Imagine a world where every day is Earth Day: the air is clean, ecosystems are vibrant with life, and our society thrives sustainably. As we celebrate Earth Day it is time to think about transcending the movement into our daily lives. No matter how small of a step you take, any step holds the power to make a difference.
The Santa Barbara Earth Day festival is one of the longest-running celebrations for the holiday in the country and might even stand as one of the largest Earth Day festivals on the West Coast. Every year, the festival attracts national media, celebrity attention, and local crowds. This year, the festival is spotlighting the theme of Planet vs. Plastics, advocating for the ongoing battle with single use plastics. The goal is to obtain a strong United Nations (UN) Treaty on Plastic Pollution by the end of 2024.
The festivities will be held at Alameda Park in downtown Santa Barbara during the weekend of April 27-28, featuring a green car show, music and entertainment, crafts and games for kids, and a plant forward food court and beer garden. Festivities on both days will start at 11 a.m. on Saturday continuing until 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, 7:00 p.m. With a variety of environmental advocate speakers, the weekend will not be one to miss.
Outside of the event, it is incredibly important to acknowledge the meaning and goal of Earth Day’s existence. Earth Day stands as a yearly reminder that our Earth is something that needs to be protected.
Junior Colette Keller, avid Earth enthusiast, said, “Continuing to celebrate Earth Day is so impactful as it reminds people who are busy with their day to day lives, to stop and think about the Earth’s resources and what we need to do to protect it.”
We as a community need to understand the holiday’s significance in order to make a difference. That is why this Earth Day we encourage you to reflect and begin making little changes to your daily life that will allow the Earth to thrive. Whether it be through reducing your single-use plastic consumption, reusing old products instead of buying new ones, or recycling, there is much you can do to protect our planet.
