Events Mark 25 Years of ‘Green’ Awareness : Conejo Creek Park in Thousand Oaks and Oxnard College will be alive with Earth Day celebrations.

At the same time a major event takes place in Washington on Saturday to mark the 25th anniversary of Earth Day, Ventura County will have its own celebrations, one on each side of the Conejo Grade.

Large crowds are expected at Conejo Creek Park in Thousand Oaks and at Oxnard College. The Oxnard event, which is in its third year, should draw 6,000, double from a year ago, coordinator Jessica Craven says.

Organizers of both events see greater interest this year from environmentally concerned folks who fear that 25 years of hard “green” work is in danger of being undone. They’re reading headlines saying that the Clean Air Act, Endangered Species Act, even the Clean Water Act and several basic California environmental protection acts, are being threatened with legislative extinction.

Winifred Meiser, Thousand Oaks coordinator, thinks the green community has been jarred out of complacency. “Maybe it’s good that we’re being yanked out by (recent) headlines,” she said.

“We’ve come a long way uphill in this struggle. . . . Why would we want somebody to yank us back down the hill?”

At the Thousand Oaks event, there will be a “Recycling Relay Race” sponsored by G. I. Rubbish and a ceremony recognizing the year-round efforts of clubs and businesses that have qualified for the city’s Wastewatch Award. (I remember when we used to have Civil Defense drills to be on the lookout for enemy bombers. Nowadays folks get points for spotting and buying recycled products. More efficient patriotism this time around, wouldn’t you say?)

Kids’ activities will include a parade, races and science exhibits. Booths devoted to what organizers call “easy lifestyle changes” will display tree-saving paper products, reusable cotton diapers, recycled plastic storage containers and solar water heating.

In Oxnard, McDonald’s will be there in the form of Ronald McDonald, who will be presenting a show titled “You and Me and Ecology” about recycling and reducing consumption. Junior Planet Protectors will get a badge and learn how family-school partnerships can help protect our environment.

To avoid egregious commercialism, Ronald won’t be handing out burgers, but almost all the ethnic foods the planet has to offer will be served up in the surrounding booths.

Attractions will include the high-energy Ballet Folklorico of Oxnard College, Aquoni the Storyman and the Herrera Family. The city of Ventura will have a booth dispensing advice on “environmental shopping,” complete with hall-of-shame examples of over-packaging.

Details

* WHAT: Earth Day 25.

* WHERE: Conejo Creek Park North, behind the Thousand Oaks Library, exit Moorpark Freeway at Janss Road, Thousand Oaks; Oxnard College, 4000 S. Rose Ave., Oxnard.

* WHEN: Thousand Oaks: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday; Oxnard: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday.

* HOW MUCH: Free.

* CALL: Thousand Oaks: 373-6200 or 496-8812; Oxnard: 358-8012 or 986-5809.