Saturday is Earth Day.
Earth Day is an annual event held each April 22nd to demonstrate support for environmental protection. First celebrated in 1970, it’s now observed in 192 counties around the world.
Global Earth Day activities are coordinated by the non-profit organization Earth Day Network. This year’s campaign is about environmental and climate literacy — including the role of climate science.
Earth Day Network and the March for Science are co-organizing a rally and teach-in on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., to defend the vital public service role science plays in our communities and our world. The day’s program will include speeches and training sessions with scientists and civic organizers, musical performances, and a march through the streets of Washington.
Other Marches for Science are taking place in cities around the world, including 18 in Canada. In Ontario, marches will take place in Ottawa, Toronto, Hamilton, London, Kitchener-Waterloo, London, and Sudbury.
In Peterborough and the Kawarthas, Earth Day is being celebrated with activities to clean up public spaces, tree-planting events, celebratory events, environmentally themed workshops, and more.
Here’s a list of some of the events happening locally on Earth Day, organized by time. The weather forecast looks good for Saturday, mainly sunny with a high of 15°C, so get outside and celebrate our planet!
Electronic Waste Drop-off Day in Lindsay
You can drop off your unwanted electronics between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. in the parking lot A Place Called Home (64 Lindsay St. S., Lindsay). Volunteers will unload them from your vehicle. There’s no cost for dropping off items and all proceeds will benefit the shelter and the homeless in the Lindsay community.
They will accept monitors, televisions, computers, laptops, computer peripherals, printers, telephones, cell phones, cameras, and more. If you’re dropping off hard drives or cell phones, please wipe all personal data from them first.
Visit www.apch.ca for more information.
Cobourg Cleanup Day
Citizen volunteers are invited to participate in Cobourg Cleanup Day beginning at 9 a.m.
Meet in the lobby at Victoria Hall (55 King St., Cobourg) and then head to a vacant lot, park, beach front, parking lot, or your own property to clean up Cobourg.
The Town of Cobourg Environmental Active Transportation Advisory Committee will supply gloves, garbage bags, safety vests and t-shirts.
For more information, call 905-372-4555.
Women in Trees Conference and Awareness Day at Fleming College in Lindsay
This free event, which takes place at the Frost Campus of Fleming College (200 Albert St. S., Lindsay), showcases the variety of roles and opportunities for women in the fields of Urban Forestry, Forestry and Arboriculture.
A panel of female industry experts will speak about their experiences and pathways to fulfilling careers with trees. There will also be networking opportunities and story-telling.
This event will culminate with the “Women in Trees” group climb. Participants will be climbing with a harness and ropes, with expert instruction and supervision, with the goal to have 100 women in trees.
For more information, call 1-866-353-6464 ext 3274 or email Katrina.van_osch-saxon@flemingcollege.ca.
Build Your Own Bee Hotel at Endeavour Centre in Peterborough
The Endeavour Centre and Peterborough GreenUP are presenting “Build Your Own Bee Hotel” from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Endeavour Centre (910 High St., Peterborough).
Learn about native bee house building and pollinator habitat in Peterborough. Get started on the construction of your very own native bee hotel. In this workshop, you will deepen your understanding of these crucial pollinators and leave with a bee hotel that you can hang up at home. This is one of many steps you can take to support the revival of these important pollinators.
The cost of the workshop is $125 ($85 for students or the underwaged) and includes lunch and all materials. You must register in advance at endeavourcentre.org/event/bee-hotel/.
Annual Jackson Park Cleanup in Peterborough
The 19th Annual Earth Day Jackson Creek Cleanup takes place from 10 a.m. to noon at Jackson Park (653 Parkhill Road West, Peterborough).
Hosted by Otonabee Conservation with support by the City of Peterborough, Swish Maintenance, and Tim Hortons, community volunteers will help clean up Jackson Park and the Trans Canada Trail.
Bags and gloves will be supplied. This is a family-friendly event and will be held rain or shine. For more information please email friendsofjacksonpark@gmail.com.
Super Spring Cleanup in Peterborough and Ennismore
The Rotary Clubs of Kawartha, Peterborough and Bridgenorth-Ennismore-Lakefield (BEL) are hosting the 10th Annual Community Super Spring Cleanup from 10 a.m. to noon at two locations: Confederation Park (500 George St. N., Peterborough) and BEL Rotary Park (1495 Yankee Line, Ennismore).
In Peterborough, City officials will be attending to thank everyone for participating. There will be a live band, Tim Horton’s refreshments, and environmental groups representation. There will be tables representing each of the five Peterborough Wards. Each table will be manned by a Rotary Captain who will provide you with garbage bags, gloves and picking instructions as well as where to go. They will be cleaning up local parks, railroad tracks, river beds, and road sides.
In Ennismore, BEL Rotary Club will provide garbage bags, gloves, and picking instructions as well as where to go.
For more information, visit www.superspringcleanup.ca.
Earth Day Tree Planting and Celebration in Felenon Falls
The City of Kawartha Lakes Environmental Advisory Committee is hosting an Earth Day Tree Planting and Celebration from 10 a.m. to noon at Russ Baptiste Ball Park (165 Colborne St, Fenelon Falls)
Help plant a mini-forest of 70 trees in a barren section of a Fenelon Falls park, take pictures in the Earth Day photo booth, enjoy a live DJ, sip free organic fair trade coffee (for those who bring their reusable mug), and more.
This free event takes place rain or shine at the Fenelon ball diamond.
Earth Day at Gamiing Nature Centre in Lindsay
Celebrate Earth Day from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Gamiing Nature Centre (1884 Pigeon Lake Rd., Lindsay). Make a pledge to help the earth, and make a native talking stick and learn how to use it. Learn about smudge sessions with Alf Bowser.
The event also features Amy Elliott and her Little Critters petting zoo and the Paddling Puppeteers. There will be hot dogs and marshmallow roasting, trail walks with Bingo, and more.
Admission is by donation. For more information, visit www.gamiing.org.
Yoga Pop-up to Celebrate Earth Day at the Art Gallery of Peterborough
Celebrate Earth Day with a fun Yoga Pop-Up with Joha Yoga from noon to 1 p.m. at the Art Gallery of Peterborough (250 Crescent St., Peterborough).
This event is for ages 17 and up, with all levels of experience. Bring a mat and water!
The cost is $15, with half of the proceeds going to the Art Gallery of Peterborough.
Spaces are limited, so register in advances by emailing elkejohnsonjones@gmail.com.
“Night Sounds” Guided Nature Walk at South Pond Farms
Dan Bone, a local naturalist, will lead a twilight tour to wetlands and woodlands on Ballyduff Trails at 6:30 p.m. at South Pond Farms (1020 Gray Rd., Pontypool) to listen to spring peepers, trilling toads, and wide-eyed owls breaking their winter silence in a cacophony of love calls.
“Night Sounds” is the first of a series of eight non-profit events at South Pond Farms entitled “Seasons on the Moraine”, being offered from April to October. The events are designed to deepen understanding and increase appreciation of nature as it unfolds its marvels month by month in the Fleetwood Valley on the edge of the Oak Ridges Moraine. They will include birdwatching, identification of flowers, ferns and sedges, studying the forest as an ecological system, walking a tallgrass prairie and learning about the natural and cultural landscape of the area. Each event features a farm-to-table meal.
The cost is $30. To register for this and other upcoming events, visit /www.southpondfarms.ca/event-calendar/. Note: “Night Sounds” is now sold out.
