Dozens of events around the Twin Cities mark Earth Day 2008. April 22 is the actual date for Earth Day, but the celebrations begin April 17 and continue for more than a week. The observance of Earth Day on April 22 began in 2008, at the urging of U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson.
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APRIL 17
Green Village Kick-Off Event
SECIA will be launching the next phase of the Green Village Project with an event including free refreshments and games! The Kick-Off event will feature a Solar Motion Light distribution program that allows Como residents to purchase a solar motion light for $14 (regular price is between over $85.00)! There will also be a bike trailer demonstration, an eco-resource fair featuring U of M student groups and local green businesses, and a work shop on building your own bike trailer beginning at 6 pm! Celebrate the Green Village!
Thursday April 17th, 3 pm to 5 pm
Van Cleve Park- 901 15th Ave SE, Minneapolis
Contact: Justin- 612-676-1731, ec@secomo.org Website: www.secomo.org
Green Village Bike Trailer Workshop!
As part of the Beautiful U and Green Village Kick Off, SECIA will be presenting a bicycle trailer building workshop. The workshop will familiarize you with all the tools needed and cover step-by-step directions on how to build your own bicycle trailer from salvaged bike parts and inexpensive hardware. Due to limited time and supplies participants will not be building trailers at the workshop, but we will be providing free trailer hitches for the first 10 participants who build their trailers!
Thursday, April 17th, 6pm
Van Cleve Park- 901 15th Ave SE, Minneapolis
Contact: Justin- 612-676-1731, ec@secomo.org
Meeting the Goal: Examples from the Field
Hamline University, Klas Center, Kay Fredericks Room
April 17, 2008
Registration and Reception 3:45-4:15 p.m., Program 4:14 -5:45 p.m.
Contact: Kristen Norman-Major, 651-523-2814, gsm@hamline.edu
General admission $10. Graduate School of Management students, $25 to receive credit.
Part of the Hamline Dialogue Series “Managing Our Resources: Energy, the Environment and Sustainability”. The Graduate School of Management and Education will bring together experts to address these issues and engage the audience in a dialogue sure to energize and sustain discussion.
Panelists: Patrick Hamilton, director of environmental sciences and earth-system science exhibits division, Science Museum of Minnesota; Anders Rydaker, president, District Energy St. Paul; and Karen Utt, Senior Environmental Analyst, Xcel Energy.
APRIL 19
Arboretum, Nature Conservancy Earth Day Wilderness Walk
Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, 3675 Arboretum Drive, Chaska MN 55318
April 19, 2008
10:30 – 11:30 a.m.
952-443-1400
The Minnesota Landscape Arboretum and The Nature Conservancy in Minnesota are both celebrating their 50th anniversaries in 2008. Staff from the Arboretum and the Conservancy will lead a hike, which will highlight Minnesota’s striking and diverse native flora. The nature hike is open to the public and gate admission (on April 19) will be waived for Nature Conservancy and Arboretum members and those who have downloaded a coupon from the Conservancy website. The normal gate fee for non-members is $7 for adults. Youths 15 and younger are admitted free.
Upon completion of the walk, each participating family will receive a tote bag, courtesy of the Nature Conservancy. Participants also will receive a coupon for a free vitamin water from the Arboretum.
University of St. Thomas Green Team Cleanup
Meeting place: World War I monument at the intersection of Summit Avenue
and Mississippi River Blvd, St. Paul, MN
April 19, 2008
10:00 a.m.- 2:00 p.m.
Contact: Chelsea Grolla at cegrolla@stthomas.edu
Annual spring clean-up of the east banks of the Mississippi River from the Lake Street Bridge down to the Ford Parkway bridge. Bring gloves, rakes, good shoes, and enthusiasm. Bags, gloves, coffee, and some food treats will be provided for participants.
Tamarack Nature Center Earth Day Event
Meeting place: Tamarack Nature Center, 5287 Otter Lake Rd, White Bear Lake
April 19, 2008
11:00 – 5:00 p.m.
Contact: 651-429-8526 or 651-429-7787
Interactive booths for kids and Water Walk for water conservation.
Dodge Nature Center’s Annual Earth Day event
Dodge Nature Center, 365 Marie Avenue West, St. Paul
April 19, 2008
10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Contact: Jason Sanders, jsanders@dodgenaturecenter.org or 651-455-4531
Help remove one of Minnesota most invasive exotic species, European buckthorn. Once buckthorn is established in a site, it out competes native vegetation drastically decreasing plant diversity in these areas. Help pull buckthorn, plant trees, and pick up trash (lunch will be provided). RSVP by April 18th.
