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Household Hazardous Waste Collection
Collect paint, used auto products like motor oil and batteries, solvents,
etc. This will require city or county coordination and participation. This
is expensive, but a worthy goal. You may be surprised at the receptivity
you will find among local governments.

Conduct an Ecothon
At this educational fund-raiser, participants collect pledges just as in a
walk-a-thon. They proceed to a series of educational stations where they
get their card punched, or get a sticker or some other token to prove they
were at the station. Money is collected based on how many stations are
visited. You can involve several corporations, clubs and groups in putting
together the stations. You may want to include the city dump, incinerator,
source of drinking water, sewage treatment plant and other significant
sites as stations. For a booklet on how to produce your own Ecothon,
contact the Metro DC Environmental Network (METNET), 645 Morris Place NE,
Washington, DC 20002 [phone]. $10.

Give "Environmental Hero" Awards
Give out certificates and plant trees for winners. You can also hold a
banquet and fund-raiser. Solicit nominations from the community for heroes.
Examples of winners from one city (these are the press release blurbs): *
=46irst Union National Bank printed their annual report on paper they
collected at work. They returned the collected paper to the paper mill
where it was made into new paper for the report. This unique, full-circle
project sets an outstanding example to the business community and shows how
a business can create a new product from their own office waste. In 1992,
=46irst Union recycled more than 1,338 tons of paper. This effort by First
Union helps save valuable landfill space and sets an excellent example for
all concerned and responsible corporations and citizens.
*       Charles Saunders, president of Saunders Thread Company, prepared a
sizable portion of his company's potential parking space for a
community-wide recycling center. Further, he volunteered as a member of the
Board of Directors of the Clean City Committee and has become the
sustaining force within the organization. His influence has prompted many
others within the business community to realize the importance of how much
one person can mean in the struggle with environmental despoliation. Mr.
Saunders' selfless commitment has enabled serious recycling and a growing
awareness of environmental responsibility in his community.
*       Dale Trembly lives on the fringe of the Plaza-Midwood neighborhood.
Over the course of several years, Dale has spent countless hours and his
own dollars to plant trees and flowers in the median area of Hamorton
Place. This area, once an eyesore to the neighborhood, has begun to blossom
under Dale's tending. In addition to planting trees and flowers and making
sure they are properly tended, Dale also keeps the area trash-free,
frequently calling the city to come collect the discarded chairs,
mattresses, and other assorted trash he pulls out of the creek and collects
from the side of the road. Dale's neighbors banded together to nominate him
for an Environmental Hero award because he has made such a difference in
their daily lives. Dale has set a great example to all of us in proving,
once again, that one person can indeed make a difference by recognizing a
need and taking positive action without waiting for someone else to do it.

Walk-A-Thon or Running Event
Try to design a course around a relevant environmental feature, park or issu=
e.

Hold a Recycling or Energy Fair
Conduct an energy conservation or "Off the Grid" day. This would be a
targetted fair where all the exhibits and activities are about recycling or
energy education.

Stencil Storm Drains
Raise public awareness to the fate of their storm water (someone else's
drinking or swimming water). Storm Drain Patrols can be set up to watch for
illegal dumping which can then be reported and stopped.

Hold a Council of All Beings
Have participants choose something in nature that speaks to them. Have them
make a mask to represent their creature, tree, rock, or other "being."
Then, with everyone wearing their masks and representing their chosen
"being," gather together in a circle and one by one have each stand and
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From [e-mail] Tue Mar 28 00:51:09 1995
Subject: #2(2) Earth Day Event Ideas
Date: 95-03-28 00:51:26 EST
From: [e-mail] (Carolyn Chase)
To: [e-mail]

Mail Split By Gateway

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speak for their "being." In speaking, include the contributions you make
(as your being) to life on Earth, and how it makes you feel for people to
respond to you the way they do. For instance, if you had chosen a worm, you
might stand and say: how much you contribute to the planet by breaking down
decaying matter and enriching the soil so that new life can grow; how it
hurts your feelings when people call you slimy or creepy; how you think
your work is not given the respect it deserves. Reference Thinking Like a
Mountain, Towards a Council of All Beings, New Society Publishers, PO Box
582, Santa Cruz, CA 95061.

