On April 22, 1970, about 20 million Americans took to the streets to demand a healthy sustainable environment during the first-ever Earth Day celebration. It was the start of the modern environmental movement. A climate of consciousness arose from the height of counterculture. War raged in Vietnam and a massive oil spill ravaged the coast of Santa Barbara, California. Students protested on campuses for peace as the sounds of Jimi Hendrix’s guitar electrified the atmosphere before he passed into the otherworld.
The first Earth Day led to the creation of the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) and the Clean Air, Clean Water and Endangered Species Act, bringing politicians together and giving people much hope. But since then, a lot has changed in the world. College campuses are no longer the sites of massive protests, and music has lost the authentic brilliance of instrumental color for the sake of televised falsity, fortune, and flair.
Politicians are now divided on the issue of climate change. Some go as far as to deny that it exists, fueled by the oil of greed spilling through the machinery of corporate interests. These governmental agencies and acts have done little to stop environmental degradation. Today, almost forty years later with more than twice the population on earth, climate change is considered a crisis. So this Earth Day, we need to celebrate our environment in a way that offers solutions. It’s on us.
One local non-profit organization is celebrating this special day for Mother Nature the right way. Heal the Planet (HTP), founded by philanthropist Ken Fisher, is hosting the 3rd annual Heal the Planet Day, an event that offers solutions for healing our earth with fun, interactive, and experimental activities for all ages. The Ft. Lauderdale-based organization ” aims to empower people to take ownership of the world around them and develop habits to ensure two interrelated goals: their own personal health and the planet’s wellbeing.”
One of the major human habits affecting our planet is our eating habits. Animal agriculture is the leading cause of climate change yet few other environmental groups are addressing this issue. In fact, many climate change alliance organizations in South Florida serve animal products at their events, completely oblivious to the fact that they are supporting the very thing that they claim to wish to cease. They need to learn from Heal the Planet because they are truly nurturing Mother Earth and putting their mission where their mouth is, teaching others how to lead healthier lives.
HTP was recently awarded the Holman Enterprises Community Grant to expand their SEED Program to five middle schools and 1,400 students across Broward County. The SEED Program is a five-week long course currently implemented in elementary schools, which covers a variety of life skills not traditionally taught in the classroom. They include self-identity, the power of healthy choices, acceptance, and global citizenry. These are all intertwined with “the environmental empowerment that engages students’ connection to nature, an important component in helping children manage stress.”
Heal the Planet Day will take place at Esplanade Park in Fort Lauderdale from 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
Check out a description of the activities and scheduled events:
- Farmer and Chef Vegan Cooking Competition
This multifaceted competition showcases the best of the local and seasonal produce grown by local farms alongside the food preparation skills of some of South Florida’s best up-and-coming chefs. - “Grow Your Own Food” How-to Zone
A variety of backyard and urban growing techniques are showcased by local experts to provide attendees with practical knowledge on how to grow their own food and reduce their carbon footprint while saving money and increasing nutrition. - SoFlo Vegans Speakers’ Corner
Planet healing talks offered by local environmental and wellness experts on topics such as clean energy, choosing vegan for health and the environment, water matters, and health and wellness. - Kids Zone
Free activities including sustainable arts & crafts, storytelling, educational activities, face painting, games, and more. - yello! Movement Zone
Offering mini classes, yoga, Pilates, dance, and more. - Live Music
Featuring the Drum Café, and SOSOS! - Conscious Vendor Village
- Healthy Sustainable Food
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
MAIN STAGE:
11:00am – Opening Address by Rachel Shapiro of Heal the Planet
12:00pm – Drum Cafe Interactive Drum Circle
1:00pm – Ken Fisher – Founder of Heal the Planet Together, Inc.
2:45pm – Yello Elite Dance Performance
4:00pm – Live Music w/ SOSOS
“The Farmer and the Chef” Vegan Cooking Competition. This vegan chef competition brings together the best of local chefs & pairs them with local farms to highlight seasonal and local produce.
