Fifty years ago in 1970, 20 million Americans spilled into the streets to call for greater protections for our planet, spurred on by international best-seller Silent Spring by Rachel Carson and the organizing efforts of Senator Gaylord Nelson. By the end of the year, the US Environmental Protection Agency had been created and three federal acts had been passed: Clean Air, Clean Water, and Endangered Species.

This April 22 is a SUPER special Earth Day! It’s the 50th anniversary and the global theme for Earth Day 2020 this year is climate action. Read more about the history of Earth Day on the Earth Day Network website.

Our community had been planning a whole host of events and activities to renew our commitment to sustainability when COVID-19 and our shelter-in-place directive came down. We have been responding and pivoting our programs in the hopes of reaching our audience online and that includes Earth Day, which falls on Wednesday April 22nd.

  • We launched a new vlog on home energy efficiency starring our energy field coordinator, Chrissy Backman, last week, knowing that you are all spending time, money, and energy in your home. Now is a great time to focus on reducing your energy use and making your home more efficient.  Check out LiveCoolDavis vlog #1 on our new YouTube channel and learn how to change your home heating and cooling filter. It’s not sexy, but it’s super easy!
  • We are working with our new Coalition partner, Resilient Embodied Action Davis-Yolo (READ-Y), and Climate Strike Davis (see details below), in their efforts to support our community and celebrate 50 years of struggles and success.
  • We are meeting weekly as a Coalition; everyone is welcome to these steering committee teleconferencing meetings. Email coalition@cooldavis.org for details using Interest in attending Cool Davis Coalition Meetings as the subject line.
  • We are honoring our contributors from the past and present on our social media channels. Judy Moores graced our Facebook banner last week and Lynne Nittler is currently looking very optimistic on our new YouTube channel LiveCoolDavis! Both of these amazing community leaders were founding board members of Cool Davis.
  • We are looking at more creative ways to express both our joy and our concern for the future. Please watch our social media channels closely; we need your engagement with comments and shares!

Now more than ever, action is needed from everyone, everwhere. We can still take this to the next level.

Davis Food Co-op coloring and art competitions

The Davis Food Co-op wants to get everyone thinking about how to celebrate Earth Day. Are you going to stay indoors and tend to some indoor plants, are you going to sit on your patio or in your backyard and appreciate the space you have, or are you going to venture out by going on a bike ride or hike? They want to know!

COMPETITORS 10 AND UNDER: An Earth Day Coloring Competition. Color this special Earth Day at the Co-op coloring sheet to show us how much you love our Earth. First and Second Place winners will receive gift baskets of Co-op toys.

COMPETITORS 11 AND UP: An Earth Day Short Answer Competition. Answer this simple question; “How do you celebrate Earth Day?” First and Second Place winners will receive gift baskets of Sustainable Co-op Favorites.

Submit your Art or Short Answer by emailing msuoja@davisfood.coop, with “Earth Day Competition” in the subject line, and don’t forget to state your name and age!

Submissions are due by April 21. Vote for your favorite on Earth Day (April 22), there will be a link here to vote! Our favorite entries will be posted on our social media leading up to Earth Day when we will announce the winners!

Climate Strike Davis #EarthDaySingOut and Green Ribbon campaign

You’re invited to join Climate Strike Davis in a Community Sing Out on the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day, April 22 at 12-1 pm and 5-6 pm. It is more important now, than ever, that we find time to express joy, solidarity, and kindness — and take action to protect our planet and the people on it.
  • Check out this Songbook with 7 unifying songs for the #EarthDaySingOut

  • Practice the songs with your household while you shelter-in-place (especially Fridays, 12pm-1pm)

  • Sing out! Your front or back door, or in the park while exercising, with a safe distance from neighbors, following CDC guidelines, on Earth Day (especially Fridays, 12pm-1pm)

Climate Strike would also like to invite musicians to record a song and call for action on YouTube and tag it #earthdaysingout. Here’s artist Davis Abrahamson with one of the songs on the playlist with a few timely elaborations: https://youtu.be/GXCsI1qXa4I

Davis community members are also launching #Greenisforgratitude, a project to express appreciation to public health and service workers on the frontlines of responding to the pandemic. Green ribbons will be tied to light poles and trees along with visual messages of love, compassion, and gratitude. Residents can request a ribbon online at climatestrikedavis@gmail.com and a sanitized #greenisforgratidue kit will be delivered to homes.

