Earth Day Activities Set Across County

In keeping with Earth Day traditions of the past 27 years, communities across the county will sponsor a number of events to increase environmental awareness and build support for environmentally friendly programs.

At 2 p.m. Saturday, the city of Thousand Oaks will hold an Earth Awareness Day at the Whole Foods Market, 451 Avenida de Los Arboles. The event will feature a free environmental shopping tour, ecological information, a raffle for a new compost bin and a treasure hunt for children. For information, call 449-SAVE.

Beginning at 10 a.m. Saturday, Oxnard will play host to the fifth annual “Making a World of Difference” celebration at Oxnard College, 4000 S. Rose Ave.

Sponsored by the college and the city of Oxnard, the event will feature live music, food and environmentally themed exhibits on ways to conserve natural resources.

Additionally, there will be a performance by the Ballet Folklorico Mestizo, and Akoni the Storyteller will regale participants with African folk tales.

For information about Oxnard’s Earth Day festivities, call 986-5809 or 385-7928.

Meanwhile, Ventura will host the Eco-Art Walk from 6 to 10 p.m. Saturday along Main Street.

The self-led walk will take participants to nearly 50 downtown galleries, museums and studios where artists will be displaying and demonstrating their work.

In addition to exploring Ventura’s thriving art scene, celebrants will be able to learn more about natural conservancy and appreciate artworks created with environmentally conscious artists using recycled and other environment-friendly materials.

Ventura will also hold a beach cleanup beginning at 9 a.m. at Marina Park. Organizers recommend that participants wear gloves and sturdy shoes.

For information on the Eco-Art Walk, call 658-4760 or 658-4737 and for the beach cleanup, call 652-4555.

In addition to Saturday’s activities, the following communities have organized days for residents to dispose of dangerous household chemicals: Thousand Oaks on April 26, for information, call 449-SAVE; Fillmore on Saturday, call 524-3701; Oxnard on May 17, call 385-8084; Moorpark on May 17, call 529-6864; and in Simi Valley on June 7, call 583-6321.