Ready for the answer?… Cleveland, Ohio!
Oh, quit your groaning! I don’t want to hear the pitiful “mistake on the lake” jokes and all the incessant “your river caught on fire” stuff. (The truth of the matter is there were a LOT of rivers catching on fire over 40 years ago in industrialized cities, but it just so happens there was a news crew in the area and we got plenty of (unwanted) coverage, and this fire actually ignited (no pun intended) the conception and passage of the EPA’s Clean Water Act… so shush!) 🙂
Anyhow, why should you be in Cleveland for Earth Day? Well, because our beloved Cleveland Metroparks Zoo hosts EarthFest, the longest-running Earth Day celebration IN THE NATION and the largest environmental education event in Ohio! (… See, I told you!) This year’s celebration will be held on April 18 and includes over 175 exhibits for climate change solutions (from transportation, to home, to food choices). And the zoo will be wind-powered for the day too!
This year actually marks the 40th Anniversary of Earth Day (April 22). It was created in 1970 as a way to remind us to appreciate nature and learn how to protect our environment. While I truly believe that EVERY DAY should be Earth Day, this is a great time to celebrate planet Earth! Hopefully you will find an event that is as much educational as it is a celebration. Check out the Earth Day Action Center, the EPA Event page or your local zoos, nature centers and communities for event possibilities.
Whatever you do, just celebrate and embrace Mother Earth for Earth Day and continue that momentum every day of the year! If you can’t come to Cleveland then, sadly, you will miss the Earth event of the year… maybe another time. 😉
(See… Cleveland isn’t sounding so bad after all, is it?)