Back in 1969, an oil well called Platform A was being drilled by Union Oil six miles or so off the coast of Santa Babara, Calif. The well blew out, spilling more than 3 million gallons of oil, killing thousands of seabirds, dolphins, seals and sea lions in the process. This devastating event, plus an 800-square-foot oil slick form an airplane (in the Santa Barbara Channel), was the catalyst for activists to, well, take action movement in creating environmental regulation, spreading more comprehensive environmental education and eventually, the creation of Earth Day, a year later in 1970.
Now celebrated around the world, Earth Day (falling annually on April 22) brings a wide range of events to demonstrate support for environmental protection. Throughout the rest of this month plenty of East End organizations and locales will be doing a little extra to ensure (and educate on) our surrounding water and lands stay clean. Most of these events are free to participate in and require very little effort, but bring huge reward.
Remember what British explorer and environmentalist Robert Swan said: “The greatest threat to our planet is that someone else will save it.”
Happy early Earth Day, East Enders! Don’t forget to try to do your part all year long.
On the South Fork
Tomorrow, April 12, ReWild Long Island hosts a compost collaboration with the Town of East Hampton at the Montauk Community Garden (28 S. Edison St., Montauk) from 10 a.m. to noon. This is a great opportunity to responsibly drop off your food scraps or, if you’re trying to be a better human being, to volunteer at the drop-off table. For those not in the know, food waste accounts for a third of all the human-caused greenhouse gas emissions. The benefits of composting are endless as the act returns nutrients to the soil so farmers can grow healthier veggies, provides habitats for native pollinators, decreases the impacts of droughts and floods, and significantly reduces your carbon footprint. Next month, most farmers market across the Hamptons will act as hosts for the ReWild Compost Project. Click here for more information on where you can drop off food scraps.
On Monday, April 14, starting at 9 a.m., adults can craft a bird feeder out of milk cartons at East Hampton Library (159 Main St., 631-324-0222). On Thursday, April 17, kids ages 7 to 10 are welcome to make a collage at the library using recycled materials. Set to last about an hour, the collage-making event starts at 3 p.m. Free to participate in and all materials will be provided.
Habitat specialists and educators from Back to the Bays, an initiative of Cornell Cooperative Extension’s marine program, host a hands-on stewardship session, “Earth Day SEAd Bombs,” where participants can make seed-packed soil balls you can grow in your back yard, on April 17. At the Tiana Bayside Facility, located at 89 Dune Road in Hampton Bays, all are welcome to participate and it’s free, just be prepared to get a little dirty so don’t wear clothes you care about! Register here.
Rogers Memorial Library in Southampton (91 Coopers Farm Road, 631-283-0774) hosts a cleanup near Agawam Park on Earth Day proper starting at 10 a.m. Set to continue until noon, folks of all ages are welcome to join in to help keep plastic and other harmful materials from polluting the water and the surrounding community. Meet up at the monument at Agawam Park (51 Pond Lane), just down the street from the library. Weather permitting and gloves and other cleanup materials will be provided.
Volunteer to help remove litter and pesky plastic pollution from Foster Memorial Beach, aka Long Beach, in Sag Harbor (1000 Noyack-Long Beach Road) with the South Fork Natural History Museum and Nature Center on Tuesday, April 22, from 3 to 5 p.m. Set to be an educational endeavor, with the hope of raising awareness about the dangers of plastic to our environment, the cleanup is co-sponsored by Surfrider Foundation Eastern Long Island, Relic, and the office of Suffolk County legislator Ann Welker. Free and for all ages. Advanced reservations are required, so sign up here. Call 631-573-9735 with questions.
Quogue Wildlife Refuge (3 Old Country Road, Quogue, 631-653-4771) hosts an Earth Day Celebration for all ages on Saturday, April 26, beginning at noon. Co-hosted by Peconic Baykeeper and Eastern Long Island Audubon Society, the day will include guided bird walks, live animal presentations, self-guided kayaking and canoeing, crafts and environmental exhibitors. This is also a great opportunity to responsibly dispose of your expired prescription meds as well as a great chance to recycle/reuse old clothing, shoes, accessories and textiles. Event will happen rain or shine.