Earthday at Gluek Park
Gluek Park, 1926 Marshall St, Minneapolis, MN
9:15 Breakfast (5K and Watershed Clean Up participants)
10:00 Watershed Clean Up
MN Science Museum
Bird House Building for Kids
Naturalists for all your questions
FREE Residential Electronics Waste Drop Off (no appliances please)
11:00 Entertainment (Birds of Prey from the U of M Raptor Center)
12:00 Morning Wrap up & Gluek Park Grand Reopening
Earth Day 5K
Meeting place: Gluek Park, 1926 Marshall St NE, Minneapolis
April 19, 2008
Packet pickup begins at 8:00 a.m.; the race starts at 9:00 a.m.
Contact: bna@bottineauneighborhood.org or 612-782-2145
Register by paying $15 by 4/12, $20 by 4/17 plus processing
5K run down historic Marshall Street in NE Minneapolis, past the Grainbelt Brewery, over the Mississippi (twice) and back. Refreshments and light breakfast afterward. Packet and number. Event proceeds will be dedicated to continuing improvements to Gluek Park. First 100 pre-registered participants will receive a Green Bag (www.ecobags.com) with other goodies. The first female, male and animal (regardless of sex) finishers will receive a 2008 Twin Cities Blue Sky Guide
The Green Gala
Northrup King Building, 1500 Jackson Street NE, Minneapolis, MN
3rd Floor Gallery
April 19, 2008
7:00 – 10:00 p.m.
Tickets $20 in advance; $30 at the door
An evening of recycled, reused and socially responsible fashion. Live music, appetizers and refreshments.
Harriet Alexander Nature Center
2520 North Dale Street, Roseville
April 19, 2008
9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
Contact: Debbie Nash, 651-765-4262
Celebrate Harriet Alexander Nature Center’s birthday. Enjoy a pancake breakfast, take part in the Earth Day Parade, enjoy crafts and games and browse earth-friendly exhibits and demonstrations on this fun-filled day celebrating our earth.
14th Annual Earth Day Watershed Clean-Up
Minneapolis parks citywide
April 19, 2008
9:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
612-230-6484
A collaborative effort between the Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board and the City of Minneapolis to clean up City parks.
2008 Cleanup Sites
Armatage Park – 2500 57th St. W
Beltrami Park – 1111 Summer St. NE
Cedar Lake – Cedar Lake Pkwy. & 25th St. W
Cedar Lake Trail – 600 Kenwood Pkwy., Parade Ice Garden parking lot
Central Green Gym – 3400 4th Ave. S
Columbia Park – Columbia Pkwy. & 35th Ave. NE, playground parking lot
Creekview Park – 5001 Humboldt Ave. N
Dairy Queen – 4719 Lyndale Ave. N
East River Parkway – East River Pkwy. & Franklin Ave.
Father Hennepin Bluffs Park – 100 6th Ave. SE
Folwell Park – 1615 Dowling Ave. N
Gluek Park – 1926 Marshall St. NE
J.D. Rivers Children’s Garden picnic area – Glenwood Ave. & Washburn Ave. N
Kenny Park – 1328 58th St. W
Kenwood Park – 2101 Franklin Ave. W
Lake Calhoun
· East Calhoun Pkwy. & 32nd St W
· West Calhoun Pkwy. & 32nd St W
Lake Harriet – 4135 Lake Harriet Pkwy., Bandshell parking lot
Loring Park – 1382 Willow St.
Lynnhurst Park – 1345 Minnehaha Pkwy. W
Martin Luther King Park – 4055 Nicollet Ave. S
Minnehaha Park – 4801 Minnehaha Ave. S
Minnehaha Parkway – Minnehaha Pkwy. E & 12th Ave. S
Nokomis Park – 2401 Minnehaha Pkwy. E
North Commons Park – 1801 James Ave. N
Northeast Park – 1615 Pierce St. NE
7th Annual Great Shingle Creek Watershed Clean Up
Community Center, 6301 Shingle Creek Parkway, Brooklyn Center
April 19, 2008
9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Contact: Jenny Whiting at 763-569-3380 or by email at jwhiting@ci.brooklyn-center.mn.us.
Trash bags and cotton gloves will be provided the day of the event.