Hold a Dirty Sock Contest
This contest demonstrates how auto emissions affect air quality. The event
is held in a parking lot. Each contestant places a clean white sock over
his or her car's exhaust and runs the engine for 30 seconds. The contestant
with the dirtiest sock wins a free car tune-up, while the one with the
cleanest sock wins a free round-trip train trip to Washington, DC. (You can
determine what the prizes are for your area and then seek donations for the
prizes. In the above instance, Precision Tune donated the tune-up, AMTRAK
donated the trip and WAL-MART donated the socks.)

Unwanted Seedling Giveaway
Encourage people to dig up unwanted tree seedlings which sprout in their
gardens and lawns and bring them to a common site such as a Farmer's
Market. Give away the collected trees on a designated Saturday. The best
time to do this is in the fall (around Thanksgiving) or very early spring.
You may find a corporate sponsor willing to pay for the printing of an
educational leaflet which would inform your community about common
indigenous trees and their care and planting. This is a very popular
program and costs practically nothing to implement. You will be surprised
by the community response. People like the idea of saving those unwanted
seedlings. If you don't give them all away, donate them to Habitat for
Humanity if there is a program in your area.
NOTE: Consider limiting people to five trees, as there are always
opportunists who will walk off with all your trees leaving others with
none.

Build or re-build an environmentally friendly house/kitchen/bathroom
Contact Earthways, 3617 Grandel Square, St. Louis, MO 63108 (314-531-1995)
for information on how to do this. They reclaimed an entire house.

Produce a TV or Radio Show
Many cities now have public television and radio stations where you can
produce your own show. Consider producing an environmental show for Earth
Day and involve local students in its production.

Hold a Celebration of Trees
This is a banquet based on the Jewish Holiday (in January) which involves
food from trees, song, dance, and environmental readings. It is a
celebration that involves all your senses and is very moving. Contact your
local Jewish leaders to learn more about the ceremony and to invite
participation.

Create a community garden
Gardening allows people to connect directly with the earth as the source of
food and life upon which we are dependent. You can reclaim unused or
mis-used plots of land for the benefit of the community by combining a
clean-up with a garden planting.

MORE IDEAS
*       Put up an Earth Day bulletin board at work, changing it weekly
during the month of April, or leave it up year-round and change it monthly.
*       Build a solar cooker and bake cookies or potatoes to sell at your
outdoor festival.
*       Invite Native Americans to tell stories at appointed times
throughout the day. Have them teach simple Native American dancing and
demonstrate drumming.
*       Do composting workshops
*       Promote a bike-to-work day
*       Promote a public transit day
*       Put together a display of electric, solar and natural gas vehicles
*       Hold a non-toxic cleaning demonstration
*       Hold a bike tour or race

NEXT FILE: WORKING WITH VOLUNTEERS

NOTICE: Important Information About this File****: This file and the
information contained in it, was produced by the volunteers and affiliates
of the Earth Day Network, Inc. The Earth Day Network is a volunteer-based
non-profit group empowering individuals using Earth Day as a vehicle for
increasing environmental education, responsiblity and action. If you find
the content of value to you, please send contributions to: Earth Day
Network, P.O. Box 9827, San Diego, CA 92169-9827; email to
[e-mail]; 24-hour voicemail information: [phone].

This file may be copied and distributed, in whole or in part, free of
charge and only with this notice acknowledging the Earth Day Network
included.

=A9 Copyright Earth Day Network 1994,1995. All rights reserved.

Like Earth Day, this manual is a work in progress. Sections will be added
and modified as time, experience and need allows. Readers are invited to
submit additional material and corrections for incorporation into future
versions. Send email to [e-mail].

EDOG Version 2.1

Thanks to contributors Carolyn Chase, Chris Klein, Kari Gray, Delia Hitz
and Barbara Webster. =A9 Copyright Earth Day Network 1994,1995. All rights
reserved.

