Earth Day 2008, Florida-Style
L
ooking for Earth Day activities in Florida? Following are some of the events scheduled in communities across the state:
In Pensacola, the University of West Florida (UWF) will host a day of environmental symposia at the University Commons Auditorium. Among the topics speakers will tackle: “The Gulf Coast Main Ecosystem Partnership: A Story in Large Landscape Management,” “Small-Scale Wind Turbines: A Joint UWF/University of Florida Study” and “Climate Change: Facts, Fantasies and Solutions.” Following Mike Papantonio’s keynote address on “The New Art of Fighting Back,” attendees will be able to view a screening of the film, “Sacred Planet.” All the programs are free and open to the public.
In Miami, Green Art USA has organized a “Green Carpet” event at the Sagamore Hotel on Miami Beach. The program, which runs from 8 p.m. to midnight, will feature presentations on green activities in Miami; an eco-fashion show of designs made with recycled, organic or sustainable materials; and a drawing for green prizes. Proceeds from the event will support a project in which Miami schoolchildren will create public art displays encouraging the use of renewable energy.
Between 4 and 6 p.m., city council members in Daytona Beach Shores will be on hand at the local Winn-Dixie supermarket to bag groceries in reusable shopping bags donated by Earth Day Network. The city expects to distribute 1,000 reusable bags during the event.
Punchlistcomplete.com has planned an “11th Hour World-Record Tree Planting” in Hillsborough County (Tampa) that coincides with the organization’s North American launch. Starting at 11 a.m., children from all of Hillsborough County’s 275 schools will 38 long-leaf pine saplings on each school’s property — 10,450 in all. The event aims to break two world records, one for the most trees planted in a single Earth Day event (the previous record was 4,852) and another for the most trees planted in a single hour on Earth Day (the past record is 4,100).
Starting at 6 p.m., the city of Largo and the Largo Cultural Center will host a Trashy Fashion Show highlighting locally designed fashions made with at least 75 percent recyclable or reused materials. The first-ever event will award $300 to the 1st place winner, $200 for 2nd place, $100 for 3rd place and $50 gift cards to five runners-up. The show will also feature performances by the Earthlings and 93.3 FLZ, and will offer free Largo blue bags to anyone who signs a pledge to recycle.
