Earth Day 2012 – Mobilize the Earth is coming up on April 22nd. There will be big events and organized activities all over the world to observe the day. In the United States, the main event will be at the National Mall in Washington D.C. with concerts, high-profile speakers, exhibits, and educational workshops aimed at mobilizing all of us to do our part for the environmental movement. Check out the Earth Day website to find out more about the rally in Washington D.C. and where things are going green for Earth Day in other areas of the country and globally.
Going Green for Earth Day
For this week’s Travel Photo Thursday, this selection of photos is all about being “green” for Earth Day — in one way or another.
Green Energy
Windmills in Mojave Desert
On my desert road trip in October, I passed through the Tehachapi Pass Wind Farms in the Mojave Desert where clean, renewable energy is being produced.
From the Earth
Ferry Building Farmer’s Market, San Francisco
It’s encouraging to find more and more farmer’s markets in cities across the country selling local organic produce. This photo was taken at the very popular Ferry Building Farmer’s Market in San Francisco. In Houston, I was very impressed with the work that an organization called Urban Harvest is doing to support farms and urban gardens. They organize various farmers markets throughout the city, including the City Hall Farmer’s Market that I visited.
What on Earth?
Houston, Texas
While walking in downtown Houston recently, I snapped this photo in front of an office building. I didn’t see any kind of plaque describing what it was about, but it seems to scream “green!” to me. I’d like to know more about it, but I can’t find any information. People in Houston, can you help me to identify this?
Let There Be Energy Efficient Light!
Trafalgar Square, London
The traditional Norwegian Pine at Trafalgar Square in London each holiday season is entirely lit with energy-efficient bulbs.
The Ultimate Eco-friendly Train
Bellagio Hotel Conservatory, Las Vegas
It’s nice to know that even Las Vegas can be eco-friendly. This train in the Bellagio Hotel’s Conservatory is certainly do its part to control CO2 emissions. Seriously, it seems that there are an increasing number of existing hotels and new developments that are adopting eco-friendly practices, such as Vdara where I stayed on my last trip to Sin City.
Save Water, Drink Wine
McGrail Vineyards in Livermore, California
I won’t argue with that. At McGrail Vineyards in Livermore, California, tasting room associate Kristen has that environmental message on her t-shirt. Like a growing number of vineyards in California, McGrail Vineyards focuses on sustainability in their wine production.
Simply Green
Aloe and Clover
Isn’t that what happens when you leave your boots out too long in those hot humid Houston summers?
That explains it! 🙂
Great article!
Thank you! Always appreciate your stopping by.
Can’t argue with wind power. And you can’t argue with the woman at the winery, either. 🙂
That’s right, Bob! 🙂
Nice collection of ‘green’ photos. Seattle should do some rain boots with green moss growing on them.
Maybe someone will pick up on your idea!
Nice giant green boots there.
They really grabbed my attention. I hope I can find something out about them.
A nice selection of photos Cathy – and I love those Texan boots.
Unfortunately ( and I hate being negative) there are a few downsides to wind power; for example on Wolfe Island in Ontario where they have a lot of windmills the birds and bats are being killed in huge numbers. And backup power also has to be in place because of the unpredictability of wind power. Great in theory but they still have a long way to go.
Maybe we can all get out walking and on bikes instead of using cars on earth day.
Biking and walking are great ideas for Earth Day and everyday, Leigh! You’ve made some good points about the windmills. We really do have so much further to go.
Loved your “green” photos! The wind turbines in So Cal are amazing. Only in Texas will you find boots that big 🙂
Debbie, you’ve probably seen the windmills at Altamont Pass, too. The first time I ever saw them years ago, it seemed surreal.
Great “green” post. I’m all for being green, especially if it involves drinking wine 🙂 Seriously though, I am trying to do my part…and on Saturday my daughter and I are participating in the Great Cloth Diaper change in honor of Earth Day!
Bravo! I haven’t heard of the Great Cloth Diaper Change — will have to check that out. Have fun!
The green boots are so fun! I wonder if they’re always like that or if it was a special occasion. The last pic represents spring time for me. Beautiful!
Thanks, Sabrina. I’m going to have to go back to Houston and get the scoop on those boots. I’ve tried all kinds of searches on Google, but not coming up with anything.
Great pictures, Cathy. I want to join the drink wine/save water campaign. Love the Texan boots.
That seems like a campaign that many of us embrace. Thanks, Nancie.
Great “green” photos – I particularly like the cowboy boots – they look like some sort of strange Christmas tree!!
I hadn’t thought of that before, but now that you mention it ….. 🙂
Pingback: Cypress Gardens Nostalgia in photos Winter Haven Florida
Let us fully endorse the taking of wine. Cheers!
Happy Earth Day — Cheers!
Awesome post, Cathy and so fitting for Earth Day. Love the Bellagio one and the Houston boots. I’m curious about why it’s there. I still want a “Save Water, Drink Wine” T-shirt on my next trip to wine country. Such a great gift for wine lovers. =)
Thanks, Mary. I’m still putting the word out there to find out about those boots — It’s a mystery.