River Clean-up with the Watergate Yacht Club
Watergate Marina, 2500 Crosby Farm Road, Mississippi River, St. Paul
April 19, 2008
11:00a.m.-2:00 p.m.
Contact: Virg Amsden at 651-699-3429 or virg@rbcu.org
In cooperation with the MN DNR, the WYC has adopted one mile of river (1/2 mile on each side). We will walk the river shoreline to pick up trash and debris that does harm to the river and the environment. This makes the river a better place to boat and allows us to be proud of our efforts to improve water quality. The clean-up will be followed with a Pot Luck!
MN Center for Book Arts-Recycled Books
Open Book, 1011 Washington Ave S, Minneapolis
Saturday, April 19
10:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.
Contact: 612-215-2520
Celebrate Earth Day with MCBA by making books from recycled materials and found objects.
Party for the Planet at Como
Como Park Zoo & Conservatory, 1225 Estabrook Drive, St. Paul
April 19-22, 2008
10:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
Contact: Michelle Furrer, 651-207-0333 or Michelle.furrer@ci.stpaul.mn.us
Party for the Planet is a nation-wide celebration to help visitors discover ways to connect to the local environment to make a collective difference in conservation on a national and global level. Como celebrates with the grand opening of the Leonard Wilkening Children’s Gallery, an interactive play exhibit that focuses on the Circle of Life. Create a toad abode for their gardens, learn more about rain gardens and composting, witness daily conservation talks and animal enrichments and participate in crayon and cell phone recycling. Plus Saturday a.m., Como members and donors will be able to take advantage of a electronics recycling drop site.
Minnesota Zoo – EarthFest, a Party for the Planet
13000 Zoo Boulevard, Apple Valley, MN
April 19-20, 2008
9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
Contact: 952-431-9500
Admission prices range from $8.00-$14.00/person
Celebrate all things green at the Minnesota Zoo during EarthFest, a party for the planet. In honor of Earth Day, the weekend will highlight hands-on, eco-friendly activities for everyone.
APRIL 20
Video from Wish for the Sky, 2007
Wishes for the Sky
Harriet Island, St. Paul
April 20, 2008
11:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
Contact: 612-636-1295
Write a wish on a piece of paper to be flown in the sky! Wishes for the Sky consists of wish-writing and kite-flying to create a large mobile in the sky. Bring a wind chime to add to House to Touch the Wind.
Recycle Run
Meeting place: Lake Harriet Bandshell, 4135 Lake Harriet Parkway, Minneapolis
April 20, 2008
9:00 a.m.
Contact: 651-688-9143
A 5K Walk/Run and a Kids’ Half-Mile Run. Proceeds from the Recycle Run will benefit future Minneapolis Earth Day Watershed Cleanup efforts.
Fees for the Kids’ Run are $10 pre-registered and $15 on race day.
Fees for the 5K are $25 pre-registered and $30 on race day.
Race day registration is from 7:45-8:45 a.m. at the Lake Harriet Bandshell or register online at
The Kids’ Run begins at 8:45 a.m. followed by the 5K at 9 a.m. The first 500 pre-registered participants will receive a free ticket to a Minnesota Twins game. All pre-registered participants are guaranteed a Performance T-shirt and water bottle.
University of St. Thomas – Sustainability & Stewardship Symposium
Room 100 of McNeely Hall on the University of St. Thomas campus, St. Paul
April 20, 2008
7:00 p.m.
Contact: asgaul@stthomas.edu
bmseefeld@stthomas.edu
Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer, UST professor of Justice and Peace Studies, will speak on “Climate Issues and How to Make a Change.” Barb Kass & Mike Miles, members of the Anathoth Community Farm in Luck, Wisconsin, will speak on “Benefits of Complete Sustainable Living.”
Brian Davis, UST professor of Environmental Law, will speak on “The Business Aspect of Sustainable Living.” Steve Sandstrom, Northland College professor and Environmental Education Coordinator for the Sigurd Olson Environmental Institute, will speak on “Campus and Community Development and Sustainability.”
Earth Day at the St. Croix Valley Nature Center
Carpenter St. Croix Valley Nature Center, 12805 St. Croix Trail, Hastings
April 20, 2008
1:00 – 3:00 p.m.
Contact: 651-437-4359
Meet some of the center’s resident animals, learn ways to care for the planet, and explore the trails.
