The Huntsville Public Library together with the Town of Huntsville, EcoMuskoka, and Eat Local Muskoka is proud to unveil an entire week of activities for our annual Earth Week celebration, April 20-28.
Earth Day has taken place on April 22nd every year since 1970 and has become one of the most celebrated environmental events worldwide. This week long celebration is an annual community event that the Town has organized along with our community partners. Many of the events are free and are suitable for the whole family. Celebrations include:
- Storytime and up-cycled crafts at the Huntsville Public Library
- Launch of the Urban Streetscape Tree Planting Program
- Annual Compost Giveaway at Madill Yard
- Native Plant Sale by Muskoka Conservancy
- Species at Risk Hike by Muskoka Watershed Council
- Port Sydney Tree Recognition
Signature Event – Saturday April 28 at Huntsville Public Library
Join us at the Huntsville Public Library on Saturday April 28 between noon and 3 p.m. for our second annual Seedy Saturday event in partnership with Eat Local Muskoka. Seedy Saturday is an event that happens all across the globe. Connect with us at the community seed swap, check out local seed and produce vendors, ask questions of the Horticulture Society and get all your gardening gear for the spring. We will have free samples, seeds to giveaway and seedlings for sale.
New This Year – Launch of Films That Make You Think! Series
Earth Week will kick off our monthly Films that Make You Think! Series. The first film in the series Death by Design uncovers the story of damaged lives and environmental destruction of everyday devices that are designed to die. The film explores the tipping point between consumerism and sustainability. Join us for the first of our monthly film series—it’s sure to make you think!
Find the full schedule at huntsville.ca or huntsvillelibrary.ca.
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I’m very grateful for the fine Earth Week initiatives set up by the Town, HPL, Mike Peppard, Transition Huntsville, and all the fine environmentally conscious folks involved in its programmes (particularly appreciative as I was Earth Day coordinator for a number of years). Upon examination of the Town website record of its implementation of the Unity Plan, it must be said that little has been done since the very frustrated departure of the Sustainability Coordinator — the position has been unfilled since, but was mandated by that green plan — and since that of the very green director of planning of its time. It must also be said that the Unity Plan was created by dozens of dedicated citizens over hundreds of volunteer hours as the overarching control for the Official Plan, so that all decisions be subject to scrutiny under its provisions, its long-term vision for health of our community. The extensive Unity Plan is now mentioned, and its directives implemented so infrequently that one wonders why the Mayor and other green Councilors of that time and now have all but abandoned it. Without a permanent Sustainability Coordinator to assist in thinking through and breaking antediluvian paradigms in local governance, Earth Week will offer, as it always has , small, hopeful annual bandages on ongoing, gushing environmental wounds. We will recall that the original and only truly caring and effective 5 Rs are, in order of urgency, Rethink, Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.