Sustainable Living Association | Earth Day Fort Collins

Earth is what we all have in common.

—Wendell Berry

13th annual Earth Day Fort Collins

Saturday April 22, 2023

Civic Center Park 11am-5pm

Earth Day Fort Collins inspires community members to honor the Earth EVERY DAY and features a combination of activities and events for the entire family, including informational booths and displays, kids activities, arts & crafts, live music, speakers, food trucks, farmers market and a beer garden.

Earth Day 2023 will be a historic moment when citizens of the world rise up in a united call for the creativity, innovation, ambition, and bravery that we need to meet our climate crisis and seize the enormous opportunities of a zero-carbon future.

This event is Free! Please bring a non-perishable item for the Food Bank for Larimer County.

Join us for this day of global action!

EARTH DAY YOUTH WRITING CONTEST WINNERS

Inspired by Earthday.org’s My Future My Voice Youth Ambassador program, we asked local youths to express their visions and desires for the future.

Why? Because we believe that creative expression raises awareness and can help us dream the world we want, and help us remember our interconnection to each other and all life.

And because we believe that beauty, creativity, interaction, and collaboration are necessary to create a world where we all not only survive but thrive, and that youth voices are crucial to help motivate and inspire the action we need.

YOUTH WRITING CONTEST WINNERS

REGENERATION YOUTH ART PROJECT

ReGeneration Youth Art Project – Visions of our Future

The purpose of the ReGeneration Youth Art Project is to engage youth in climate change advocacy by sharing their visions of the future of our planet through hands-on learning and self-expression.

We believe art is a natural connector that can provide space to process emotional anxieties, anger, or passiveness regarding climate change and can help foster transformative change and dialogue that advances health and wellbeing for people and the planet.

REGENERATION YOUTH ART PROJECT

EARTH DAY FORT COLLINS STAGE SCHEDULE

10:00 AM	Yoga on the lawn presented by Old Town Yoga
11:00 AM	Welcome
	Presentation & Performance: The Iron Family Land Acknowledgement & Drumming – “The Iron Family Singers and Dancers are a third-generation group of performers from the Pawnee, Crow, Lakota, Southern Cheyenne, Kiowa, Meskwaki, Navajo, Southern Ute, and Ute Mountain Ute tribes and nations. They will share a little of the Native American culture through song, dance, and storytelling as they do the Land Acknowledgment. They will demonstrate various dances from the intertribal powwow as we celebrate Earth Day 2023.”
11:30 AM	Youth Writing Contest Readings
12:15 PM	Performance: Tyler T Band – organic funk folk https://tylertmusic.com/
1:00 PM	Presentation: Tyrone Smith, Director, CSU Native American Cultural Center & Jen Barfield, Professor, CSU Biomedical Sciences, Bison Conservation Herd Project Lead @ Soapstone Prairie Natural Area – Laramie Foothills Bison Conservation Herd – history, regional cultural significance, and ecological importance of the Bison relocation program for Plains Tribes.
1:15 PM	Performance: Wyoming Indian High School Traditional Club – Ethete Wyoming
1:30 PM	Presentation: Armando Silva, Artist, Community Minded Muralist & Performer – Public Art as Storytelling *following his presentation, Armando will be doing a live painting at the event throughout the afternoon
1:40 PM	Performance: Audio Wallpaper – Dan Africano’s Audio Wallpaper is a music collective led by bassist and composer Dan Africano. The group combines elements of jazz, funk, and world music to create an improvisationally immersive sonic experience. Africano has played in bands such as Thievery Corporation, Ghost Light, and John Brown’s Body and has been an active member of the vibrant Colorado music scene for decades.https://danafricano.com/
2:35 PM	Presentation: Katelynn Martinez, Director of Operations and Business Development, One Canopy – Reforestation in the Rocky Mountains
2:45 PM	Performance: Lois & the Lantern – zesty, non-denominational string band that delivers sublime vocal harmonies, engaging story-driven lyrics, and dynamic string band instrumentation. https://www.loisandthelantern.com/
4:00 PM	Presentation: Sebastian Africano, Executive Director, Trees, Water & People
4:15 PM	Presentation: Jessica Thrasher/DEI Director for CSU Water Center – Saving Water – Rain Barrel Installation for Homeowners *A rain barrel will be raffled off at the end of this presentation
4:30 PM	Presentation: Mindy Hill, CSU Center for Environmental Justice-Climate Grief and Resilience: Young people continue to commit to doing whatever is needed to prevent catastrophic climate change, and to adapt to the rapidly changing environment, but many experience overwhelming anxiety and grief around the planet they are inheriting. Mindy will speak about some resources and practices that were used in a workshop to help students manage their climate grief and create resilience and wellbeing. She will also engage the audience with a brainstorm about what else can be done to build healthy, long-term climate resilience.
4:45 PM	Kellie Falbo, Executive Director, Sustainable Living Association, Earth Day Raffle Winners Announced, Closing Remarks
5:00 PM	Event Ends

Your promise to the planet starts here!

