Three Days Until Earth Day…

Esperanza Spalding

Hi Everyone!

So we can’t believe how quickly time has flown but Earth Day is now less than three days away! Earth Day Network has planned some really exciting events for the National Mall including performances by Cheap Trick, Dave Mason, Kicking Daisies and Explorers Club. We are also proud to announce that our very own Arts and Athletes for the Earth partner, Esperanza Spalding will debut the video for her new song, “Endangered Species” on the Mall.

In addition, we will have our own tent where we will host face painting and coloring as well as signings by eco-race car driver Leilani Munter and the band Explorers Club. We will also keep you posted on the times to catch some special Earth Day book readings. So now that I’ve told you our plans for this Sunday, what about you guys?

Tadasana International Festival of Yoga & Music

Hey guys! Check out our new Arts and Athletes for the Earth partner, the Tadasana International Festival of Yoga & Music!

The Tadasana Yoga & Music Festival is a three day long event held off the pier in Santa Monica, California over Earth Day weekend 2012.  This year the festival will offer over 75 yoga classes and workshops from 60 master teachers, there will be 32 musical acts, 40 speakers, and an Eco-Village with 70 vendors.  Not only is the entire festival eco-themed, but they also have a Zero Waste Mission  this year!  All participants have access to a free bike valet, festival t-shirts are made out of organic cotton, stainless steel water bottles will be sold on site and there will be Zero Waste recycling/reuse/compost stations set up around the festival.

 

This Yoga & Music festival is certainly doing their part to celebrate Earth Day and do it in an eco-friendly way!  So if you’re out on the West Coast for Earth Day this year or are into yoga, we recommend you check out this awesome festival!

 

An Environmental Film Festival Hosted by Yale University

Academy Award Nominated documentary, The Tsunami and the Cherry Blossom. To be screened by EFFY on April 14th.

The production of environmental films and the organization of environmental film festivals has become rather trendy over the past few years and with Earth Day right around the corner, these festivals are popping up all over the country. Universities have played a big role in hosting these festivals, including one of our parterners, Yale University’s the 2012 Environmental Festival at Yale (EFFY).

The festival, which is entirely run by students, is being presented by the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies and aims to spark meaningful discourse and environmental action in the Yale community and beyond. It is set to begin on April 9th with a screening of Surviving Progress, a documentary about the concept of progress in our modern world and ends on April 15th with a screening of  The Whale, about a young Orca that lost contact with his family in the Puget Sound and turned up near Vancouver Island in the Nootka Sound.

For a full listing of screenings check out the EFFY 2012 website to see if you can make a night of it! The festival will also host speakers and will give out Grand Jury Prizes for Best Feature and Best Short. If you can’t make it to the festival because you live far away or just don’t have the time, I would suggest checking out the film listing anyway so that you can watch some of them on your own time!

30 Days ‘Till Earth Day

John Legend performing at Earth Day Network's 2010 celebration

Boy how time has flown these past few months! The cherry blossoms have made an early arrival in D.C. and each day we get to experience more and more beautiful rays of sunlight. The beginning of Spring also means that Earth Day is just around the corner and it’s our job to let you know what events are out there so that you can prepare for April’s green festivities! Here’s the breakdown:

On April 14th in Ventura, California there will be the Earth Day Eco Fest. The festival will host an assortment of fun and educational activities for children, a large raffle and auction, live music and dance performances along with offering a variety of healthy and sustainable food.

For the Chicago-area runners out there, there will be an Earth Day 5k on April 21st. The family friendly run will culminate at the Humboldt Park boat house with a free Green Living Expo including music, family entertainment, shopping, food and environmental education for all!

Seattle, Washington will be hosting their own Earth Day race with the Magnuson run on April 21st. The series will consist of races made for all levels with a 5k, 10k, 15k, kids dash, 2 person team (5k each) and a half marathon.

San Diego State University has planned a GreenFest set for April 22nd. The festival will include a 5k, musical performances and a variety of competitions and environmental education activities.

Of course I couldn’t talk about Earth Day events without mentioning Earth Day Network‘s very own celebration on April 22nd on the Washington D.C. National Mall. We will be celebrating with hundreds of thousands of environmentally-conscious people along with civic leaders and celebrities to galvanize the environmental movement! So wherever you are, look to participate in these celebrations or try to find an event close to you so that we can all be green together!

Spring Fever

Hey guys, it’s the first day of Spring!  Spring is the season of new beginnings and we wanted to take this opportunity to remind you of some ways you can start off this season being green!  Get outside and be inspired by the warm weather and blossoming flowers, let this beautiful time of year inspire you to do some planting, perhaps even plant a tree.  Take advantage of the nice weather and bike or walk to work instead of driving or taking public transportation.  Enjoy a nice picnic with in-season fruits like peaches, pear and plums and don’t forget to bring along reusable or recyclable picnic gear.  If you’re feeling really motivated, go out back and start your own compost for recycling kitchen scraps.  While spring cleaning, remember to use eco-friendly cleaning supplies.  Also, as you build up your spring wardrobe, remember to try and buy from eco-friendly labels and buy locally when possible.

 

Finally, take your Green Spring Fever to the next level by pledging your act of green to Earth Day’s Billion Acts of Green!!!!

The Golden Man with the Green Hue

As award season begins to wind down, we cannot forget about Hollywood’s biggest night. However, it seems that the Grammy’s won the environmental award for the work they did to dye the red carpet green. Recent news suggests that this event will be eco-friendly when it comes to the food and goodie bags. Ecorazzi reported a list of the 5 ways the Academy Awards were planning on going green this year.

This is not to say that those of us at our eco-friendly Oscar Parties should not watch. Actresses, such as Emmy Rossum, have already attended pre-Oscar parties dawned in their eco-friendly garments. Eco-couture will be a trend to watch out for on the Red Carpet this Sunday. And let’s be for real, the fashion on the red carpet is one of the best things about awards’ season. Maybe one of this year’s winners will be sporting a new eco-friendly option!?!?

Happy Mardi Gras, let’s make it green!

Hello everyone, it’s Fat Tuesday and it’s time to celebrate! Although today is one of the only times of the year when indulging in food and drinks is okay, there is one thing that we should always preserve, MOTHER EARTH. Each year, 25 million pounds of beads make their way to New Orleans every year. That’s a lot of plastic. Unfortunately standard recycling centers can’t take these beads but there have been  some initiatives in recycling alternatives. 

One organization called Arc of Greater New Orleans employs mentally challenged adults to sort the collected beads to be re-used the next year. Another organization, cleverly called Verdi Gras will be setting up bead collection bins along a parade route. These are just a few examples  of how you can reduce Mardi Gras waste even if you don’t remember doing it Other things you can do on your own include bringing your own re-usable cup or joining a green krewe!

Check out this awesome mosaic made out of recycled Mardi Gras beads!

So eat plenty of jambalaya and don’t do anything you’ll regret too much in the morning. Stay green!