Local groups put their fun sides on display for Earth Day

Published 12:53 pm Thursday, April 17, 2008

With Earth Day coming Tuesday, local venues are preparing for days of free activities that honor the environment and offer fun activities to show families how they can help the planet.

The following is a compilation of events taking place between Saturday and Tuesday.

Earth Walk Adventure

From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, several local agencies will sponsor an event featuring outdoor Earth Day fun at Ebey Waterfront Park, at 1404 First St. in Marysville. Stilly-Snohomish Fisheries Enhancement Task Force staff members will share with visitors a wealth of knowledge concerning the care of forests, and of Puget Sound and local salmon, and will teach about water pollution prevention, stream enhancement projects and more. The day’s schedule also includes birdwatching and various walking tours. Visitors can expect information booths, prizes and light refreshments. For more information, call 360-363-8283 or go to www.stillysnofish.org (use the “activities and upcoming activities” link). This event is suitable for all ages.

An island Earth Day celebration

Event organizers at Bayview Corner, 5603 Bayview Road in Langley, have planned a day of events saluting the Earth from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. The annual rain-or-shine celebration features two new family-friendly activities — a decorated-bicycle contest and a bicycle parade. Event organizers ask that visitors interested in participating in this part of the celebration bring their bicycles already decorated. The parade will start at 10:30 a.m.

Walking tours of sustainable design elements at the Corner and the Cash Store will take place from 1:30 and 3 p.m. Sunday, and visitors can attend workshops on topics including rainwater management, solar greenhouses, green transportation and composting.

Younger guests can work on tree planting and various science projects, and also enjoy song and story times, and visitors inclined to share their musical talents, whether singing or playing, are invited to the 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. open jam session.

Projects such as building a bench out of clay, sand and soil, and creating a community mandala of natural objects are other options at the celebration. Items needed for the mandala include almost anything visitors can find in nature to bring from home, such as pine cones, twigs and leaves.

Also, Earth-related artwork will be on display at the nearby Bayview Corner Cash Store through Wednesday.

For more information on Whidbey’s Earth Day celebration, call 360-321-4145 or go to www.goosefoot.org.

Libraries prepare for Earth Day guests

Various branches of the Sno-Isle libraries also have free events and entertainment to celebrate the planet.

For example, starting at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at the Mukilteo branch, 4675 Harbour Pointe Blvd., visitors will find the library’s Creation Station ready for guests who want to show their crafty sides; the musical group Harmonica Pocket will perform at 11 a.m.; Snohomish County Master Gardener members will be on hand to answer questions; and Community Transit’s Earth-defending superhero, Oxy Gene, will make an appearance.

For more information, contact the library staff at 425-493-8202 or go to www.sno-isle.org.

Finally, in an event geared toward teens and adults, Sno-Isle’s Snohomish branch, at 311 Maple Ave., will offer a “Green Up Your Home” presentation at 7 p.m. Tuesday.

For more information on this discussion featuring green building expert Pam Worner, call the library at 360-568-2898 or go to www.sno-isle.org.