for you. Also, here are some ways to help and get involved.
BioPark Party for the Planet
When: Saturday, April 21, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Where: The Aquarium, Botanic Garden, Tingley Beach and the Zoo
What can you do to protect the planet, and its animals and plants? Find out at the annual Earth Day Celebration, where hands-on activities and discovery stations will provide some answers. There will be talks and demonstrations as well, from sheep shearing to chalk art competition. Head to the BioPark for a day of earthly fun, and take the train between locations to keep down the carbon emissions. Earth Day activities are free with admission. Call (505) 764-6214 for more information.
Aquarium, feeding/aquarist Q&A on coral reefs
Zoo, feeding narration at seals and seal lion area
Zoo, training/demo and Q&A on elephants, keeper Q&A at spider monkeys and world animal encounters show
Zoo, Keeper Q&A at wombats and repitles areas
Tingley Beach, Bosque nature hike from garden train station (12:15 p.m.)
Zoo, Keeper Q&A: gorillas and orangutans
Zoo, Q&A on Rhinos
Aquarium, aquatic conservation facility tour and aquarist Q&A on sea turtles
Zoo, Training demo and Q&A on elephants, Q&A on reptiles and Q&A on chimps
Zoo, Feeding/Keeper Q&A on polar bears
Zoo, World animal encounters show
City of Albuquerque Open Space Recycled Art Fair
When: Saturday, April 21
Where: Open Space Visitor Center, 6500 Coors Blvd. NW
Celebrate Earth Day at the Open Space Visitor Center, where every day is Earth Day. The Open Space 4th Annual Recycled Art Fair features artists who transform used objects into works of art; part of the proceeds go to supporting educational programs on public lands. Take a workshop on backyard composting with a master composter. There will be make and take craft projects, puppet shows, yoga, food and more. Learn about the Bosque conservation project. For information, call 897-8831.
Earth Day at Coronado State Monument
On Saturday, April 21, the Coronado State Monument will have a general spring cleaning, taking away tumbleweeds, dead brush and plant debris. Monument rangers will have hands-on demonstrations of adobe wall construction and adobe plastering in partnership with the Bernalillo Youth Conservation Corp. There will be storytelling, and docents will lead tours into the painted kiva and along the bosque trail. Events are free. The public can observe or volunteer.Earth Day Celebration at Jemez State Monument
On Sunday, April 15, rangers will lead a hike up Oak Canyon (Church Canyon). Put a spring in your step and celebrate the earth by enjoying the beauty of the Jemez. Rangers will identify the plants and animals encountered along the way. The event is free. Bring water, hiking shoes, sunscreen and a sack lunch. Hike begins at 10 a.m.Farmageddon Film Screening
When: April 25, 7 p.m.Where: Santa Fe Market Pavilion, 1607 Paseo de Peralta, Santa Fe
The film takes a look at the increasing difficulty of finding and choosing healthy foods. Farmageddon tells the story of small family farms and what they face today.
Fruits of the Earth Free Festival
When: 12 p.m. - 9 p.m., Saturday, April 21 and 12 p.m. - 6 p.m. Sunday, April 22Where: Anasazi Fields Winery, 26 Caminos de los Pueblitos, Placitas Enjoy the fruits of the fields grown in Placitas. There will be artists, the Seasonal Palate mobile kitchen with food on both days, including dinner on Saturday the 21. Music on Saturday will be Tim O'Rourke, Sage and Stagefright Slim, and on Sunday, Tres Amigos and A Band Named Sue will perform. Bring a picnic and enjoy the fruits of the season. Admission is $5.
Green Your Bedroom
When: April
Where: Self Serve, 3904b Central SE
Learn how you can purify your bedroom at this green event. The folks at Self Serve declared April Toxic Toy Awareness Month a few years ago, and they're still on the lookout for your health and well being. There may be no regulation on in adult product manufacturing, but you can find our more at this event. For adults 18+, this is a free event. RSVP suggested.
National Parks Week
When: April 21 - 29
Where: New Mexico National Parks and Monuments
Every year around Earth Day, the national parks suspend entry fees. New Mexico has a good number of parks to visit, and many are very close to Albuquerque. In addition to the El Malpais, there is Chaco Canyon, Bandelier, and the Petroglyphs National Monument. The Petroglyphs are always free, with a nominal parking charge.
Rachel Carson: The Wonder of Nature
When: April 21, 2 p.m.
Where: Open Space Visitor Center, 6500 Coors NW
The New Mexico Humanities Council Chautauqua Series includes great women in history. See a living history performance of Rachel Carson as performed by Ann Beyke. Carson's research on the effects of pesticides and chemicals upon the natural world opened the eyes of millions. Celebrate Earth Day with one of the first champions of environmentalism. The event is FREE; call 897-8831 for information.
Spring Cleanup
When: April 7Where: Copper trailhead, east of Tramway on Copper
When: April 14
Where: Indian School trailhead, east of Tramway on Indian School
When: April 21
Where: Menaul trailhead, east of Tramway on Menaul
When: April 28
Where: Piedra Lisa Open Space, east of Tramway on Candelaria and south on Camino de la Sierra.
Join the city's Open Space division in cleaning up your favorite foothills each Saturday in April. Maintain trails, pick up trash and remove graffiti. Each event takes place from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Arrive early to register and enjoy the donated snacks. Children under 18 must be with a parent/guardian. Prizes will be given for the most unusual trash item.
