Over 50 years after the first Earth Day celebrations, April 22 still marks a day when many organizations highlight environmental actions and progress. Events to recognize the occasion will be happening across the Southern Tier throughout the weekend and on Monday.
Those include the Ithaca Earth Day Festival on Saturday from noon-5 p.m. on the Ithaca Commons, organized by the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Tompkins County with other partner groups.
“If you’re there and you want to know what solar incentives there are, or incentives for heat pumps, and if you’re income qualified, and all the kinds of programs that are available — there will be people there to talk with,” said Guillermo Metz, the organization’s energy and climate change team leader.
“And if you're there also with your kids, there'll be an opportunity to tell stories about some of their anxieties or their hope,” Metz said. “Like, what could Ithaca or what could New York state or what could the planet look like in 2030, 2050, if we start to address some of these environmental issues?”
Other Earth Day events are happening across the region on Saturday as well. Environmental groups in Binghamton are hosting a festival at Recreation Park. And the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Broome County is hosting an "Open Farm Day" at several local farms.
On Monday, the official Earth Day, some Ithaca-area climate activist groups have planned a “Reclaim Earth Day” event, which includes marches from Cornell University and Ithaca College, followed by a call to action on the Ithaca Commons. The event is part of a national student-led movement calling on universities and political leaders to act with urgency to address climate change.