Earth Day 2011

While we should adhere to the mantra, "Every day is Earth Day," sometimes it is easy to forget the importance of taking care of our environment. Earth Day is a day to renew our dedication to improving our environment today and preserving it for future generations. In his journals, Ralph Waldo Emerson said, "The lover of nature is he whose inward and outward senses are still truly adjusted to each other." Nature has an delicate interconnectedness that we must respect and protect.Doing so allows us to balance the demands of modern life and enjoy the beauty that Earth provides. On this Earth Day, take the time to broaden your family's appreciation of nature and set goals to become more eco-friendly.

Events:
Weber County Library
The Pleasant Valley Branch in South Ogden will be showing Earth Day awareness movies every Wednesday until Earth Day
Wednesday, April 13 @ 7pm- Earth Days is a PBS special about the history of Earth Day and Eco-awareness.
Wednesday, April 20 @ 7pm- The End of the Line is a documentary that covers serious and relevant threats to our environment.
Friday April 22 from 4-5pm- All Weber County Library Branches will host an Earth Day celebration complete with activities, refreshments, and distributions of live lady bugs. The main branch only will feature a presentation about composting and will be giving away free flower and vegetable seeds.
All events are FREE.
Ogden Nature Center
Saturday, April 16 from 11am-4pm- A huge Earth Day celebration will be hosted by the Nature Center. Some exhibitors include Backyard Chickens, Slow Food Utah and Recycled Denim Art. Activities include a climbing wall, puppet shows and head wreath making. Vendors will be selling food, native plants and more. There will also be tons of live entertainment, tours and more.
More info is available here Earth Day celebration
Cost: $2/person
Freebie: Entrance is free if you walk, bicycle or ride the bus to the event. If you have never taken public transportation, this is a great opportunity to figure out the system and take your kids on a bus ride.
Check out the UTA website for schedules and more.UTA

What you can do on Earth Day:
Here are some more activities you can do with your family in honor of Earth Day.

• Plant a tree. For all Ogden residents, the city has a limited amount of FREE trees for residents with proof of address. They started distribution last Tuesday, so I don't know how many trees are left. Get more info here: Free Trees
  
• Make crafts from recycled items. Family Fun website has a ton of great ideas. Check it out here: Recyclable projects



• Read some nature literature. Some of my favorites are: Mark Twain's Roughing It; Ralph Waldo Emerson's Nature; Aldo Leopold's A Sand County Almanac; and Rachel Carson's Silent Spring



• Watch an earth-related movie. This article features a top ten list of Earth Day movies: Earth Day movies



• Donate to an earth cause. Check out Earth Day's website to find worthy charities: Donate

I hope everyone has an eventful and memorable Earth Day!