How you can do your part this Earth Day

Every year on April 22, communities get together to clean up their neighbourhoods and participate in events that educate them on how to be kinder to the environment.

But every day should be Earth Day, says Keith Treffry of Earth Day Canada.

“After Mother’s Day is over you still love your mom the rest of the year,” he said. “We want to think that people don’t just adopt a behaviour.

“We want them to say: ‘Well what kind of life am I living? Are there ways that I can cut back my impact to the environment?’ ”

Earth Day began in the 1970s, Treffry said.

“It was initially one of the first opportunities for the public to become engaged in identifying environmental issues that were important to them,” he said. “Earth Day came to Canada in 1990 … and for the past 22 years we’ve had approximately six million Canadians take part in celebrations each year.”

Despite the large number of participants, there is always more to be done, Treffry said.

“I definitely think [Earth Day’s] a success,” he said. “Is there more we can do? Absolutely. Otherwise my job would be done, but it’s not.”

Earth Day events happening this weekend

Scarborough Town Centre – Earth Day cleanup
Address: 300 Borough Dr.
Contact: 416-296-4782
When: April 20.

The Scarborough Town Centre is hosting a community cleanup, tree planting and lessons for the community on sustainable initiatives. Participants will receive a free T-shirt and a complimentary meal.

Toronto Zoo – Party For The Planet
Address: 361A Old Finch Ave.
Contact: 416-392-5929
When: April 21 and April 22, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The Toronto Zoo has Party for the Planet events going on all weekend to celebrate Earth Day and teach participants of all ages what they can do to live in a more environmentally friendly way. Visitors can expect to take part in a rattlesnake workshop, interact with zookeepers and learn more about recycling.

Port Union Recreation Centre – cleanup and birdhouse building
Address: 5450 Lawrence Ave. E.
Contact: 416-396-4031
When: April 21 at 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

“We’re doing our part for the environment by helping to clean up our community,” Port Union Community Centre employee Glenn Gabriel said.

This Saturday participants can expect to get their hands dirty cleaning up debris outdoors in honour of Earth Day.

“As a community centre we’re a central hub for activity, so we feel that it’s important,” Gabriel said.

A birdhouse-building workshop for children is set to follow the community cleanup, he said.

Coun. Mike Del Grande – community cleanup
Address: Birchmount Road, just north of Finch Avenue.
Contact: 416-392-1374
When: April 21, or April 22 if it rains.

Coun. Mike Del Grande will be making the rounds on Saturday to help his community clean up local parks.

“We’re going to start off at 9:30 a.m. in the Heathwood community and then there’s another one in the Silver Spring community that is going on at 10:30,” said Carol McDonald, The councillor’s special assistant. “There are Boy Scouts doing their cleanup at L’Amoreaux Park at one o’clock so well just try to get to all of them.”

Coun. Michelle Berardinetti – Ward 35 parks cleanup
Address: Various parks.
Contact: 416-392-0213
When: April 21, 10 a.m. to noon.

Coun. Michelle Berardinetti will be dropping in at some of the 12 local parks in her area to help volunteers clean up some mess.

“We will be picking up trash, like tree branches that are down and garbage that’s in the parks.” said Jason Chapman, Berardinetti’s manager.

The parks targeted in Berardinetti’s cleanup include Horton Park, Corvette Park, Madelaine Park, Danforth Gardens Park, Regents Park, Clairlea Park, Raleigh Park, Kitchener Park, Maywood Park, Lucy Tot Park, Edge Park and Dunlop Park.

This weekend’s Earth Day events in Scarborough

View Earth Day Events in a larger map

About this article

By: Leslie Emmons
Posted: Apr 20 2012 2:52 am
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Filed under: Arts & Life
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