Westchester County Earth Day Celebration, Sun, April 19

Westchester County Celebrates Earth Day!

Join the effort against global warming at Kensico, Sunday, April 19

Live music, a farmers market featuring locally grown produce, free raffles, giveaways and practical and easy ways to make your home, the earth and Westchester County a cleaner, greener and healthier place to live – it’s all on tap at Earth Day Westchester 2009: A Celebration of Green, Sustainable Living, Sunday, April 19, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Kensico Dam Plaza in Valhalla. Admission and parking are free.

Spano will present the county’s first Sustainability Awards for environmental achievements and the annual Earth Day Recycling Awards, which recognize community recycling programs as well as those who “go the extra mile” in their recycling efforts.

The event is sponsored by the county government’s Parks and Environmental Facilities departments in conjunction with Spano’s Westchester Climate Change Advisory Council, his task force charged with detailing what the Westchester community can and must do to meet the worldwide challenge of climate change. Co-sponsors include Wheelabrator Westchester, LP; City Carting of Westchester; Malcolm Pirnie; Birdsall Services Group; Cornerstone Environmental Group LLC; and Friends of Westchester County Parks, Inc.

Visitors will be able to explore many environmental themes. The day’s program includes:

• Fresh food – Local New York State producers and growers will be on hand with their fresh produce and food products, tempting shoppers with samples from the market.
• Live themed entertainment –Annie and the Natural Wonder Band are a favorite Earth Day act with their music that celebrates the natural world. Jeff Boyer’s Sustainability Show will inspire children and adults with his interactive show. And, the band Solar Punch will use solar energy exclusively to power their instruments and transmit their environmental message.
• Giveaways – The first 50 families to register at the information booth will receive a free “Earth Machine” composting bin. And, the first 500 families to ask will receive a free reusable shopping bag. For the first 100 children there will be free “Earth Ball” beach balls.
• Free “Green” Raffles – Register to win a commuting bike, 30-day unlimited-ride MetroCards, a free home energy audit and other great prizes.
• Gardening Q&A with the experts. Get answers to all types of gardening questions from the experts at Cornell Cooperative Extension of Westchester County.
• Practical ways to “green” your home the easy way. With more than 50 informational exhibits you’re sure to get some great ideas for making your home, school or business environmentally friendly and healthy.
• A compost-making demonstration
• The Westchester County Veggie Van and other alternative-fuel vehicles on exhibit. See a hybrid bus, plus cars and trucks that have been built or adapted to run on alternative fuels.

The celebration is part of Westchester’s annual observance of Earth Day, which also includes “Pitch In for Parks,” the largest volunteer spruce-up of county parks, recreational trails and nature centers in the county. Pitch in for Parks also takes place on Sunday, April 19.

Kensico Dam Plaza is located at the north end of the Bronx River Parkway in Valhalla. For more information, call 211.