Earth Day: Sonoma innovators provide entertainment and earth education to keep families committed

Earth Day 2010 celebrates its 40th anniversary this year. Local innovators and artists ensure your family will find many opportunities to honor the occasion through entertainment and earth education. Renew your commitment to protecting our planet through an inspiring music and spoken word collection by famed artists, an eco-puppet theater, and local events or festivals designed to engage your family.


My Changing Planet – Music and Spoken Word CD and Interactive Website

Is that Joan Osborne I hear? What’s this story about a boy who upcycles or recycles his family’s trash so he never has to spend his allowance? Am I dancing to a song about watching what gets thrown in the garbage? Yes! It’s all a part of the fun of “My Changing Planet!”

“Through music, stories and the Web, My Changing Planet teaches, guides, inspires and empowers kids to make important changes in their homes and in their communities, and to join with kids from all over the world in taking an active role in protecting their future.” (via www.mychangingplanet.com )

This wonderful collection will have the whole family singing along or smiling. “My Changing Planet” combines the passion of four creative mothers, popular singer song writers, and earth education delivered in a highly appealing and entertaining format.

Co-creator and Santa Rosa native Heather Staples shares “My Changing Planet” changed her family. Her six year old daughter became so inspired to keep things out of the garbage, she is now making slippers out of Lego boxes. “We’re raising the next Jeremiah Tin Can!” laughs Heather.


Enter to win your free copy of this CD by leaving a comment today! One comment author’s name will be randomly selected on April 17, 2010.


Purchase your CD at your local Whole Foods Market beginning April 13, 2010 or download your songs here. You’ll find this album to be your family’s favorite sound track, and feel great knowing your 100% of the net profits from your purchase benefits the Nature Conservancy.



Eco Beeps

Local dad and do-it-yourselfer Charles Parker had a vision of creating an eco education tool using sets and puppets crafted from recycled materials. Starting with learning to create puppets and sets, and later launching in to hiring professional puppeteers from Sonoma’s Images in Motion (with staff who worked on Jim Henson’s Fraggle Rock and puppets in Being John Malkovich), Charles Parker can now boast “he did it!”

“Skip” and “Molly”, star Eco Beeps, are now delivering an earth- centered education to young audiences worldwide through video episodes and live performances.

See the Eco Beeps puppet show live at the Petaluma Whole Foods Market Saturday April 17, 12:00 and 12:45 on the stage (two shows). Whole Foods invites you to stick around for tasty treats after the show. Can’t make this event? Join in the Eco Beeps’ “Happy Birthday, Happy Earth Day” at the Novato Whole Foods Store on April 22 at the show at 4:00 pm on the Mezzanine. (The Petaluma show will also be recorded and uploaded to YouTube.)

These lovable puppets carry important messages such as choosing, growing, harvesting and preparing healthy food. Catch a live healthy food puppet show at an upcoming Sonoma County Farmer’s market soon!

Follow the Eco Beeps at: http://www.magicdrawerworkshop.blogspot.com/


Local Earth Day Events (List compiled by the good folks at GoLocal)



April 17, 11-5, Healdsburg Plaza
Earth Day Festival


Drop by the GoLocal table, and listen to guest speakers - Richard Heinberg, Alicia Sanchez, Mike McGuire and the investigators of Project Censored. Music - Cake Walk - Freebies - Art Show - Silent Auction - Environmental/Progressive Booths - Kids Activities - Food

April 18, all day, Sebastopol Community Center
Earth Day Celebration


Table space available for individuals and organization whose product or services contribute towards sustainable living. For more info contact Jeffrey Edelheit at jeffreyiam@aol.com.


April 24, 12-4:30, Finley Center, Santa Rosa
Sustainable Food & Gardening Festival


This event is a FIRST. It is about anything and everything you may need to grow your own food, buy it from a local farmer or have local food served to you.



April 25, 1-4pm, Roseland Elementary, Santa Rosa
Earth Day in Roseland - 2nd Annual "Dia de La Tierra-Earth Day"


This Earth Day celebration will focus on the connectivity between climate change, carbon footprint, community health-equity, and living sustainably among the multi-ethnic communities of Sonoma County.



April 25, 4 - 9 pm, New College Building, Santa Rosa
Films and After Party Fest


4pm-9pm Sustainable Food Short Film Finale

A showcase of short films, some locally-produced, focusing on sustainability, ethics, and community in relation to how we produce our food. Followed by Sonoma County business and community cooperative GoLocal’s announcement of a new local food campaign. Screening at 99 Sixth Street in downtown Santa Rosa.

7:00 After Party - Sustainable Food & Gardening Festival


GoLocal will be hosting the after-party for the fest.


** Note: My Changing Planet CD cover Illustration by Molly Idle