Celebrate Earth Day and John Muir’s 175th Birthday!

Are you looking for a meaningful yet fun way to mark Earth Day 2013?  It just so happens John Muir was born the day before Earth Day, and you’re invited to his 175th birthday party.

Cool Davis, the  Church and Society Ministry of Davis Community Church, the Church and Society Committee of  Davis Methodist Church, the Green Sanctuary of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Davis, Tuleyome and Sierra Club Yolano Chapter invite the public to…..John Muir’s Birthday Party on Sunday, April 21, from 3:00-5:00 p.m. at Davis Community Church (412 C Street).

The afternoon celebration features Kim Stanley Robinson with a slideshow talk entitled “John Muir: the Writer, Scientist, and Public Figure.”    During the slideshow, Nature’s Theater guides will lead children ages 4-10 on an adventure outing.  Afterwards, Cool Davis will present the 2013 Eco Hero Awards, followed by refreshments and party favors for all.

John Muir: the Writer, Scientist, and Public Figure

Who was John Muir, what did he do, and how did he do it?  Noted Author Kim Stanley Robinson will share Muir’s personal story, analyze his writings, and examine how he translated a writing career into astonishing feats of public policy.  He will explore what insights John Muir provides on how we can take effective environmental action now?

Kim Stanley Robinson: author and Sierra photographer

California science fiction writer and long-time Davis resident, Kim Stanley Robinson’s Mars trilogy is translated into 23 languages.  He is a winner of the Hugo, Nebula, and Locus awards and was named a “Hero of the Environment” by Time magazine in 2008.  He is associated with the Sequoia Parks Foundation’s Artists in the Back Country program, the Sierra Nevada Research Institute (UC Merced), and the Sierra Press.  The photographs accompanying his presentation come from his own backpacking trips into remote parts of the Sierra Nevada mountains.

For Children:  An Adventure Outing with Nature’s Theater

Lyndsay Dawkins and Jeff Falyn created Nature’s Theater to connect kids – our next generation of sustainable caretakers for the earth –  to the joys of being outside.  They strive to inspire children using interactive stories in the outdoors, facilitated by teenagers or adults, to foster responsibility, appreciation and care for the natural world.   The magic begins when Jeff or Lyndsay escorts the kids ages 4-10 outdoors.  A character meets them, sets up a story with a challenge, and walks with the kids as the story progresses, offering playful activities, encountering other characters, and helping the children develop a relationship with the natural world.  If the weather is questionable, indoor nature crafts may be substituted.  Childcare is provided for children 2-3 years of age if you preregister.

Cool Davis Awards

Cool Davis will present the 2013 Eco-Hero awards to community members who model how to incorporate sustainable practices into their civic and everyday lives and implement new ways to live lightly with a lower carbon footprint.   In addition, we will present Climate Solution and Cool Davis awards.

Reception and Prizes

Enjoy birthday cake and other refreshments plus cool party favors!   Guests who bring their own snack container and/or walk, bike or ride the bus to the party earn a chance to win a cool prize.

“Birthday gifts” for Cool Davis to continue its important environmental work are welcome.  Suggested donation: $5-10.

Logistics

For more information or to help contact info@cooldavis.org   All are welcome, but preregistration at www.cooldavismuir.eventbrite.com helps us plan.