Carolyn Chase, Earth Day Network,San Diego
"Say it, mean it, do it"
[phone] voice
[phone] FAX


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From [e-mail] Tue Mar 28 00:51:09 1995
Subject: Basic Suggestions on how to Create an Earth Day Fair
Date: 95-03-28 00:51:54 EST
From: [e-mail] (Carolyn Chase)
To: [e-mail]


Basic Suggestions on how to Create an Earth Day Fair

        Your Business, Service Organization, Ecology Club, Church or any
other Community can organize its own EarthFair. An EarthFair can be as big
(thousands of attendees) or as small (pick one issue and cover that more
thoroughly), as you want. Remember that Earth Day is vehicle for your local
ideas. Here's how to start: Invite people to a meeting. Depending on the
size of your organization, that will mean anything from inviting all the
people you know, to writing and mailing out press releases to local
newspapers. Create flyers to give to people with the date, time and
directions to the location. You might have your first meeting in your home
or at your church or public rec center or library. At the meeting, have
everyone sign in with their names, addresses and phone. Have people
introduce themselves and say the most interesting reason why they came to
the meeting. You then just have to listen to what people are interested in
and what resources there are to do projects.

        For an "EarthFair", have volunteers choose issues or organizations
of interest to them. Each volunteer can become an expert on what they're
interested in. Have them contact groups working on their issues and/or do
research on the issue. Each issue/organization has a variety of literature
regarding the issues they are committed to. The volunteers for each issue
review the literature and become the experts in your own group regarding
these issues. Don't forget to contact the industries involved in the issues
as well. Your volunteers are then "up-to-speed" to man tables at an
EarthFair. Some groups will be able to supply literature for such efforts.
You can have the EarthFair at your school, in a local park or give one for
another school. For instance, one high school, organized an EarthFair for
an "at risk" middle school in their area.

Suggested topics of interest: (or make up your own!)

Water Use & Supply      Wildlife Issues         Recycling       Energy Use
"Green" Economies       Sustainability          Global Population
Pollution               Biodiversity            Ozone Depletion

* Identify the sources of the energy and water in your area.

* How are local waste products (trash, sewage, industrial byproducts)
handled?

* Are there any "hot" local concerns about industry or the environment?

* How is your community dependent on healthy-resource systems?

Other Possible Activities:
* Choose appropriate trees or plants for your region and design a memorial
planting activity.

* Have an Earth Parade.

* Do Community Clean-ups,

* Do Local Trail Maintenance;

* Remove exotic/invasive species in threatened areas;

* Start discussion pot-lucks on issues of interest;



Suggested Resources:

* Any nearby County, State or Federal Agencies for example, the Park
Service, Fish & Wildlife
* Water and/or power authorities, regional energy groups.
* Industry Associations and the Businesses themselves.

Information on individual issues can be requested from a wide variety of
organizations. The following is by no means a complete list, nor are the
organizations' activities limited to the categories in which they are
placed.

Private land Conservation & Biodiversity:
* The Nature Conservancy,1815 N. Lynn St., Arlington VA 22209 [phone]

Wilderness & Biodiversity
* Cenozoic Society (publishes Wild Earth), PO Box 492, Canton NY 13617

* Rainforest Action Network, 450 Sansome, Suite 200, San Francisco, CA 94133
[phone]

* The Wilderness Society, 900 17th St. NW, Wash DC 20006-2596 [phone]

* International Wildlife Preservation:
The World Wildlife Fund, 1250 24th St. NW, Wash DC 20037 [phone]

Most Issues, General & Specific:
* Earth Island Institute, 300 Broadway Suite 28, San Francisco, CA 94111
[phone]

* Environmental Defense Fund, 257 Park Ave South, New York, NY 10010 (212)
505-2100;

* National Wildlife Federation,1400 16th St. NW, Wash DC 20036 [phone];

* The Sierra Club, 730 Polk St., San Francisco CA 94109;[phone]

Marine Issues:
* Center for Marine Conservation, 1725 DeSales St. NW, Wash DC 20036 (202)
429-5609;

Global Conservation especially Sea Life:
* The Cousteau Society, 870 Greenbriar Circle, Suite 402, Chesapeake VA 23320
[phone]

* River Issues:
* American Rivers, 801 Pennsylvania Ave SE Ste 400, Wash DC 20003 (202)
547-6900

* International Rivers Network, 1847 Berkeley Way, Berkeley, CA 94703
[phone]

###

Carolyn Chase, Earth Day Network,San Diego
"Say it, mean it, do it"
[phone] voice
[phone] FAX
Subject: Build Humanitrees for Earth Day
Date: 95-03-28 00:52:21 EST
From: [e-mail] (Carolyn Chase)
To: [e-mail]


"Promise the Earth, Promise Others, Promise Yourself" Build Humanitrees for
Earth Day

This is a project suitable for everyone. It has been used with much success
in San Diego, Boston, and Tijuana, Mexico. In San Diego, business offices
and retail stores, elementary schools and universities, have all built
Earth Day promise trees. In Boston, they built one 15 feet tall in their
Metro's South Station. In Mexico, children create their promises at school
and march in their parade where they place them on to real trees at their
event.

