Earth Day Events in Alameda

By Lorri Garrett, Alameda Green Schools Coordinator

Earth Day is on April 22 this year, and Alameda is getting ready to celebrate!  Here are some of the events planned to show our love for the third rock from the sun.

Alameda Green Schools Summit, Wednesday, April 13, 6 to 8 p.m, Alameda Main Library: All are welcome to attend the and get involved in the work to reduce our schools’ environmental footprint. Listen to student presentations from, , and .

Find out how and StopWaste.org are helping Alameda meet its conservation goals through a range of programs including, service learning, energy conversation for school sites, school gardens and composting and recycling programs and zero waste lunches.

For more information visit Go Green Schools.

City of Alameda Earth Day Festival, Saturday, April 16, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Washington Park. At the there will be live music, activities for children, a zero-waste film festival and information about sustainability. And, of course, free valet bike parking, prizes, games. The celebration is sponsored by , Alameda County Industries, City of Alameda Public Works Department, East Bay Regional Park District and the .

Washington Elementary School Garden: Seedling Swap, Saturday, April 16, from 10 a.m. to noon.  will be holding a in celebration of Earth Day. Come by the school garden with some seedlings you want to trade and pick up some new seedlings and plants. They'll have California natives, drought-tolerant and medicinal herbs, including ceanothus, sticky monkey flower, pineapple sage, Swiss chard, wild strawberry, mugwort, mint, cilantro, western blackberry, golden yarrow, native asters and much more.

Earth Week in the Schools: Many Alameda Schools will be celebrating Earth Day all week long (April 18 to 21). It is not too late to plan something at your school site. Possible activities include zero-waste lunches, walk and roll to school days, tree planting and wearing green for the earth.