I second that, Cathy – Save water, drink wine. Seriously though, this is critical. We do need to do more. Thanks for the reminder. Happy Earth Day!
Happy Earth Day, Marcia! Yes, we can all do something — doesn’t even have to be something big.
Wind farms have come into prominence in California, both where you saw them and farther north, east of San Francisco Bay.
I was at Bellagio in Las Vegas in February of this year. The choo-choo wasn’t there, and the floral theme was the Chinese New Year.
Curiously enough, although the very first California wine I drank (Wente Pinot Chardonnay) came from the Livermore Valley, and although I’ve visited wineries in many parts of California, and live about an hour from Livermore, and have written a review of a wine guide to that area, I don’t think I’ve ever actually visited a Livermore Valley winery.
However, I do agree with the “Drink More Wine, Less Water” philosophy. When we had a big drought in Northern California in 1975-75, the admonition (about when to flush one’s toilet) was “Pee-No” (as in Pinot Noir, Pinot Chardonnary).
Yes, I’ve seen those wind farms at Altamont Pass — it’s almost surreal driving through there. The train was in the conservatory at the Bellagio in August of 2008. On my last trip in June 2011 there was a marshmallow train! Love the “Pee-No” information — thanks!
Love this post as someone who tries to be an environmentalist and the “What on earth?” cracked me up.
Thanks, Laurel — 🙂
What a wonderful green post! I’m going to go off on a slight tangent from your Bellagio photo — I am just so proud of all that Vegas has done. Six years ago, when I moved here the first time, no one recycled, and there were no LEED-certified buildings. Now, the casinos recycle, my neighborhood recycles, there is a huge program on the Strip (it’s nationwide but newly-implemented on-Strip and a huge deal) that recycles partially-used hotel soaps and such and donates barely opened ones. It’s amazing!
Abby, thanks for sharing this information. Hooray for Las Vegas getting with the recycling program! I really like how the soaps are being recycled, too. Great idea.
I was thinking about an Earth Day post as well. I really enjoyed your photos. I agree about the farmers’ markets—it is so great to see more and more of them.
Thanks, Jenna. Yeah, we’ve got some wonderful farmer’s markets available to us in California, but what’s really cool is that they’re showing up in places you might not expect them!
Yes, let’s hope they become the norm in all communities.
Green cowboy boots! It’s cool to see all those windmills, too. I’ve never seen so many in one place.
Did I just read the words “eco friendly” and “Las Vegas” in the same sentence?!
That’s a vast city built in the middle of a desert that burns fuel 24/7 like it’s going out of fashion.
And it’s okay now because a few hotels are getting into recycling (which is really just a way of them saving money)..?
Gee, Mark. I didn’t realize you were so anti-Vegas since you seem to have several articles promoting the city on your website. You even said this, “We love Vegas for its brashness, its energy and – yes – the sheer gobsmacking scale of the place.” Nobody here is saying that Las Vegas doesn’t has massive energy consumption — we’re just pointing out that it’s encouraging to see any positive movement (and if it saves them money, too — who cares?).
Hi Cathy
Thanks for your reply and for taking the time to read my site. Yes, as you say, I like Vegas, but I just feel it shouldn’t be held up as a beacon of excellence vis a vis eco-friendliness. There are many better examples around the world.
Mark
Mark, thanks for coming back again to comment. This post was not a list of the beacons of excellence in eco-friendliness. It is a recognition of Earth Day with a light-hearted approach (such as the train made out of flowers). I’m sorry that you didn’t appreciate that, but I guess we can never please everyone. Hope to see you again.
Excellent article here Cathy! I live in Houston & this is the first time I have heard of “green cowboy boots” in Downtown Houston. If I get some time this week, I’ll try to track it down, see it for myself and gets some info for you & your readers here.
That would be awesome, Eddie! I’m pretty sure that the boots were somewhere north of Dallas St., south of Texas St., and west of Main St. Hope we’ll be hearing back from you!
The picture of the green, large boots is awesome. We spend our Earth Day outside and had picnic with the entire family. 🙂 Yeah! Save water, drink wine!!!!!! :))
Family picnic on Earth Day = good times!
That top shot reminds me of my own neighborhood. And I’m ready to get behind the Drink Wine, Not Water message!
I think the general consensus is that Save Water, Drink Wine is a fine message. 🙂
The train’s my fave 🙂
I thought it was pretty cool. The Bellagio always has great landscaping and interesting themes in the conservatory.
I agree that it’s nice to see more and more companies making a conscious effort to be more green. I like the idea for this week’s photo post too!
Thanks, Christy. There’s a long way to go, but things are changing for the better in most cases, I think.
Earth Day was celebrated here in Santiago, too, with lots of park clean ups and tree planting, amongst other things. A great series of eco friendly images here, Cathy! You’ve reminded me how much I enjoyed the Ferry Building and the Farmers’ Market in San Francisco. The Houston photo is most intriguing!!!
It’s nice to think that all over the world, clean-up projects and other Earth Day events were taking place. We’re all in this together! I hope someone can come up with an answer about those giant green boots.