Earth Day Event Set in Back Bay

Upper Newport Bay, one of Southern California’s last estuaries, will serve as backdrop and centerpiece for Earth Day 2000 festivities today, beginning with a three-mile nature walk and the “Bike the Back Bay to Adopt Your Waterway” ride.

This year’s Earth Day theme is “Think Clean; Live Green--learn how you can make a difference.” The Upper Newport Bay Naturalists have selected Dr. Jack Skinner and Nancy Skinner, co-founders of Stop Polluting Our Newport, as honorary chairpersons for this year’s nature celebration. The Skinners have worked for two decades on community water quality projects.

Registration for the biking and walking events, which cost $5 each, begins at 8 a.m., with the actual events kicking off at 8:30 a.m. Registration for the ride will be at three locations: near the YMCA in Newport Beach at Irvine Boulevard and University Drive; at Campus and University drives near UC Irvine; and at Civic Center Park next to Irvine City Hall, off Harvard Avenue between Alton and Barranca parkways.

Registration for the guided nature walk will be at 600 Shellmaker Island in Newport Beach.

“The whole purpose is to get people to bike and walk to Earth Day events,” said Stephanie Barger, executive director of the Earth Resource Foundation. Some participants will compete for prizes by collecting the most pledges.

Proceeds will go to clean up the Newport watershed and surrounding trails, pay for public awareness campaigns to reduce urban runoff pollution and a project to reintroduce sea horses to the bay.

The Earth Day celebration will continue with food, music, environmental booths, arts and crafts, and other entertainment from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 600 Shellmaker Island. That event is free, and parking will be available at the Newport Dunes corner lot.