Planet party
EARTH DAY | Festivals, celebrations put emphasis on keeping Mother Earth clean, green and healthy
If Mother Earth could have a birthday, Earth Day certainly would be at the top of the list of preferred dates.
Each year, hundreds of thousands of environmentally conscious do-gooders gather around the world on April 22 with "birthday" presents that include everything from group tree plantings, recycling efforts and park, lake and river cleanups to festivals offering information on keeping Mother Earth healthy and clean.
In the Chicago area, one of the biggest festivals will be the Chicago Green Festival running Saturday and Sunday at McCormick Place. The event will have more than 300 exhibits; live music; organic dining; samplings of local beers and wines; an activity area for kids; products and crafts for sale; how-to workshops, and green career and green investment seminars.
"Earth Day is important for a lot of reasons," said natural living expert Sara Snow, host of "Get Fresh with Sara Snow" airing at 7 p.m. Thursdays on the Discovery Health Channel. The show explores green living practices such as cooking with natural and organic foods, using green cleaning products, wearing eco-friendly clothes and exploring alternative types of transportation.
"These days the big issues are global warming and organic vs. local foods. So it's a great time for people to connect and rediscover all the things we know are important to help the Earth," she said.
Snow will be at the Discovery Health Channel booth doing low-energy cooking demonstrations and talking to local residents about how to make green living more accessible.
Festival hours are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. McCormick Place is at 2301 N. Lake Shore. For more information, visit www.greenfestivals.org.
• 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Sunday, Lincoln Park Zoo, 2200 N. Cannon: The Green Apple Music and Arts Festival will be a musical celebration with environmental education exhibits and booths, organic foods, special zoo presentations, bird walks, interactive demonstrations on ecology, and presentations by businesses and organizations. The musical lineup includes Umphrey's McGee, Disco Biscuits, Ella Jenkins, the Blisters, Paul Green's School of Rock, Mad Professor and Todd Park Mohr of Big Head Todd and the Monsters. Admission is free. Call (312) 742-2000 or visit www.lpzoo.org.
• Noon, Saturday, Bunker Hill Forest Preserve, on Caldwell Avenue, just west of Devon. The Earth Day Celebration will include preserve cleanups. The Environmental Protection Agency will be on hand to demonstrate a water pollution model and have Earth Day items available, especially for children. Visit www.fpdcc.com.
• 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday, Schaefer's 9965 Gross Point, Skokie: The wine store will present an organic wine tasting of about a dozen reds and whites. An expert on the wines will discuss the health benefits of the organic varieties. Admission is free. Call (847) 673-5711.