Join our Earth Day campaign to support climate literacy for our youth and teach them how to work with local governments in a meaningful way to address the climate crisis.

Climate change is a great example of how human behavior can dramatically impact our natural world, and have serious consequences to our social, physical, and economic health. By providing climate education with a strong civic engagement component our youth will have the skills to enter a growing green workforce and the know-how to advocate for policies and practices that will keep them healthy, safe, and prosperous.

With your support, the Sustainable Living Association will be able to provide valuable training for Fort Collins students ages 15-25 at our 2nd annual Climate Action event on September 23rd. The event will focus on…

Teaching area youth how to work with local government in a meaningful way to address the climate crisis.
Help students learn the value of ‘giving back’ through participating in environmental service projects.
Provide resources on how to talk about climate change by utilizing our eBook, “Communicating Climate“.
Connect inspired youth with local employers to learn about career opportunities in the environmental and sustainability sectors.
Help participating youth develop an Action Plan to guide their efforts at home, in school, and in the community.

We hope you can help us make this happen. Your support and belief in our cause keeps us going strong. Thank you so much for being a part of our environmental community, we couldn’t do this work without you.

Yes, I want to support this cause!

VOLUNTEER

We can’t wait to see you at Earth Day! If you can pitch in and volunteer for a shift you’ll get a FREE commemorative t-shirt and the glory of knowing you are doing good in the world. It’s easy to sign up and feel free to invite a friend to join you.

VOLUNTEER AT EARTH DAY

EARTH DAY FORT COLLINS VENDORS AND PARTNERS

The Sustainable Living Association provides opportunities for businesses to engage in and support our ongoing community efforts to educate, inspire and motivate citizens to live more in balance with nature by conserving natural resources and leaving less of an impact on the earth.

Join us in demonstrating your commitment to environmental protection and preservation.

Event Sponsor booths

are listed in bold.

Abstruse Apparel
AloTerra Restoration Services
Best Life Best Death
Bird Conservancy of the Rockies
Blast n Scrap
Cabri Creamery
CGRS
Citizens’ Climate Lobby
City Council/Civic Engagement- City of Fort Collins
City of Fort Collins – Clean Cities/FC Moves
City of Fort Collins – Forestry Dept
City of Fort Collins Utilities & Environmental Services
Climate Reality Project/Sustainable Windsor
Coalition for the Poudre River Watershed
Colorado Foundation for Universal Health Care
Compost Queen
Credit Union of Colorado
CSU Surplus Property
Cultural Enrichment Center
Edge Optics
Ent Credit Union
Folks Farm and Seed
Food Co Op

Fort Collins Community Action Network (FCCAN)
Garden of Oz
Global Leaders
Happy Lucky’s
Hug a Goat
KRFC
KUNC
Larimer County Conservation Corps
Larimer County Engineering and Extension
Larimer County Solid Waste
League of Women Voters Larimer County Environmental Action Team
Leapin Lizards
Lightning e Motors
Mad Hare Press
Matthews House
Melina Be
My Planet Alliance
Namaste Solar
National Center for Craftsmanship
New Belgium
Ocean Industries
On The Road Bookstore
One Canopy

Polestargardens
Poudre River Public Library
Poudre Wilderness Volunteers
Renewal by Anderson
Republic Services
Rise n Shine Arts
Save the Poudre
Sierra Club Poudre Canyon Group
Signarama
Sproutin’ Up
Sunlit Mountain
Sunray Natural
Tesla Inc
The Lyric
Trash Mob
Trees Water & People
Tutoring Excellence of Fort Collins
Uncle Benny’s
Unity of Fort Collins
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Well Fed Farmstead
What the Fudge Co.
Wild Roots Studio
Wolverine Farm Publishing
Xcel Energy

EARTH DAY YOGA

Earth Day Yoga, 10am – 11am

Join us for an Earth Day-themed all-levels yoga class as we celebrate and honor our beautiful planet.

