Earth Day was instituted on April 22, 1970. Now, 52
years later, it has resonated with conservation concerns and environmental
ethics, spurring creation of the Endangered Species Act, the Clean Air Act, the
Safe Drinking Water Act and dozens of other landmark pieces of environmental
protection legislation. To a remarkable degree, Earth Day forever changed
protection for the land, air and water. Today, we still work to preserve and
protect our health, our families and our livelihoods by investing in our planet,
because a green future is a prosperous future.
Saturday,
April 23, 2022, from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., South Alabamians can celebrate the gulf
coast’s largest Earth Day festival in the beautiful parks at the Fairhope Pier
in Fairhope. This free event is filled with family-friendly and pet-friendly
fun, including live music throughout the day. The attractions include
educational activities for all ages, Raptor Trek (Alabama’s 4H educational
program on birds and reptiles), the Blessing of the Animals, Aerial Silk
Artists, the Dauphin Island Sea Lab and many more memorable and meaningful
experiences. Free bike valet parking from The Baldwin County Trailblazers will
be available.
Earth Day
Mobile Bay 2022, which is sponsored by Earth Day Mobile Bay volunteers, the
City of Fairhope and the Mobile Bay Sierra Club, will present some of the
environmental issues that the Alabama Gulf Coast faces through activities and
exhibits that are aimed at education and an invitation for everyone to
integrate sustainable practices into everyday life. Citizens will be encouraged
to live in partnership with the planet, to solve the climate crisis, to restore
nature and build a healthy, prosperous and sustainable future for our children
and their children.
The
festival will also observe the 11-year anniversary of the BP oil disaster by
featuring the many organizations involved in a healthy and sustainable Gulf
Coast recovery.
Exhibits
will be hosted by community groups, environmental organizations, government
agencies (federal, state, county and city), museums, schools and local green
businesses. New 2022 hybrid and electric vehicles will be on display with
available information provided. Attendees can also learn about local sources
for organic foods and organizations supporting the development of a stronger
local food economy.
Recycling
options will be showcased with information to help people recycle every day. In
addition, the City of Fairhope will sponsor free onsite electronic recycling
for attendees to drop-off unwanted household electronics. Acceptable items
include computer monitors, computer towers, desktops, CPUs, keyboards,
printers, scanners, fax machines, stereo equipment, television sets, cellphones
and ink and toner cartridges.
Exhibitors
are still being accepted. If you would like to host an earth-friendly exhibit
and can showcase renewable energy, environmental technology, green lifestyle
choices or the tools and inspiration to pursue earth-friendly solutions to help
save the environment, lower cost of living and improve health, please reach
out. Due to Covid-19 restrictions, some interactive exhibits may be scaled down
as spacing requirements will be observed.
Earth Day Mobile Bay is a
non-profit organization dedicated to the environmental education of the Gulf Coast.
It is inspired by the worldwide Earth Day Network, which promotes environmental
citizenship and steers environmental awareness around the world. Earth Day
Mobile Bay seeks to grow the environmental movement on the Gulf Coast and sees
it as an effective vehicle for promoting a healthy, sustainable planet.
Exhibitors should be promoting year-round civic participation and developing a
sense of environmental responsibility among all citizens.
