Yup, it’s that time again. Tomorrow, April 22, is Earth Day. It’s the day when we take stock of the dusty environmentalist resolutions we made last year and, shaking them off, dutifully recycle them for the coming one and make new promises: how we WILL use reusable bags and cups, we WILL use public transit, we WILL turn off the lights, we WILL use cold water to do our laundry. Or, going with the Earth Day Network version, how we will help create a billion acts of green, how we will make the no coal call, how we will help bring healthy food to our schools, and how we will promote environmentally aware attitudes on campus. Hopefully, it’s also the day when we get to pat ourselves on the back for the goals we did accomplish.

Either way, whether they’re rewards or reminders, there are a few events around Toronto celebrating Earth Day 2009. Tomorrow seems to be a day for corporate promotions: Starbucks lovers can bring their travel mugs to any participating Starbucks to be filled with free coffee, and Brita is giving away free water filters at Young Dundas Square (and you thought Christmas was commercialized!). Meanwhile, the city’s celebrations are happening this weekend. There’s the 20-Minute Toronto Makeover, where you are asked to contribute 20 minutes of your time to clean up your neighbourhood. More exciting is the Green Living Show at the Direct Energy Centre at the Ex, featuring green products (including new prototypes and designs), advice for an earth-friendly lifestyle, film screenings, speakers, entertainers, and more. It also features the 5 km Earth Run-Walk, benefiting ACER, The David Suzuki Foundation, and Evergreen. If you want to contribute but don’t feel up to doing the run, you can also always support these foundations’ teams.

What: Green Living Show
When: Fri., April 24, 10:00 AM to 9:00 PM
Sat., April 25, 10:00 AM to 9:00 PM
Sun., April 26, 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM
Where: Direct Energy Center, Exhibition Place
Cost: $10.50 (online and mobile), $12 (at the door). Special prices for passes for multiple days. See their website for details.

What: 5km Earth Run-Walk
When:  Sun., April 26, 8:00 AM (Registration), 9:00 AM (Run)
Where:  Direct Energy Center, Exhibition Place
Additional info: please register if you would like to run.

What: 20-Minute Toronto Makeover
When: Fri., April 24, 2:00PM-2:20PM
Where: Anywhere you want!

Image from here.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, April 21st, 2009 at 7:29 pm and is filed under General. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.