Meet baby goats, munch on wild foods and hear the buzz about bees at this year’s Earth Day party.
Earth Day 2018, a celebration of stewardship and community, kicks off at John Barsby Secondary School this Saturday, April 21.
Event coordinator Chris Brown, a garden facilitator for John Barsby, has heard people say that it sounds like awareness is expanding about environmental and food issues but action isn’t keeping pace. So he’s making the event all about Earth service – not only demonstrating action but showcasing Nanaimo’s environmental stewards.
“It’s kind of like lead by example and here are some examples,” said Brown, who also hopes to introduce youths to different Earth and community service professions, like farming.
Farmers will be at the event to talk about growing food, as well as to sell seeds, seedlings and produce. There will also be artisans, live music, baby goats, garden tours, face-painting and garden work parties. Food trucks will be parked on site and the school cafeteria will serve up local and wild-harvested foods.
Event goers can also expect a little buzz at the high school that recently earned its title as Bee City School. Brown said he worked to get vendors who are doing bee-friendly activities, which he said will demonstrate to students how to take the importance of pollinators to an action level.
There will also be honeybees at Earth Day and a presentation on pollinators.
“There’s the community coming together to celebrate, but also creating a feeling of empowerment to change our lifestyles and behaviors even if it’s just a little bit, to be aware of the importance of pollinators and local food and using less water and using less plastic,” said Brown.
Community school coordinator Basia Henoch, who helped with the event, said everyone has experienced climate change at this point, that it’s very real and urgent.
“We really have to be careful about how we treat the world around us so I think that anything that we can be involved in that respects Mother Earth is important,” she said.
There will be many activities at Earth Day that are good for anybody and people don’t have to commit to the whole day; they can come by listen to music and visit the goats, said Henoch, who likes the work parties because the idea is to be of service to the Earth.
“That is an important aspect so that people have that experience of connecting, or even if they don’t have time, but see that people are giving back to the Earth, I think that’s important,” she said.
The event is by donation. It goes from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. April 21 at John Barsby Secondary School, 550 Seventh St.
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video by Arrowsmith Media