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April 22 is Earth Day, a celebration of the modern environmental movement (dating back to 1970) and a time to put special emphasis on caring for the planet. The theme of this year’s Earth Day is “Restore Our Earth,” according to earthday.org. Many local organizations are offering some Earth Day-themed events, from panel discussions to participatory art. Read on for a list of some Midpeninsula happenings.
Peninsula-based nonprofit FabMo rescues and repurposes discontinued designer fabrics and other sample items, with the aim of keeping them out of the landfill. The organization’s virtual Spring Artisan Showcase features housewares, clothing and accessories created by local artists and makers using FabMo’s rescued materials. The online event will kick off in time for Earth Day, launching on April 16. More information is available at fabmo.org.
The California Native Plant Society and UC Master Gardeners will present a virtual version of their annual Going Native Garden Tour, with three options for enjoying the tours — in live sessions offered via both Zoom and YouTube, or for those who want to watch at their own pace, in recordings posted on YouTube. Through virtual tours of native plant-focused gardens in the south bay and the Peninsula, the event highlights the benefits of native plants, which can help conserve water and support local wildlife. This year’s tour kicks off at 11 a.m. on April 17. More information is available at gngt.org.
Gamble Garden will host an online Earth Day drawing class in which participants will learn to draw koalas from Marvel and DC Comics artist Timothy Green II. The event starts at 10 a.m. on April 17. More information is available here. Gamble Garden is also hosting an in-person compost giveaway and workshop on April 17 from 10 a.m. to noon at 1431 Waverley St. in Palo Alto. Go to gamblegarden.org.
Kepler’s will present a prerecorded “This is Now” interview with climate policy advocates and diplomats Christiana Figueres and Tom Rivett-Carnac of Global Optimism on April 20 at noon. Figures and Rivett-Carnac are the authors of “The Future We Choose.” More information is available at eventbrite.com.
The Santa Clara County Library District will present “Zero Waste 101,” a virtual workshop with Christine Liu, author of “Sustainable Home.” The workshop includes practical tips for reducing waste at home. The event takes place at 6 p.m. on April 20. More information is available at sccl.bibliocommons.com.
The Santa Clara County Parks and Recreation Department is hosting an Earth Day art contest for K-12 students. Entries will be shared online and via social media. Winning artworks in four categories (broken up by grade level, totaling 16 prizes) will be printed on posters and displayed throughout county parks. Artwork must be submitted by April 20. More information is available at sccgov.org.
Bay Area Water Supply & Conservation Agency will host “Restore our Earth, One Native Plant at a Time,” an online class with landscape architect Juanita Salisbury, who discusses the benefits of native plants and how to plant and care for them. The event takes place at 7 p.m. on April 21. More information is available at bawsca.org.
The San Mateo County Parks Department and San Mateo County Parks Foundation are joining forces with numerous other environmental organizations for a Zoom celebration of the county’s open spaces and natural resources. The virtual Earth Day event starts at 3:30 p.m. on April 22. More information is available at parks.smcgov.org.
Stanford University’s Natural Capital Project will lead an online Earth Day conversation with government leaders, practitioners and academics discussing recent advancements in climate adaptation and sustainable development efforts in Latin America and the Caribbean. The event starts at 10 a.m. on April 22. More information is available at events.stanford.edu.
The Los Altos History Museum will host an online talk titled “What Is Citizen Science?” with Mary Ellen Hannibal, author of “Citizen Scientist: Searching for Heroes and Hope in an Age of Extinction.” Hannibal discusses why ordinary people need to help save the planet. The event starts at 5 p.m. on April 22. More information is available at losaltoshistory.org.
The city of Mountain View will hold a virtual Earth Day celebration featuring speakers from the Planet Bee Foundation, Acterra, Recology and Cool Block. Community members will also deliver five-minute talks about how they’re “Restoring the Earth” and winners of the city’s Earth Day video and poster contests will be announced. The event will begin at 6 p.m. on April 22. More information is available at eventbrite.com.
Stanford University’s Camera as Witness program will offer a virtual screening of the documentary “Climate Refugees,” which refers to populations displaced by climatically induced environmental disasters. The screening will be held at April 22 at 7 p.m., followed by a moderated discussion with the filmmakers and Stanford researchers. More information is available at events.stanford.edu.
Stanford’s Center for Innovation in Global Health and the Woods Institute for the Environment will present a webinar titled “Human and Planetary Health: Protecting Health on a Changing Planet” April 22 at 10:30 a.m. More information is available at Stanford.edu.
Palo Alto nonprofit OliveSeed, which promotes literacy and environmental action for youth, will host a virtual Earth Day “Read, Plant, Grow” event with partner schools in Kenya, Morocco, Pakistan and the U.S. Students will share knowledge about environmental issues affecting their part of the world and present projects they’re working on. Event starts at 7 p.m. on April 22. More information is available at eventbrite.com.
The town of Los Altos Hills is asking the community to share personal goals and best tips to “Make Everyday Earth Day.” The ideas will be shared on social media with a special slideshow on April 22. More information is available at losaltoshills.ca.gov.
From April 22-25, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., members of the Gunn High School community and the larger Barron Park neighborhood in Palo Alto are invited to take part in “Breathe with Me,” a public art project that involves each participant painting blue brush strokes on a large canvas as they breathe. “Breathe with Me” is part of an international project, first launched at the United Nations Headquarters during the Youth Climate Action Summit in 2019. More information is available at gunnsec.org.
Transition Palo Alto will host an online screening of three short films from the Connectivity Project, which highlights the idea that every individual can make a difference in the world. The films explore themes of ecology and the interconnectedness of humans and the planet. The event, which will also include discussion of the films, takes place at 7 p.m. on April 23. More information is available at transitionpaloalto.org.
Marine Science Institute will livestream its Discovery Ecovoyage on the Bay, as well as chats with scientists and ideas for hydrology experiments to do at home. Broadcasts are planned via Facebook Live on April 17, 1-3:30 p.m., and April 24, 9:30 a.m.-noon and 2:30-3:30 p.m. Tickets to ride the boat in person are sold out, but there are still spots for in-person shoreside encounters and low-tide walks. More information is available at sfbaymsi.org.
The Redwood City Library is offering middle school scientists a chance to celebrate Earth Day with a pop-up chemistry class titled “Reducing Our Carbon Footprint.” Supplies can be picked up behind the Downtown Library (1044 Middlefield Road) on Wednesday, April 21, at 3 p.m. Students can then join the live Zoom class (QR code provided in the materials) on Saturday, April 24, at 2 p.m. More information is available at redwoodcity.org.