Squamish honours Earth Day with community celebrationsSusan [email protected]
Five hundred million people, six million Canadians, 181 countries, infinite hope for a desperate planet.
In the 37 years since its inception, Earth Day has become the environmental movement's most recognizable annual celebration. Squamish will celebrate the day Saturday (April 21) with a multi-faceted event meant to bring together a variety of community groups with the common goal of enjoying the best of what the earth has to offer. Local organizer and librarian Karen MacDonald hopes the Spring Fling - Going Green celebration will become an annual event.
"With our community getting larger and larger, it seems that our groups are getting further and further apart, so I thought this would be a really good way to bring our community groups together under one umbrella," she said. "We've got a whole slew of people lined up to promote ecological awareness and their individual causes."
Started in 1970 as an educational event by Harvard University student Denis Hayes and Wisconsin Governor Gaylord Nelson, the day has since inspired cultures around the world to move towards a greener future.
Some of the local organizations promoting education and eco-friendly products include Phil's Bee & Honey Farm, The Bear Aware Network, Cardio Core, and Aikido. Also look for the Dig This plant sale, a worm composting demonstration, Howe Sound grad manure vendors, retro kitchenware, a book nook and regiftables.
"We're trying to teach people that the new way of recycling is to regift and reuse," said MacDonald. "Say you got a cookie jar 10 years ago from an aunt, and you don't use it. Bring it down and we'll probably fill it with cookies and a recipe and sell it as a regiftable item."
More celebrations are planned for Sunday (April 22) as the Squamish Oceanfront Development Corporation (SODC), the Squamish Sustainability Corporation (SSC) and Squamish First Nation sponsor a community event with music, food, beverages, activities for kids and information booths on environmentally sustainable, earth friendly products.
Squamish Nation will hold an opening ceremony and prayer, and there will be speeches from Mayor Ian Sutherland, Coun. Patricia Heintzman John Turner of the regional district.
The event will begin at 1:30 p.m. at the south end of Cleveland Ave. where SODC CEO Mike Chin will open a new portion of the Oceanfront trail. Then onto the south end of the oceanfront for Earth Day celebrations from 2 p.m. until dusk. "We are hoping for this to be as garbage free as possible, so bring your cup, plate, cutlery and chairs," said organizer Deborah McQueen.
As environmental degradation increases, MacDonald said the major emphasis should be on first understanding and decreasing human impact on delicate ecosystems. While Earth Day has grown nationally, expanding into Earth Week and Earth Month to accommodate the profusion of events and projects, she thinks Squamish residents could do even more to preserve and protect their mountains and rivers.
"We need to start at the children's level, getting them away from the TV, the computers, and getting them outside to the rivers, explaining what it's like now, and what it could end up like in the future," said the long-term resident. "We need to explain about the Chief - people will climb and hike it, but they have no idea what it is.
In order for us to take care of our community, we need to know more about it and be aware of what could happen."
To get involved, call MacDonald at (604) 898-9508 or (604) 898-5100. The Spring Fling - Going Green celebration will take place on Saturday (April 21), from 9 a.m. till noon at St. John the Divine Anglican Church, 1930 Diamond Road, Garibaldi Estates.
