Recycling Jackson at Earth Day 2009

Recycling Jackson participated in the Jackson Outdoor Coalition's third Earth Day activities at Cascades this past weekend.

Despite the rain, we answered many questions and passed out lots of coloring books and bags for the kids.

Don't forget to plant the saplings we handed out - today's Earth Day!

Happy Earth Day.

Today's kind of a holiday for us recyclers, and this year seems like it's going to be huge. With all the global warming stuff in the news, the reports that water is becoming scarcer, and even green fashion taking hold in the public consciousness, everyone wants to slap a leaf on their logo and celebrate all week long.

Here's a round-up of what some companies and organizations are doing.

> NBC's week-long greenfest

> Fox's "Green It. Mean It." campaign

> Environmental Protection Agency's photo contest

> Al Gore's new "We Can Solve the Climate Crisis" campaign

> Ride a Monowheel to Work Day (I made the day up, but the bike is real)

> New York City's Earth Day 2008 celebration

Earth Day a hit @ Cascades

Thanks for all the nice folks who stopped and said hello during the Jackson Area Outdoor Coalition's Earth Day festivities yesterday.

Mary, our new education/outreach coordinator, Randy, and I answered questions, passed out brochures and newsletters, and enjoyed the sunshine (maybe a bit too much in my sunburned case). We also passed out white pine seedlings.




If you were there, hopefully you got some great information from all the groups - like Lynsy (above) from the Jackson Citizen Patriot (and the fab "Livin' Green" blog) and her swell new "Green MI" magazine. Everyone one from the Dahlem Center to the Friends of the Falling Water Trail were on-hand to spread the good word of sustainability and environmental care.




It really was a day for kids, though, with most groups featuring arts and crafts and educational activities. And with the setting in Sparks Park, there was tons of nature and critters and ponds to explore.

A great day. Hope to see you all again next year!

See you on Sunday for Earth Day.

We'll see you Sunday for the Jackson Area Outdoor Coalition's second Earth Day celebration.

Stop by our spot at Cascades on Sunday, April 20 from 1 to 4 p.m. We'll be handing out sapling trees and offering information on our services, and recycling in general.

Last year was a hit, and Brad Whaley, executive director of the Dahlem Conservancy, is bragging that this will be twice as big as the 2007 shindig.

“We’re really excited about all of the activities that are planned. We’ll have something there for people of all ages and interest levels,” Brad said. “We’ve got the Grand River Environmental Action Team (GREAT) bringing in their kayaks and canoes for people to try out in the lagoons, Paragon Charter Academy will be conducting a Reuse-A-Shoe drive. We’ll be building blue bird houses, passing out free tree seedlings (quantity limited) for people to plant, and leading birding tours of the park. There will be musicians, storytelling, and visual artists. There will be many other kinds of activities, demonstrations, and fun events happening, really too many to list them all. Twenty five different local groups, agencies and organizations will be there to engage people.”

How about all that for a fun Sunday afternoon? Hopefully the weather is as lovely as it was last year.

Also, Lynsy Smithson-Stanley at the CitPat (and "Livin' Green" fame) will be showcasing her awesome new Green MI magazine. Be sure to pick up a copy.

See you then!