Promise trees, or "Humanitrees" (like 'humanity' get it?) are tree-like
structures built by people to express their individual promises to do
something to improve the environment. The promises are written, signed and
placed as the "leaves"of the Humanitrees. Trees can be painted on posters,
built for desktops or made lifesize. Thousands of promises have been made
from the easy to the hard, from common sense to visonary.

WHAT is a Humanitree?
A Humanitree is an opportunity to make both a personal and a public
statement about taking care of our environment, each other, and our world.
HumaniTrees are built by people as structures and symbols of the promises
they make to support a clean and healthy environment. Also, making, writing
and reading a promise can support a person in acheving that promise later.

WHY a Humanitree?
In nature, each and every leaf on a tree does its part.. Each of the leaves
of a tree gathers energy which nourishes the limbs and roots of the tree.
In the same way, each person can be like a leaf for their environment. For
Earth Day we are asking that each and person do their part as a leaf on a
"Humanitree".

A TREEmendous Project: To Build an Earth Day Humanitree Everyone is invited
to create and place their own BE-leaf on the Earth Day Humanitree at
____________ with date or dates. If you cannot attend,you may mail your
leaf to _________________________________, and we will include you.

IF YOU ARE DOING A PARADE:
You and your BE-leaf can march in the Earth Parade in the morning (as part
of a moving Humanitree), OR you can bring your leaf and add it to a
Humanitree at any time during the day from [11AM to 4PM.]

WHAT IS A BE-leaf? HOW DOES THE BE-leaf represent me? A BE-leaf contains
your name and your personal promise toward improving your environment. You
should sign your BE-leaf or add your thumbprint or handprint. BE-leafs
represent your personal commitment and promise to take care of your
environment. You may add any personal statements or neat touches you wish.
It should represent who you want to be about the environment.

HOW DO I MAKE a BE-leaf?
You can find BE-leaf patterns on Earth Day fliers, in the
_________newspaper in April OR at selected retailers OR you can create your
own BE-leaf. Use easily recyclable or reused materials (cardboard,
newspaper, paper bags, etc.) . Write your name and your personal promise
toward improving your environment. Sign your BE-leaf or add your thumbprint
or handprint, and your address if you want to hear about future projects.

IF YOU ARE HAVING A PARADE: try something like this: HOW CAN I MARCH IN THE
EARTH PARADE?
Bring your BE-leaf and come to the Parade Assembly Area in
_______________________9:15AM on Sunday, April 25th. There will be a sign
saying where to gather. We will be forming a moving Humanitree. The Parade
begins at [10AM] and marches through ___________to the Organ Pavilion where
we will be building our Humanitree and FOREST of Humanitree.

WHERE DID THIS IDEA START?
At the Earth Summit in Rio, over 2 million promises were collected and
their "TREE of LIFE" was buzzing with activity and visited by everyone from
Al Gore to Fidel Castro; from John Major, Prime Minister of Great Britain,
to the Dalai Lama from Tibet. People would gather at the tree to read the
promises and to continually grow the tree by adding new ones.

IF YOU ARE HAVING A FAIR OR FESTIVAL:

WHAT ABOUT A FOREST... CAN I BUILD MY OWN TREE AND BRING IT? Yes.
HumaniTREEs can be brought to the EarthFair. Call

WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO THE Humanitrees?
Many Humanitrees will be recycled. Some Humanitrees will be selected to
travel to [when], [where].

Suggestions... for a TREE-mendous project for Earth Day . . .

on how to create and build your own Humanitree in your classroom or for
your club or to bring to the EarthFair as part of a FOREST.

To build a Humanitree you need to figure out what you can use as a trunk
and roots and branches. There are many different types of trees in nature,
so there will be many different kinds of trees in an Earth Day forest.
Model your Humanitree after a loval, native tree. You might want to build a
"cactus" or a "bush", or something that you could carry in the Earth
Parade. Your tree should be "free-standing" to be in a Forest.