For more info see this Cool Davis post.

SEE BELOW FOR KNOWN UPDATES TO EARTH DAY EVENTS

Now: City of Davis Environmental Recognition Award nominations are now open. Visit the City Sustainability Program web page for more information. PAST EVENT, THANK YOU!

March 7: Cool Davis Energy and Valley Clean Energy tabling theme at Farmer’s Market: “Is Solar Right for Me?” Bring your bill for our experts to interpret.  PAST EVENT, THANK YOU!

April 1: Picnic in the Park at Davis Central Park begins Picnic in the Park postponed until (at least) May 13

April 3, 4 & 5: ArtBuild for Earth Day at Davis Arts Center TBD

April 4: Cool Davis Energy and Valley Clean Energy tabling theme at Farmer’s Market: “Understanding NEM: Solar customer electricity billing using Net Energy Metering” with solar contractor expert CURRENTLY REPLANNING DELIVERY OPTIONS

April 4: UC Davis Arboretum Plant Sale CANCELLED

April 4-5: Bulky items drop off at Recology (supported by City of Davis staff) POSTPONED

April 18: UC Davis Picnic Day: Cool Davis Coalition parade entry. More info about UC Davis Picnic Day. CANCELLED

April 21:  UC Davis Plan Green Conference and Sustainability Resource Fair (at UC Davis Conference Center). Learn more about best practices in planning sustainable events with topics ranging from food and beverage to technology. UC Davis staff that attend will have the conference listed in their LMS learning transcript. In addition, staff attendees will be listed on the UC Davis Green Event Planners page and will be permitted to use the UC Davis Green Event Planner insignia developed for the program. SELECT LINK ABOVE FOR UPDATES

April 21: City of Davis Environmental Recognition Awards at City Council Meeting and reception. There will be no in person reception for the awardees, however, the April 14 meeting agenda includes the followign item:

2020 Environmental Recognition Awards (ERA) (Assistant City Manager Ashley Feeney/Sustainability Coordinator Kerry Daane Loux)
Recommendation: Approve nominations from the Natural Resources Commission for the 2020 Environmental Recognition Awards.

April 22: EarthDay@theMarket: Cool Davis Coalition Celebration of 50th Anniversary of Earth Day at the Farmer’s Market Picnic in the Park, Sycamore Grove. IN-PERSON EVENT CANCELLED. SEE ABOVE FOR NEW COOL DAVIS ONLINE PROGRAM DELIVERY OPTIONS.

April 23: UC Davis Arboretum Plant Sale CANCELLED

April 24: Bike Party Davis begins CHECK LINK FOR UPDATES

April 25: Arbor Day at Central Park Davis. More details to come on this expanded Arbor Day event. CANCELLED

April 25: Shred Day at Recology POSTPONED

April 26: Earth Day Sacramento  CHECK LINK FOR UPDATES

More events: TBD

May Is Bike Month in Davis

May 2: Cool Davis and Valley Clean Energy tabling theme at Farmer’s Market: “Battery Storage and Solar with Citadel Roofing and Solar experts” CURRENTLY REPLANNING DELIVERY OPTIONS

May 8, 9 &10: Whole Earth Festival UC Davis CANCELLED

May 22: Bike Party Davis  CHECK LINK FOR UPDATES

May TBD: Bike to Work Party CHECK LINK FOR UPDATES

June 6: Cool Davis Energy and Valley Clean Energy tabling theme at Farmer’s Market: “Solar Water Heating with Aztec Solar Inc. experts” CURRENTLY REPLANNING DELIVERY OPTIONS

June 10: Davis Climate Action and Adaptation Plan 10th anniversary TBD

June 14: Cool Davis 10th anniversary TBD

Stayed tuned for updates on this page and more information from Cool Davis!