Earth Day Celebration
Wood Lake Nature Center, 6710 Lake Shore Drive, Richfield
Sunday, April 20
1:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Contact: 612-861-9365
Ages: 3 and up. Plant trees, play games, join a park clean-up, and enjoy a snack. In honor of Richfield’s Centennial, 100 tree seedlings are distributed to participants.
APRIL 22
The Minnesota Landscape Arboretum
Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, 3675 Arboretum Drive, Chaska MN 55318
April 22, 2008
952-443-1400
Free gate admission to carpoolers and everyone arriving on bicycles or in hybrid vehicles.
Minnesota Zoo – Earth Day
13000 Zoo Boulevard, Apple Valley, MN
April 22, 2008
9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
Contact: 952-431-9500
Admission prices range from $8.00-$14.00/person
Celebrate Earth Day at the Minnesota Zoo! Visit animals that share our planet and learn why we need to do our part in caring for them.
Geo-caching: Earth Day 2008 – A Social Event
Indian Mounds Regional Park, St. Paul
April 22, 2008
Noon to 4:00 p.m. Food from 4:00-6:00 p.m. and a bonfire.
You need to sign up to receive the coordinates!
Hike in, trash out! Help clean up this beautiful park, Indian Mounds Regional Park. Gloves and trash bags provided by Saint Paul Parks.
Webinar: Planting the Seed of Success: Growing your business through an environmental initiative
April 22, 2008
12:00 – 1:00 p.m.
Join speakers Chris Henn and Joann Lee of Esurance® as they discuss how being a brand that helps things grow has helped make Esurance one of the fastest growing auto insurance companies in America. Hear about the successes and challenges Esurance faces as it carries out its commitment to the environment along with best practices of how to green your own business.
Martin Fox of Stradbrooke Consultancy will cover The importance of having a clear Climate Change strategy; What you can do as a company; Examples of successful strategies; Product Development – how climate change products are catching on.
2008 Minnesota Environmental Fund: 10,000 Reasons Why Photography Contest
Pictures can be taken anytime, but should be sent between April 22 and June 22, 2008. Prizes will be awarded August 6th.
Contact: pweier@mnenvirofund.org or info@mnenvirofund.org
Show us “10,000 Reasons Why” you care about your environment. The Minnesota Environmental Fund wants you to step outside – have some fun – and capture what you discover on film. Send photos of what you discover when you get involved in Minnesota’s environment. Images must be taken in Minnesota and may show natural landscapes, farmland and working lands, wildlife, plant life, weather, people interacting with nature, or an image that reflects your environmental values. Prizes will be awarded in adult and youth categories.
APRIL 23
Turn Off Your TV Week
April 23-29, 2008
Adbusters helps sponsor this annual event. Twenty years ago the environmental movement shocked the world into realizing that our natural environment was dying. Now, our mental environment is similarly endangered: Micro-jolts of mind pollution flood into our brains at the rate of 3,000 marketing messages per day — twelve billion display ads, three million radio ads and over 300,000 TV commercials are dumped into our collective unconscious like toxic sludge. Our attention spans are diminishing, our imaginations giving out, we are unable to remember the past. If we forego the role of participant in the real world, we become spectators in the flickering world of make-believe. This is a collective attempt to save our most precious resource: the clarity of our own minds.
APRIL 24
Climate Change Film Festival
Bell Museum, University of Minneapolis, University Ave. & 17th Ave., SE Minneapolis, MN
April 24 – 27, 2008
612-624-7083
$3-$5
The first Science on Screen Film and Video Festival will focus a lens on climate change and global warming. Highlights include an opening night reception at the Bell Museum, a local “Green Shorts” short film showcase and a panel discussion on food and global warming at the Red Stag, the first LEED-certified restaurant in Minneapolis.
APRIL 25
Earth Day Rock Musical – “The Day the Planet Got Better”
Burroughs Community School in Minneapolis, MN
April 25 and 26, 2008
Contact: Douglas Stewart at stewartweb@comcast.net or call 612-961-0805
Over 90 children, aged 5-11, perform an original musical. Sponsored by the Burroughs PTA Arts & Culture Committee. All costumes are being made from recycled clothing/materials. Students have also worked on the educational lesson plans available through the Earth Day Project website.
APRIL 26
The Retrofit Companies will be holding a Free Household Electronics
Recycling Collection on Earth Day 2008
2960 Yorkton Blvd. in Little Canada, MN
April 26, 2008
8:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Metro area households only. No business waste will be accepted.
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