Helping to clean up a park.
Earth Day celebrates its 40th anniversary in 2010, and Southern California has events to mark it. Founded by Gaylord Nelson, a U.S. senator from Wisconsin at the time, Earth Day was a watershed victory for environmental rights, as it led to the birth of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (as well as the passage of the Clean Air, Clean Water and Endangered Species acts).
11th Annual Topanga Earth Day Festival
The Topanga Festival is a two-day affair, taking place on April 17-18, in the hippie stronghold of Topanga Canyon. The event kicks off with a volunteer-staffed cleanup of Topanga Creek and segues into a packed schedule of demonstrations, speakers and vendors. You can sip a bicycle-blended smoothie, get an education on clean energy, meet a who's who of healers and yogis, and listen to an eclectic roster of international, national and local bands. There's a children's exhibit (developed by Green Station LA). Proceeds from the event are divvied up among the California Wildlife Center, the Resource Conservation District of the Santa Monica Mountains, the Turtle Project, Earth Justice and the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society.
Ventura Earth Day Ecofest
What better way to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Earth Day than at a festival just steps from the beautiful Ventura beach? The city's Promenade Park will be host to lots of green vendors, musicians, performers, educators and delicious festival food. Since the event is hosted by the Ventura Charter School of Arts and Global Education, it's designed to be very family-friendly. There's a long list of kid-friendly activities on offer, from a science pavilion to arts and crafts. As it's a nonprofit event, all proceeds will go to area public schools to fuel student-enrichment programs.
California State Parks Foundation Earth Day Restoration and Cleanup
Since its debut in 1998, the CSPF Earth Day Restoration and Cleanup has been a landmark program in the California experience of Earth Day. The program draws Californians of all ages out into the field (as well as creek, forest and beach) for a massive statewide volunteer effort. Thousands of trees are planted, hundreds of trails are restored and acre upon acre of wildlife habitat is rehabilitated every year. In Southern California, the beach cleanup efforts are especially fun and social, as well as being a truly topical way to spend Earth Day.
Tags: Southern California, 40th anniversary, Earth Restoration, Earth Restoration Cleanup, Restoration Cleanup