CIR GEARING UP FOR BUSY EARTH DAY EVENTS

Join CIR and hundreds of other environmentally friendly organizations at any of the multiple Earth Day celebrations happening in April (and beyond) in Santa Barbara, Ventura and Los Angeles counties.   The Earth Day celebrations are CIR’s best opportunity to reach out to members of the public who want to become involved with environmental conservation.  In fact, many of our volunteers first heard about CIR at an Earth Day event.

CIR Booth at the Santa Barbara Earth Day Festival, 2013

Earth Day began when Wisconsin Senator Gaylord Nelson witnessed the ravages of the 1969 oil spill in Santa Barbara.  The first event took place in 1970 when 20 million Americans all over the country demonstrated for the environment.  It has since become a global event, held on weekends and centering on April 22^nd, the anniversary of the first Earth Day.

CIR has participated at the Santa Barbara Earth Day event since 2007, and our booth has evolved from a couple of simple displays into a showcase of habitat restoration work on the Channel Islands and mainland.  We prominently display maps and photos of the Channel Islands, and talk to many hundreds of visitors throughout the two-day event.  CIR Board member Cindy Kimmick provides a fascinating display of vertebrates for young people and adults alike, and many people learn about the Channel Islands for the first time at these events.

The Santa Barbara event features two full days of live music, speakers, family activities and interesting exhibitors, including many environmental non-profits.  CIR has become a contributing “sponsor” of this very worthy event.

Since these events keep us very busy, we increasing rely on volunteer “ambassadors” to help us staff the booths.  We pair less experienced volunteers with experienced ones or CIR Board members, so no one will feel overwhelmed.   Being a CIR ambassador at Earth Day is a lot of fun, and it’s a great opportunity to share your experiences of the islands and environmental volunteerism with the public.  We even provide soft drinks and snacks to those who help out.

Become a CIR Earth Day Ambassador! Volunteer at these events:

April 5: Thousand Oaks/Oxnard
April 19: Ojai
April 26: Ventura
April 26 – 27: Santa Barbara and Los Angeles Zoo
May 18: WorldFest (Lake Balboa, Los Angeles)