earth day

today’s the dire day, the pay-the-piper day, the render-unto-caesar day: tax day. it’s typically not a time for celebration — relief maybe, teeth-gnashing possibly, anxiety certainly — but not celebration. i mean, even if you’re getting a big refund, all that means is you paid too much to uncle sam during the year, and he earned interest on your money. and you paid all your taxes. it’s like tipping the government, which in my book of ‘things i like’ ranks somewhere between unanesthetized dental surgery and ritual disembowelment.

but i digress — in a mere week there is cause for celebration, for earth day will be upon us. for almost 40 years, april 22 has been designated as a day to reflect on our place in the natural world, to assess our impact on the world’s ecosystems and species diversity, to commit to making earth a healthier place, and to just plain celebrate being outside in spring weather. for years it lingered on the hippy fringe of social consciousness, but in an age where global warming is acknowledged by all but the most extreme of head-burying ostriches, where mainstream media bandy about terms like “carbon footprint” and “green living,” and where the former vice president wins the nobel prize for his work on publicizing the climate crisis, the day has become a lot more central in our culture. ’bout time.

’round here, the celebrations have already begun: whole foods  in rookwood pavilion has events beginning last weekend and going through earth day itself next tuesday. park + vine is taking its show on the road, hitting a number of local events and hosting some too. and the big event, sponsored by the greater cincinnati earth coalition, will be held at sawyer point on saturday, april 19 (weekends are a little better for turnout than tuesdays).

if you know of other events, please feel free to post them in the comments section. otherwise, i’ll see you out there — i’ll be the distracted-looking one trying to remember his canvas shopping bag.

*edited to add 4/16* brianne stops by to point out that Live Green Cincinnati has also been tracking earth day events — and they’ve got a list of “countdown to earth day” tips for greener living. check it out!