Celebrate Earth Day everyday!

VC Star 4/9/2016

Celebrate Earth Day Ventura County 2016

Earth Day has become a global inspiration, a day to demonstrate support for environmental protection. It is observed annually with rallies and celebrations worldwide. 

This year's Earth Day, April 22, will be the day that the world's two largest polluters, the United States and China, sign the historic, ambitious Paris Agreement that outlines a path to a low-carbon future. Earth Day is about thinking globally and acting locally, so if you're looking for more inspiration or want to show your support, there are plenty of opportunities to celebrate Earth Day right here in Ventura County.

Community celebrations kicked off Saturday with the city of Oxnard's Earthyou missed it, don't worry: There are more opportunities this month to join the celebration. 

Next up is city of Thousand Oaks' combo Arbor Day and Earth Day celebration Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The event will take place at a new location this year: Thousand Oaks Community Park next to Thousand Oaks High School on North Moorpark Road. There will be more than 100 vendor and exhibitor stalls, including an electric vehicle display. Highlights will include a Chumash blessing ceremony, children's activities, live music, an animal show and bike rodeo, where kids who participate will get a free bike helmet. 

There will also be opportunities to participate in free workshops, where you can learn how using biochar on landscapes and gardens can reduce water usage up to 50 percent.

Then, on April 23, the city of Ventura and the city of Ojai will each host events filled with environmental activities and fun for all ages. Ventura's Earth Day Eco Fest runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Ventura's beachfront Promenade Park. 

Attendees are encouraged to go green and bike to event; free bike valet is provided. Kids' activities include a recycled crafts center, solar science experiments and a birds of prey demonstration by the Ojai Raptor Center. Music and local dance groups will be performing as well. Of course, the entire event is set to the backdrop of the beautiful Pacific Ocean. 

More family fun eco-activities can be found on April 23 at Ojai's Earth Day event. Put on by four Ojai-based environmental nonprofits, the celebration takes place at Oak Grove School, 220 West Lomita, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. 

A major draw will be internationally renowned eco-activist Vandana Shiva, the founder and director of Navdanya, a network of seed keepers and organic food producers in India. She is a vocal opponent of chemically dependent industrial agriculture and has won several awards, including the Earth Day International Award. In 2010, Forbes Magazine recognized Shiva as one of the "seven most powerful women on the globe." Shiva will speak at 2:30 p.m. 

If you'd rather roll up your sleeves and get dirty in support of the environment, there are opportunities to volunteer at local cleanups this month as well. Here is a list:

California State Parks Foundation Earth Day Cleanup, April 16th 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday

Lake Casitas Shoreline Cleanup, 8-10 a.m. April 23, 11311 Santa Ana Road, Ventura; meet at Picnic Area 1.

April 22 is Earth Day, but it's more than just a single day. It's bigger than attending a celebration or rally. I encourage you to not just keep your eye on the environment, but to it lend your voice and your time too. 

Lara Meeker is a water resources specialist with the Ventura County Public Works Agency. Representatives of government or nonprofit agencies who want to submit articles on environmental topics for this column should contact David Goldstein at 658-4312 or david.goldstein@ventura.org.