STORY AND PHOTO BY KAREN BOSSICK
A scavenger hunt and silent hike, bike rodeo and music in the park will be among the Earth Day activities offered this coming week.
Activities will be held on Thursday, April 22, which is National Earth Day, and Saturday, April 24. In addition, The Gold Mine in Ketchum and The Attic in Hailey are offering coupons good for between 10 percent and 30 percent off to all who drop off donations Thursday through Saturday.
The activities were pulled together by the Climate Action Coalition (CAC) and emphasize lowering your carbon footprint. With the theme of “Bike the Valley, Earth Day Fest!” residents are encouraged to hop on their bikes, walk or take an e-Bus to the activities on Saturday.
Earth Day will mark the rollout of the CAC’s “Idaho Earth Guide,” an online guide and directory with information on best practices, local businesses providing green and sustainable products and services.
“The Climate Action Coalition has held a vision for an inclusive, valley-wide Earth Day celebration since the inception of the original Hailey CAC in 2018,” said Elizabeth Jeffrey, this year’s lead Earth Day organizer. “Coming together to celebrate the natural world that we all enjoy and value is key to our coming together to protect and support this precious resource. Everyone can do something and this Earth Day Fest will provide a chance to celebrate the Earth while providing some inspiration and ideas for protecting it.”
Here are the activities:
THURSDAY:
- The Wood River Seed Library and Material Thrift store will partner on a compost making workshop at noon at the Building Material Thrift Store, 213 N. Main St. in Bellevue.
- The Hailey Public Library is inviting patrons to stop by and help beautify the library’s outdoor space all day long.
- The Hailey Public Library will host a Zoom lecture titled “Creating a Trout Friendly Yard” at 5:30 p.m. RSVP to Kristin.Fletcher@haileypubliclibrary.org
SATURDAY:
- There will be a Safe Routes Bike Ride to Hailey beginning with a 9 a.m. helmet fitting at Bellevue Elementary. The ride will start at 9:30 a.m.
- Mountain Rides will offer an electric bus tour from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. on Bellevue’s Main Street.
- Flourish Foundation will hold a Scavenger Hunt and Silent Hike from 10 to 11 a.m. at Lion’s Park Pavilion in Hailey.
- There’ll be music, games, fun, food, a clean sweep and climate art from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Balmoral Kiwanis Park in Hailey. The fun and games are hosted by ProjecT.O.O.L.S, Crisis Hotline, Kiwanis Club, I Have a Dream Foundation, the Sun Valley Community School and Idaho Base Camp.
- A Bike Rodeo and Helmet Fitting will be held from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. at the Blaine County Courthouse parking lot in Hailey.
- Mountain Rides will offer an Electric Bus Tour from 11:15 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in Hailey.
- Bellevue Library will host a Recycled Crafts and Earth Day Storytime from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
- Blaine County and the Environmental Resource Center will offer a presentation on Recycling and Noxious Weeds from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
- The Grange, 609 S. 3rd St., will host a Seed and Plant Exchange from noon to 2 p.m.
- Hope Garden next to the Courthouse will offer a Blaine County Soil District Tree Sale from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
- The JJ Tracy Building, the site of the former Barkin’ Basement thrift store on Hailey’s Main Street, will show off its one Planet Mural designed and painted by the Wood River High School W.A.T.E.R. Club throughout the day.
- Mountain Rides will offer an Electric Bus Tour from 10 to 11 a.m. at the Ketchum Town Square.
- Idaho Conservation League will offer a presentation Take Action for Idaho’s Future from 10 a.m. to noon at the Town Square.
- Backwoods Mountain Sports will offer free Bike Tire Checks plus a chance to win a free Bike Tune from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The Climate Action Coalition was organized a couple years ago to promote community-wide action on climate change. Want more information? Visit the Climate Action Coalition’s website at www.haileycac.org or contact hcac2030@gmail.com.
PHOTO
Children can learn bike safety and skills during free Bike Rodeos this coming Saturday.