April 7, 2015 – Local community organizations band together to lead Earth Day events
Each year, Earth Day — April 22 — marks the anniversary of what many consider the birth of the modern environmental movement in 1970. This year Earth Day organizers anticipate that over a billion people in 190 countries will observe its anniversary. To commemorate the 45th anniversary of Earth Day, the Western Slope Conservation Center is partnering with local community organizations to help the North Fork Valley join in the world-wide celebration.
Earth Week events begin Monday, April 20 from 11am-2pm, with Solar in the Street, hosted by Solar Energy International (SEI) at the Hive Paonia. SEI staff will be demonstrating various methods of utilizing the sun to power our lives, promoting their Solarize North Fork Valley program. On Tuesday, April 21, we invite you to raise a glass with the Conservation Center and musical guest Harry Harpoon at Revolution Brewing in Paonia for community pint night. One dollar of every beer purchased after 5:30 pm will be donated to local conservation efforts. On Earth Day, Wednesday April 22, we are hosting a river clean up with the Paonia Flight of the Eagle Project from 2-4pm.
Earth Week continues Thursday, April 23, with a double feature. Alan Eaglewolf Bryant will provide a short presentation of the Cherokee creation story at the Paonia Library from 5:30 – 6:30. Thursday and Friday evening, April 23-24 – 7:30pm, we will kick things up a notch with the Telluride Mountainfilm Festival at the Paradise Theatre. Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 at the door and can be purchased at the Conservation Center, Paradise Theatre, Backcountry Bistro, or online through Brown Paper Tickets. The film festival showcases an exhilarating, inspiring, and unique set of independent short films about the environment, awareness, and adventure. This year’s film festival will also include “Movies that Matter” and “Kidz Kinoz” for area youth.
The Conservation Center’s 4th annual Conservation Days at the Paonia River Park is an additional Earth Week event. Conservation Days is a full day fieldtrip in which Delta County 4th grade students engage with local professionals including the US Forest Service, Delta County Conservation District, Colorado Parks and Wildlife, US Fish & Wildlife Service, Solar Energy International, Colorado River Watch, Blue Sage Center for Performing Arts, and the Black Canyon Audubon Society.
The Conservation Center invites its members and anyone interested in conservation to wrap up Earth Week by attending our Annual Meeting and chili potluck dinner on Sunday, April 26 from 4:30-8pm at Memorial Hall in Hotchkiss. The meeting will feature the Conservation Center’s new board members, new AmeriCorps Vista member, proposed organizational by-law changes and a special presentation by John Wallin, senior vice president of programs for Conservation Lands Foundation.
