#ThisIsAppalachia: Earth Day 2022, Invest in Our Planet
EARTH DAY 2022: INVEST IN OUR PLANET Our cover photo of Central Appalachia viewed from space comes from the European Space Agency (ESA). ESA and NASA have images of earth that provide glimpses of the interrelated nature of what we have to protect on this Earth Day 2022.Earth Day this year is April 22, 2022. The organizing theme is Invest in Our Planet—”because a green future is a prosperous future.” Following are some of options for celebration, action, and service for this year’s Earth Day. Yes, we know we are missing many. Check your local community for others. Not all events are happening on the 22nd. Share with us and we can help spread the word. History: On April 22, 1970, Americans marched and demonstrated in the streets for a healthy, sustainable environment in massive rallies across the US. It was estimated twenty million people, from 10,000 elementary and high schools, 2,000 colleges, and over 1,000 communities participated that day. Earth Day, which immediately sparked national media attention, and caught on across the country. It also inspired action in other countries. People took to the streets, parks, and auditoriums to demonstrate against the deterioration of the environment. Appalachian people know that harm to the environment falls heavily on our communities. As the Appalachian Citizens’ Law Center puts it, “our region has been burdened with more than a century of the externalized environmental costs of extraction. Decisions have been made far too often without any consideration for the rights of the people that are most directly affected.” Be part of reversing that legacy this Earth Day. ONLINE Earthday.org Events feature video discussions of issues facing the environment and solutions. Currently featuring “Invest in Our Planet: Community and Youth Activism” https://www.earthday.org/earth-day-live/Check on local Appalachian Voices: https://appvoices.org/about/contact/ KENTUCKY Project Learning Tree - https://www.plt.org/network/kentucky, Ashley Hoffman, Kentucky PLT State Coordinator, Kentucky Association for Environmental Education, 396 Crissy St, Upton, KY 42784, 270-214-0587, director@kaee.org April 20 Story Time Earth Day, 11:00am - 12:00pm, Boyd County Library, Meeting Room (Main) 1740 Central Ave., Ashland, KY 41101, (606) 329-0090 Gladie Visitors Center, Red River Gorge, Taylor Fork Ecological Area. Gladie Center is celebrating its grand reopening. Eastern Kentucky University collaborates with U.S. Forest Service on extensive program. For details, https://gofindoutdoors.org/gladie/ Earth Day, Nature Conservancy, an example of the reporting of 100 Days in Appalachia. Subscription information and other stories can be found at 100 Days in Appalachia 100 DaysApril 23 Earth Day, Kentuckians For The Commonwealth (KFTC), Danville, KY, Door-to-Door Canvass, 1 – 4 pm Eastern, Constitution Square Historic Site, 105 E Walnut St, Danville, KY 40422, 606-878-2161. Congratulations to KFTC (originally known as Kentucky Fair Tax Coalition) on your 40th Anniversary. Mission: “Kentuckians For The Commonwealth is a community of people, inspired by a Vision, building New Power and a better future for all of us. Together, we organize for a fair economy, a healthy environment, new safe energy, and an honest democracy.” Other dates for KFTC: https://www.mobilize.us/kftc/ TENNESSEE April 22, Annual Earth Day Festival, Johnson City, TN, 12:00 pm - 4:00 pm Eastern Time. East Tennessee State University, University Commons Earth Day Hike, April 22, Vonore, TN, Fri, 1 – 3 pm, Fort Loudoun State Historic Area, 338 Fort Loudoun Rd April 23, Earth Day: A Community Celebration, Jonesborough, TN, 10:00 am, 100 West Main Street. Storytelling Plaza and Storytelling Park, outdoor venues of the International Storytelling Center on Main Street in Jonesborough, TN. "Mother Earth" will be strolling along Main Street. An artist will construct a large Earth, and there will be red paper hearts for kids and adults to write "Love Notes to the Earth." Storytelling on Nature themes in the Storytelling Capital of the World, as Jonesborough is called. Information tables, giveaways of books on nature and climate, activities for children like painting, and a river expert will take kids and adults down to the creek to talk about our waterways. April 23, Wild Yards Garden Volunteer Day, Kodak, TN. Help the staff of Seven Islands in the Wild Yards Garden. They will be pulling weeds from the landscaped beds surrounding the Bluebird Barn at the main entrance off Kelly Lane. Staff will provide instructions on what weeds to be on the lookout for and what should be pulled. We will have some gloves and work tools