12pm-2pm
Grow Your Own Zone
11:30 – 11:50am Permaculture Gardens – Creating True Ecosystems that Revitalize the Earth & Keep Plants Healthy (Tree Amigos)
12:30 – 12:50pm Grow Bag Gardens, Simple & Effective (Jaime Castoro – The Patch)
1:30 – 1:50pm Aeroponics, The Future of Growing (Sandy Stetter – ProduceOnYourPatio.com)
2:30 – 2:50pm Aquaponics with a Purpose (John Mears – Together We Stand)
3:30 – 3:50pm Food, Community & Sustainability (Cynthia Schaefer – GrowSocial.org)
Hear presentations on important conscious living & environmental issues in the So Flo Vegan’s Speaker’s Corner.
11:20am – Paola Espitia – How Water Makes Us Better
11:50am – Marc Evitt – Herbs Healing of the Nation
12:20pm – Delilah & Amy Ellowitz and Book Reading
12:50pm – Emilia Lujan – Compassion: The Secret Weapon for Healing the World
1:20pm – Chad Rogers from Windmar Solar Energy
2:50pm – Susan Hargreaves- Eating as if the Earth and Animals Matter
3:20pm – Pamm Larry: Be a Local Food Evolutionary- Victory Gardens 2.0!
Kids Zone
Tons of free activities such as sustainable arts & crafts, face painting, games, and much more!
ALL DAY CRAFT STATIONS:
MOOP ( Matter Out of Place) with SusieQ – Upcycling and reusing trash to make works of art.
Make a Bird Feeder
Web of Wonder – What small change will you make that will have a large impact in healing the planet?
Seed Bomb Creation
*** while supplies last
ALL DAY PLAY STATIONS
Hoola Hoops, Bubbles, Beachballs and More!
CLASSES & WORKSHOPS:
11:30am -1:30pm – Rolling Mural Creation w/ Riko
1:15- 2:00pm – Sound Bowl in Motion w/ Robert John Malone
2:00 – 2:30pm – Peace Play Demo
2:30 -3:30pm – Probiotic Soda Demo w/ Angie Rainbow
3:30_4:00pm – Music Therapy Session w/ Ditmara Tamayo
Movement Zone sponsored by
Yello Creative Arts & Event Center – offering mini classes in yoga, pilates, dance, etc.
11:00am Belly Dance w/ Bettina from Yello
11:30am Budokon Yoga w/ David Chambers
12:00pm Zumba w/ Chris Decker
12:30pm Acro Yoga w/ Hayler Stricker & Kim Colletti
1:00pm Hip Hop w/ Eliana from Yello
1:30pm Earth Magic Yoga w/ Suki
2:00pm Kids Yoga – Julie Haplern
3:00pm – Gentle Yoga w/ Suki
3:45pm – Sound Healing w/ Daphne Sullivan
Conscious Vendor Village featuring many local crafts, sustainable products, and vegetarian and vegan food and beverages.
Organic India
Yello Arts Center
Legacy Bank
Lucky’s Market
Natural Awakenings
93.9 MIA
SoFlo Vegans
Edible South Florida
Green Bar & Kitchen
Vegan Fine Foods
Whole Foods Market
22 Days Nutrition
Alliance for Fair Food
Allini Water Filters of Florida
Alpine Fruit Ice & Food Services,Inc
Bath Fitter
Black Orchid Soaps
Broward County Sea Turtle Conservation Program
City of Fort Lauderdale
Conscious Bottle
Coral Wealth Management
Create Your Magic
Crystal Vision
Dania Beach PATCH
Dynamic Chiropractic
EcoCork
Elefante
Feral Youth
G.man production “art for your heart”
Girl Scouts of Southeast Floridaa
GMO Free Florida
GMO Free USA/Good Food Brigade
Green Thumbs for Healthy Bodies
Health-Ade Kombucha
Heavenly Bracelet Shop
Hemp Talks
HIGHER HEIGHTS GROUP (SUPERFOODS)
Kids Ecology Corps
Kiss My Lips by Jodi
Kona Ice Of Hollywood Beach
Live Ultimate
Mariposas Holistic Healing
New York Life
Ohm Woke
Pacari Chocolate
Play in Peace
Powur Solar
Reina Vegana
Roots Botanical
Rootz of Music, Inc.
Synergistic Offerings
THAT VEGAN FOOD TRUCK
The Wellness Center At Post Haste Pharmacy
The Wooden Toothbrush Shop
Together We Stand
Tower Garden
Tree Amigos Growers
Treevibez
Tribal Bowlz
Vegan Fine Foods
Windmar Home
Miami Chronicles 