40th Anniversary of Earth Day in Central Ohio
Earth Day 2010: The Update
40 years ago, pioneering activists fought for clean air and water. Their actions led to Congress passing tough regulations forcing industry to reduce emissions. We owe a lot to these foremothers and forefathers of the environmental movement, but now it is time for The Update. Environmentalism today is about sustainability and working together to improve the health of our families, communities and planet. It’s about making every day Earth Day – by recycling, bicycling, up-cycling and more. Everyone has a role to play.
Green Columbus, the organization behind the last three central Ohio Earth Day celebrations, is planning a two-part, three-day event to recognize the 40th anniversary this April. Part one consists of a coordinated campaign to encourage central Ohioans to volunteer at worksites on Saturday, April 17, and Sunday, April 18. Part two is a celebration at Franklin Park on Thursday, April 22, to recognize accomplishments from the previous weekend and raise awareness about environmental issues.
Earth Day 2010: The Update is a follow-up to Earth Day 2009: Picture This. In 2009, Columbus had the largest volunteer turnout for Earth Day of any city in the U.S.; over 2,600 central Ohioans donated their time and labor at 70 area worksites. The goal for 2010 is to get 10,000 volunteers engaged in environmentally related activities, which will make Columbus and central Ohio the largest celebration of its kind.
A key element of Earth Day 2010: The Update is a tree-planting initiative that is being coordinated by the Buckeye Forest Council, Rainforest Action Network and Green Columbus. The three organizations are facilitating the planting of 10,000 trees at worksites across central Ohio on April 17 and 18. As of January 2010, almost half of the goal has been reached.
The tree initiative aims to supply volunteer labor to perform the planting and, where necessary, supply trees to organizations hosting Earth Day 2010: The Update worksites. The recently disbanded central Ohio chapter of Rainforest Action Network has provided the seed funds for the initiative. The remaining funding is expected to come from a variety of sources including the Name-a-Tree program, a new opportunity to have a tree planted in honor or memory of someone special.
Green Columbus is also partnering with Keep Columbus Beautiful, which will work with its network of community organizations to host volunteer worksites, provide basic supplies for litter pick up and space for worksite host training.
Any organization may host an Earth Day worksite, including environmental groups, community organizations, businesses, places of worship, schools and others. In addition to planting trees, common worksite activities involve community gardening, removing invasive species, cleaning up riverbanks and neighborhood beautification. Approximately 150 worksites will be needed to supply meaningful opportunities for 10,000 volunteers. Worksite registration is open now at www.update2010.org.
This year, the culminating celebration falls on the calendar Earth Day – April 22 – and will be held at Franklin Park, a change from Goodale Park, the site of the celebration for the previous three years. Tentatively scheduled from 3p-10p, the celebration will feature speakers including Mayor Michael B. Coleman, live music, local and organic food, informational booths, kids’ activities and much more.
Plans for the celebration incorporate the new Scotts-Miracle Gro Community Garden campus at Franklin Park Conservatory. This seven-acre, state-of-the-art “living classroom,” which opened in September of 2009, provides a platform for environmental education as well as community gardening best practices.
Visit www.update2010.org for more information about the 40th anniversary of Earth Day in central Ohio and sign up for an email reminder to register to volunteer. Volunteer registration opens in early March and worksites will be categorized by general location and type of activity. Additional elements of Earth Day 2010: The Update include a people’s history of Earth Day, video and photo contest, and an up-cycled fashion show.