available for volunteers to use, but please bring your own if you wish. The volunteer day will run from 9:00 am-12:00 pm. If you have any questions regarding this volunteer opportunity, please contact Ranger Stephanie at stephanie.mueller@tn.gov or 865-333-8270. Project Learning Tree events - https://www.plt.org/network/tennessee, Teri Frye, Tennessee PLT State Coordinator, TN Conservation Education Coordinator, Tennessee Forestry Association, 931-319-4189, terikfrye@gmail.com April 23 Earth Day Talk and Walk: Identifying and Removing Invasives, Rugby, TN, Historic Rugby, 1331 Rugby Pkwy, 2 pm April 30 - May 1, 2022, Statewide Organizing for Community Empowerment celebrates 50 years. In 1972, SOCM (then known as Save Our Cumberland Mountains) was born. The Spring Gathering of SOCM will be held at the DuBose Conference Center, Monteagle, TN, to celebrate 50 years of fighting for social, economic, and environmental justice. Register: https://www.socm.org/blank-page-1 Events – Knoxville TN Office of Appalachian Voices: https://appvoices.org/about/contact/ VIRGINIA Project Learning Tree events - https://www.plt.org/network/virginia, Cindy Frenzel, Virginia PLT State Coordinator, Virginia Department of Forestry, 900 Natural Resources Drive, Suite 800, Charlottesville, VA 22903, 540-333-3784, Cindy.Frenzel@dof.virginia.gov Virginia State Parks Earth Day Activities https://www.virginia.org/event/virginia-state-parks-earth-day-events/5041/ EARTHDAY.ORG – VIRGINIA https://www.earthday.org/virginia/ Events: Norton, Virginia office of Appalachian Voices https://appvoices.org/about/contact/ WEST VIRGINIA April 18-22, 2022, Earth Week: Marshall University, Huntington, WV After a two-year absence, a week-long event focusing on how we can invest in the Planet. Events throughout the week with Talks, Demonstrations, Teach-ins, and much more. April 20, 11 am – 2 pm, Rain or Shine. The big day-long event will be on Wednesday. MU Student Center Plaza and Buskirk Field. Sustainability Dept., Marshall University, 1 John Marshall Drive, Huntington, WV 25755. Email: BeMarshallGreen@marshall.edu https://www.marshall.edu/sustainability/earth-week-april-18-22-2022/ April 22, Earth Day Cleanup at Summersville Lake, Summersville, WV 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. — Go green with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for the Earth Day Cleanup at Summersville Lake. Gather at the Battle Run Beach parking lot. Opportunities for shoreline cleanup working from boats (private boats welcome). Free T-shirts to the first one hundred volunteers. Trash bags, hand sanitizer and masks will be provided. Call 304-873-4312 or email David.J.Cooney@usace.army.mil to register yourself and/or your group by April 21. April 23, Earth Day Celebration! Appalachian South Folklife Center, Pipestem WV, 820 Rocky Mount Rd, Pipestem, WV 11 AM – 11 PM. *Admission is FREE.* The Earth Day Celebration Returns, live & in-person at The Folklife Center returns! A beautiful day of activity and celebration honoring Mother Earth featuring music performances, special demonstrations, discussions, craft activities and more at the beautiful ASFC. Featuring:
- Music by Adam Cox, Tim & Maggie, James Hart, Cassi Raye, Option 22 & more!
- Birds of Prey presentation by Three Rivers Avian Center
- Mushroom Walk & presentation by E.B Fungi
- Yoga, sound healing, meditation, reiki, massage & more from The Gaia Den
- Sound healing & peace meditation by Windhorse Healing Arts
- Live painting & workshops with The Pigment Sanctuary
- Plant propagation party with Leslie Caneda
- Tie-dying for Kids with the tie-dye Soapwitch!
- Vending by Rainbow Art Farms & more!
April 23 Wardensville, WV Earth Day on the Farm Fest, 10-4, farm tours, workshops, vendors, food, music, kids’ zone. 28813 WV-55, Wardensville, WV Project Learning Tree events - https://www.plt.org/network/west-virginia/ Linda Carnell, West Virginia PLT State Coordinator, West Virginia Division of Forestry, One Depot Street, Romney, WV 26757, 304-822-4512, Linda.O.Carnell@wv.gov An Environmental Resource to Close? In preparing this information, we found a message stating the EPA’s (Environmental Protection Agency) easily searchable environmental archive online will be “retired” in June of this year. “Content in EPA's Web Archive is no longer being updated and links may not function.” If you think the EPA needs to maintain an environmental resource serving the public, contact it at https://www.epa.gov/aboutepa/forms/contact-epa __________________________________________________________________ Contact Walter Davis, walter@appalachiancommunityfund if you have a positive story about people, places, and things in Central Appalachia.