Ideas for MATERIALS to use (whatever you use, BE SAFE!) Cardboard
Boxes   Paper towel rollers
Gift wrap rollers       Toilet paper rollers    Egg cartons
Coat hangers    Scrap wood      Paper bags      Chicken wire    Newspapers
Milk cartons / jugs     Construction paper      Tinker toys
"Post-It" notes (with recycled content, as leaves) Use the Cut-Out Leaf
pattern published in [where], [when].

You also need to decide how to attach the leaves:
*Punch holes in "leaves" and tie on with paper ties or 'twisties' *Tape on
leaves
*Staple on leaves (depending on structure)

IF you would like to build a "FLAT TREE", you can create a Humanitree
POSTER. Using butcher paper you can draw or paint the trunk and branches
and then glue on your leaves or have people write or draw their BE-leaves
onto the tree.
OR
you can draw the leaf or leaf patterns on to paper grocery bags and either
cut out the leaves or use the bags for shopping on Earth Day.
###


        Earth Promises Move People Forward

        A major highlight of the EarthFair in San Diego California is the
"Promise Tree", where individuals can make a personal commitment and sign
promises to take care of the environment.  Business offices and retail
stores, elementary schools and universities, girl scouts and service clubs
have all built Earth Day promise trees, or "Humanitrees".

        In Boston, they built one 15 feet tall in their Metro's South
Station. In Mexico, children create their promises at school and march in
their parade where they place them on to real trees at their "Eco Fest".
Children in Lafayette Indiana will work on their promises after school
during Earthweek.

        Thousands of promises have been made from the easy to the hard,
from common sense to visionary.  A Humanitree is an opportunity to make
both a personal and a public statement about taking care of our
environment, each other, and our world. Humanitrees are built by people as
symbols of the promises they make to support a clean and healthy
environment. Also, making, writing and signing a promise can support a
person in achieving that promise later.

Past promises have included:
"To be more conscious of the effect my power as a consumer has on the
planet."
"To cut the use of CFCs in all future projects for the firm"
"To recycle as often as I can... no more Ms. Lazy!"
"To plant a tree for every one I have to clear"
"I promise to be a good kid and recycle all my good thoughts"
"To love and care for all living creatures on the earth and to remember
that Earth Day is every day, and the environment is in our hands."
"To not smoke"
To not buy things I don't need."
"Walk when I can; plant trees; love mother earth."
My heart, my soul, my mind, my efforts, dedication, my integrity, and to
take no prisoners!"
"Not to litter on community parks. Also not to put chewed gum under tables."
"To be nice to nature"
"To keep the future in mind."
"To be more conscious of the effect my power as a consumer has on the
planet."
"That I'll be grateful to God for this planet he has given us."
"To have we older people love our earth and leave it better for our young
people."
"To be good to my mother."
"To expand the prosperity of both the environment and the economy of the
entire bioregion, nation and world."
"To make every race, every age, every person possible aware of how they can
make a difference."
"Teach my children to take care of the Earth."
"Make love, not war and recycle."
"To improve myself."
"Tune-up my car often."
"To stop killing and to dedicate my first art work to the world and its
people."
"To not throw my cigarettes out of my window."
"To recycle my Grandmother's wine jugs."
"I am going to stop new kids from coming into the world until all the
homeless kids have homes."
"To work on a daily basis to change my environment, so my child will have a
better place to live in when I become part of mother earth."

and from one elementary school student:
"To improve the future of my environment, I promise ... to do everything I
can."

In nature, each and every leaf on a tree does its part. Each of the leaves
of a tree gathers energy which nourishes the limbs and roots of the tree.
In the same way, each person can be like a leaf for their environment. For
Earth Day we are asking that each and person do their part as a leaf on a
"Humanitree".  These are real promises, from real people. Each and every
one of these statements reflects a hope and commitment toward future
action. If only a small percentage of people follow through on even just
parts of what they aspire to, the world will be transformed - every Earth
Day at a time.

        This information has been provided courtesy of the Earth Day
Network. To receive a Humanitree leaf template, suitable for copying and
using in your area, send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to: Earth Day
Network, Humanitree, P.O. Box 9827, San Diego CA 92169 - or make up your
own. To receive additional instructions for the Humanitree project via
online, send a request to: [e-mail]. ###


Carolyn Chase, Earth Day Network,San Diego
"Say it, mean it, do it"
[phone] voice
[phone] FAX




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