Earth Day is approaching, and what started out as a single day of environmental awareness 40 years ago has blossomed into a week-long series of eco-consciousness-raising Earth Day events. The Twin Cities offers plenty of ways to celebrate Spaceship Earth while preparing her for a beautiful spring and passing the Earth Day message of environmental stewardship along to the next generation. Here are some suggestions for Earth Day-related fun:
Watershed Clean-Upwww.minneapolisparks.orgApril 17, 9:30-noon.
For serious stewards who don't mind getting their hands dirty, the success of the annual Minneapolis Watershed Clean-Up is a growing source of pride. Last year more than 3,000 volunteers turned up, and left the creeks, lakes, and rivers of the metro 30,000 pounds of trash cleaner. You don't need to sign up ahead of time. Just arrive at any of 38 volunteer-staffed sites between 9:30 am and noon, receive your pair of gloves and your trash bag, and head out. If you have any gas left in your tank the next day, show up at Lake Harriet on Sunday for the Recycle Run. Your registration fee for the fun run supports future Watershed Clean Up efforts.
Enjoy the Midtown Greenwaywww.midtowngreenway.orgMinneapolis' Midtown Greenway was once a 5.5 mile railway corridor, but the space has been recycled into a car-free pedestrian and bike path running parallel to Lake Street. In many places, the Greenway runs below street level, removed from the noise, exhaust fumes, and interruptions of auto traffic. It's a calm place for a family bike ride and a likely reason Minneapolis topped Bicycling Magazine's latest list of America's Most Bike-Friendly Cities.
Wishes for the Skywww.wishesforthesky.org/Sunday April 25, 11 am-5 pm.
The centerpiece of this free public art event is an ever-evolving kite mobile where the wishes of all participants--you, your child, the oldest woman in Minnesota, your mail carrier--are written on kites and sent aloft to mingle. It's a poetic shared experience on Harriet Island in downtown St. Paul, where the emphasis is on interaction, rather than consumption. Pack a picnic lunch or enjoy the organic snacks available for purchase while listening to the soothing tones of the bamboo wind-chime sculpture, but leave the bottled water at home--this unique event is proudly zero-waste.
Midtown Global Marketwww.midtownglobalmarket.orgSaturday April 17, 11 am- 4pm.
The market, with its blend of butchers, bakers, and candlestick makers, is always a lively place for families on the weekend. In addition to children's activities and live music, their Earth Day celebration includes a Recycled Art Fair, sustainable cooking demonstrations, tips from green lifestyle experts, and special appearances by some of the local farmers whose products make the Midtown Global Market such a delicious place to visit.
Richardson Nature Center http://www.threeriversparks.orgSaturday April 24, 1:00 pm-3:30 pm.
Here is the rare Earth Day event where you get to remove a tree instead of plant one! Yank an invasive species right out of that Bloomington soil--then check out nesting ospreys, let your child catch-and-release pond bugs, and have an adventure in the Off-Trail Nature Exploration Area.
Seward Co-Op's Annual CSA Fairwww.seward.coopSaturday April 24, 11 am-3 pm.
This is the big event for people looking to end their hook-ups with anonymous vegetables and make a real connection to the source of their food. 31 different farmers who offer community supported agriculture programs gather in the Seward Co-Op parking lot to talk potential customers through prices, produce, schedules, and farm visits. Offering every kind of veggie as well as beef, lamb, chicken, pork, turkey, goat, and honey, these farmers will take the mystery out of the CSA relationship and help you arrange for a summer season of healthy, local eating.
Como Park Zoo's "I Love Como and the Planet Celebration"www.comozooconservatory.orgApril 24 and 25, 10 am- 4 pm.
The new Polar Bear exhibit may not open until June, but the Como Zoo is still a great free place to interact with animals inside the city limits. Their two-day Earth Day celebration features performances by a marching band, craft activities such as mask-making, a tree seedling giveaway, and games, including Boomerball bowling and the Polar Ice Hop.
Hunt for Morel MushroomsMorel mushrooms are a delicious, rare treat available at the base of tree stumps throughout Minnesota, and have such a distinctive appearance that they can be foraged without the usual "I'm just an amateur mushroom-hunter and too young to die" feeling of panic. Their short season won't last much longer than May, and its a great time to go on a leisurely excursion through fields and woods, using tips from the Minnesota Morel & Mushroom Message Board (
http://www.morels.com/minnesota/guestbook.html).
Harriet Alexander Nature Centerwww.ci.roseville.mn.usApril 24, 10 am- 2:30 pm
This Roseville nature center is celebrating its 20 year anniversary. Come early for the 9 am Pancake Breakfast Fundraiser, or show up in the afternoon for music, seedling planting, Girl Scout-led crafts and games, and birthday cake. Outside the nature center, Roseville's Central Park offers 52 acres of marsh, prairie, and forest to explore.