With Earth Day on April 22, related events are springing up all over. Here are some highlights:
April 17-22: ECO.Lution. Urban Charrette, a group of young architects pushing progressive development, has put together five days of environmentally aware events:
Thurs., April 17: Project ZERO, an architecture and interior design green products show. TECO Gallery in downtown Tampa, 5:30-9 p.m. Free.
Fri., April 18: Paint the Town GREEN, a kind of green bar/gallery/etc. crawl using public transportation in various locations in downtown Tampa. Participants will receive "passports" and must master mass transit to collect a stamp at each location. 5 p.m., starting at the 6th Annual State of the River address at the Tampa Convention Center.
Sat., April 19: ECO-lution Festival, an outdoor exposition with green products, services, solutions and food. Live music features Shane Meade & the Sound, plus a Kids Tent where the little ones can make art from recycled materials and learn about gardening. 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Lykes Gaslight Park, downtown Tampa, free.
Tues., April 22: Earth Day Movie on the Lawn. e? is a feature about the economics of "being environmentally conscious. Shot in high definition with cinematic lenses, e? chronicles global efforts to solve pressing ecological challenges. From energy consumption to design efficiency, policy to industry, the series documents the innovators whose work is reducing humans' impact on the environment," says Urban Charrette about the film. 8 p.m., Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center, free.
Sat., April 19: Florida-Friendly Landscaping 101: "The Right Plant for the Right Place." An educational conference based on the University of Florida's Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Florida Yards & Neighborhoods Program's nine environmental principles. 8:30 a.m.-3 p.m., Hillsborough County Extension, 5339 County Road 579, Seffner. 33584, $30 per person (non-refundable). Registration fee covers cost of educational materials, meals and refreshments. FloridaYards.org or hillsborough_fyn.ifas.ufl.edu.
Sat., April 19: 2008 Great American Cleanup: Campaign for a Cleaner, Greener America. Volunteers will rally to fight dirty streets by removing litter and illegal dump sites, greening up parks, schoolyards and other public spaces, holding recycling drives, hosting educational events and more as part of the nation's largest annual community improvement program through Keep America Beautiful. Across 32 locations throughout Hillsborough County. 813-960-5121, khcbonline.org.
Sat., April 19-20: Island Earthdays 2008. Come to Honeymoon Island State Park in Dunedin for eco-friendly family activities including an art show, guided nature walks, kayak races and the 5th annual Sharkbite Challenge. 10 a.m.—6 p.m., Honeymoon Island State Park, 1 Causeway Blvd., Dunedin. The event is free, but park entry is $5.00 per car (up to eight people). 727-738-2903, celebratewithfriends.com.
Tues., April 22: Trashy Fashion: Recycled Fashion Show. For Earth Day, Trashy Fashion is asking Tampa Bay students and adults to participate by making their own recycled fashion (made out of 75 percent recyclable materials) to model at the show. They will be competing for the title of Trashiest Designer, and prizes will be awarded. Reception 6 p.m., Show 7 p.m. For additional information and to enter, call 727-586-7424. Visit largorecycles.com.
Sat.-Sun., April 26-27: Spring Weekend Turtle Workshops. Field biologist and environmental educator, George Heinrich is teaching a series of "Turtle Workshops" at Weedon Island Preserve. Weedon Island Preserve Cultural & Natural History Center, 1800 Weedon Drive N.E., St. Petersburg. 727-453-6500 or [email protected].
Thurs., May 1: Clean Air Fair 2008. The Environmental Protection Commission of Hillsborough County puts its awareness fair at ground zero in urban Tampa, with participants including Lowry Park Zoo, Tampa Bay Asthma Coalition, Sweetwater Organic Farms, HARTLine, TECO, Croc Adventures, Big Cat Rescue and Florida Yards and Neighborhoods. In addition to info about cleaning our environment, there will be live entertainment, prizes and free ice cream. 11:30 a.m.—1:30 p.m., Poe Plaza, Downtown Tampa (Pedestrian mall located between Hyatt Regency and One Tampa City Center on Jackson @ Franklin Street. 813-627-2600, ext. 1008. epchc.org.
Sat.-Sun., May 3-4: Pinellas Living Green Expo. The PLGE is a collaboration of government agencies, nonprofit groups and businesses seeking to promote sustainability-oriented products and behaviors for Pinellas County in a time of particularly scarce natural resources. Info sessions are planned, say organizers, to "build enthusiasm among attendees for sustainable living, rather than ... overwhelm them with information about the unsustainability of the American lifestyle." Exhibitors range from Barefoot Books to Progress Energy, from Air Quality Control, Inc. to the Suncoast Seabird Sanctuary. Harborview Center, 300 Cleveland St., Clearwater. 727-462-6778, May 3 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sun., May 4 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. pinellaslivinggreenexpo.com.
Sat., May 17: Compost Happens. Part of Dunedin's Sustainability Series, this seminar by the University of Florida-Institute for Food and Agricultural Sciences-Pinellas County Extension will show you the (what can be put) ins and (what should be left) outs of a compost bin. Pinellas County residents who attend will receive a free 17.6-cubic-foot plastic compost bin after completing a short survey. 1:30 a.m. Free. Dunedin Community Center,1920 Pinehurst Road. 727-298-3215, ext. 24. Visit the Sustainability Tips webpage at dunedingov.com.
April 5-June 28: Family Naturalists — 12 Weeks of Discovering Nature. Camp Bayou is hosting a family-oriented series of free workshops that explore ecological concepts. Children must be accompanied by an adult for the hands-on activities and group discussions. Saturday mornings from 9 to 10 a.m., Camp Bayou, 315 S. Tamiami Trail, Ruskin. 813-641-8545. my.calendars.net/campbayou or [email protected].
Third Thurs. of every month: Suncoast Sierra Club. Conservationists and environmental experts speak at Pinellas County's Moccasin Lake Park. Third Thurs. of every month at 7 p.m., Moccasin Lake Park off Drew Street and U.S. 19, For more information, call Joyce at 727-526-5065.
