Introduction: In September 1969, the United States Senator from Wisconson, Gaylord Nelson, proposed a nationwide demonstration to spread awareness of the environment. The first such demonstration was held on April 22, 1970 and has since become known as Earth Day. Today, Earth Day brings together some 200 million people in 141 countries across the world in common cause. You can read more about Earth Day and events lined up at cities around the world at the Earth Day Network’s website - www.earthday.net.
What exactly happens on Earth Day? Lots of stuff, including massive neighbourhood cleanups, wildlife and habitat restoration programs, exhibitions and trade fairs with eco-conscious displays and products such as solar powered devices and organic food. But the events which draw the most coverage are the music shows and concerts featuring big marquee names and activist stars who pitch in for free to help promote Earth Day. In other words, its one big party.
Earth Day in San Francisco: As far as San Francisco is concerned, the biggest event is the third annual Green Apple Festival at the Golden Gate Park from April 18-20th. A weekend of music shows and environmental awareness, the festival finishes with a bang on April 20th with simultaneous free shows at 8 venues across the nation, including San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park, the Santa Monica Pier in LA, Central Park in New York and The National Mall in Washington DC, with additional venues in Miami, Chicago, Denver and Dallas.
Be at the Golden Gate Park at 12 noon, at Speedway Meadow, West side of 19th Ave. Admission is free and the lineup includes Mickey Hart’s Mass Drums (featuring Mickey Hart, Jon Fishman, Tommy Lee, Sikiru Adepoju, Bobi Cespedes, Rebecca Mauleon, Rhythm Village and Loco Bloco), Yonder Mountain String Band, Dan Hicks and The Hot Licks (featuring Michael Kang of String Cheese Incident), Bill McKibben and Brett Dennen. Catering with famed former Google chef Charlie Ayers. Web: www.greenapplemusicfestival.com
There must dozens of other shows and Earth Day events planned all over San Francisco in the next few days, but the major ones, other than the Green Apple Music Festival, are at the San Francisco Zoo (Party for the Planet) and an organic food fest at Memorial Glade, Berkeley (Berkeley Earth Week). In addition, there are environmental awareness, restoration, cleanup and nature exploration events organized at Pier 39 (Earthfest at Pier 39), McLaren Park (Earth Day at McLaren Park), and at Crissy Field (Earth Stroll at Crissy Field).
Earth Day offers you a chance to help save the earth and a be a good citizen. And for a change, you can also have some good, clean fun in the process. So get out of your office cubicles and look out your windows. Head for the parks and chip in with some cleanup and restoration and join in the fun. At least you can say you tried to save the earth…