On the North Fork
A beach cleanup hosted by the North Fork Audubon Society is on Saturday, April 19, at Inlet Pond County Park (65275 County Route 48) in Greenport. NFAS Board members Theresa Dilworth and Carol Edwards will be leading the charge, which includes a walk through the trails at the county park prior to the beach cleanup. Runs from 10 a.m. to noon. Registration is required. Do it here. For over 50 years now, NFAS has operated an almost entirely volunteer-based organization with a sole mission of connecting people with nature. Working in a partnership with the Suffolk County Parks system, NFAS are stewards of the Roy Lathan Nature Center — the society’s headquarters — and host trail hikes, bird safety initiatives, and overall sustainable horticultural educational programs.
Slow Food East End holds its 4th Annual Earth Day Celebration on Saturday, April 19, from 1 to 4 p.m. at Golden Acres Organic Farm (652 Peconic Bay Boulevard, Jamesport). Free to attend, there’ll be over 30 vendors showcasing local East End bounty from both land and sea, as well as a slew of artisans, gardening experts and beekeepers. Sure to offer fun for all ages, there’ll also be eco egg hunts, crafts for kids, educational demonstrations and seed starting activities. Food will be provided by Lombardi’s Love Lane Market, with New York State wine samples provided from Cab Franc Forward. Music will be provided by local band Points East.
On Earth Day proper (April 22) Mark Haubner, president of North Fork Environmental Council, hosts an Earth Day-inspired discussion at Unitarian Universalists of Southold (51900 Main Road) at 6:15 p.m. Joined by a team of environmental experts, Haubner and panel participants will offer advice on how to transform personal backyard spaces into safe and thriving homes for birds and pollinators. Co-sponsored by the North Fork Action Center, a Southold-based organization that promotes, as its name suggests, civic engagement and evidence-based science.
Custer Institute and Observatory hosts a collaborative evening in honor of Earth Day and Dark Sky Week. (Photos by Jeremy Garretson)
Saturday, April 26, Custer Institute and Observatory (1115 Main Bayview Road, 631-765-2626) in Southold celebrates Earth Day in conjunction with International Dark Sky Week. Established in 1927 and Long Island’s oldest public observatory, Custer invites all to experience the dark skies of the North Fork, and maybe more important, learn what you can to help protect those night skies. Starting at 6 p.m., there’ll be guided walks through the Town of Southold’s ReWild native garden with tours of the observatory beginning at 7 p.m. An astronomy talk is on the south lawn, titled “Spring Galaxies Far, Far Away,” at 8 p.m. presented by lifetime Custer member Randall DiGiuseppe. Stargazing will then be from 8 p.m. until midnight, where participates can view the night sky through powerful telescopes guided by observatory staff, including inside Custer’s historic observation dome. Tables from the North Fork Audubon Society, North Fork Environmental Council, North Fork ReWild, the North Fork Dark Sky Coalition and other organizations will be present to offer information on what can be done to help protect the planet and the dark skies that surround it. Visitors may arrive any time between 6 p and 11:30 p.m. to participate. Registration for the astronomy talk is encouraged. There’s a suggested donation of $5 for adults, $3 for children under 16. Free for members. Rain date is May 3.
There’s a 5K race and walk on Sunday, April 27, at Indian Island Suffolk County Park, located at 105 Cross River Drive in Riverhead, to benefit the NFEC, a Mattituck-based nonprofit that helps protect and preserve the North Fork’s natural resources. Registration for the race begins at 9 a.m., with a 10 a.m. start time. Participants will receive a reusable tote bag and advance sign up is available here. Individual registration costs $33.63 for adults, $18.63 for people under 16, and a family of four costs $85.93. Race is rain or shine and proceeds will be used to fund this year’s NFEC scholarship fund and environmental educational programs.