Our free Earth Day yoga class is a fun and inspiring way to start the day. In this class, we will focus on our connection to nature and the elements, using our breath and movement to cultivate mindfulness and gratitude for the earth. Whether you’re an experienced yogi or new to the practice, this Earth Day-themed all-levels class is open to everyone.

Come and connect with your inner self and with the beauty and wisdom of our planet. We hope to see you on the mat!

Brought to you by Old Town Yoga

Taught by Margaux Maertens

EARTH DAY KID CRAFTS

Join Wild Roots Studio in celebrating Mother Earth at Earth Day Fort Collins!

Wild Roots Studio will be guiding children in crafting Poudre River Spirit Sticks and creating Wild Recycled Art Sculptures in the Kids tent at the festival.

Poudre River Spirit will offer us a way to honor our love for the majestic Cache La Poudre River! Children old and young will be offered a variety of materials to create a river wand from sticks collected on the river banks of our Poudre River.

Wild Recycled Art Sculptures allow children to make art freely while giving a second life to items that might otherwise end up in the trash! Come play with an array of recycled materials and art supplies to create a unique work of art. Children will be guided in planning their piece, choosing the appropriate medium, and exploring how best to execute their masterpiece.

Wild Roots Studio offers soulful nature-based workshops for children to strengthen their connection to nature and wildly explore their creativity. At Wild Roots, we support the idea that there is something magical in combining nature and art. It returns us to a simplicity, wonder, and soulful place where we find connection & peace.

Nature-based crafts are a great way to enjoy the outdoors, promote sustainability, and encourage little ones to discover the enchantment of Mother Nature. From this comes an understanding of how special our environment is and how important it is to take care of it. For more information about Wild Roots Studio visit our website at WildRootsStudio.com or Wild Roots Facebook Page.

FOOD TRUCKS

Project Pizza | La Piadina | Umami | Bright Side Coffee | Glacier Ice Cream | Sunny Sky Pies

My Future, My Voice

Youth Writing Contest!

Calling all Northern Colorado youth writers and activists to share your voice and vision to inspire and raise awareness for climate action! We are asking that you express your visions and desires for the future you want to see through your writing.

We invite YOU to submit your poem, short story, essay or song.

All students 3rd grade – 12th grade ages 8-18 are eligible to participate regardless of which school you attend, or if you are homeschooled or not currently enrolled.

Thank you in advance to the educators, parents, or friends out there who help spread the word. And thank you as well to all the writers who embrace the challenge and submit their work.

Check out our submission guidelines – winners will have the opportunity to read their works at Earth Day and will win cool prizes from local businesses!

Download the Call for Artists Flier

Calling All Youth Artists from Northern Colorado!

We want to feature your art at Earth Day Fort Collins, Saturday April 22nd, 2023.

All Art mediums accepted, from paint to clay to fabric or thread, and the use of any up-cycled and reused materials is encouraged!

We’re looking for submissions from artists ages 20 and under that address one, or more, of these key questions:

What does climate change mean to you?
What are your visions and perspectives for the future of the Earth?
What are your perspectives and ideas for climate action and solutions?
What does regeneration mean? What does it look like?

Moosewood Sandhills / Tim Lilburn

Listening to the Wind / Tim Robinson

Ecodeviance / C A Conrad

The Man Who Planted Trees / Jean Giono

Regeneration / Paul Hawken

Active Hope / Joanna Macy & Chris Johnstone

My Story as Told by Water / David James Duncan

Staying with the Trouble / Donna Haraway

Second Nature / Jack Collom

Manatee/Humanity / Anne Waldman

The Meadow / James Galvin

Arts of Living on a Damaged Planet / Anna Tsing et al.

A Sand County Almanac / Aldo Leopold

[To] the Last [Be] Human / Jorie Graham

Wildwood / Roger Deakin

Cadillac Desert / Mark Reisner

Hell’s Bottom, Colorado / Laura Pritchett

Desert Cabal / Amy Irvine

Blood Orchid / Charles Bowden

Eating Stone / Ellen Meloy

The Maine Woods / Henry D. Thoreau

The Island Within / Richard K. Nelson

Braiding Sweetgrass / Robin Wall Kimmerer

Growth of the Soil / Knut Hamsen

Life is a Miracle / Wendell Berry

Honey from a Weed / Patience Gray

For a Little While / Rick Bass

Teaching a Stone to Talk / Annie Dillard

Encounters with the Archdruid / John McPhee

American Primitive / Mary Oliver

Practice of the Wild / Gary Snyder

The Overstory / Richard Powers