On Saturday April 22nd Earth Day was celebrated around the world. Here on the East End Mother Nature cooperated with a sunny day for local events. Dozens of volunteers picked up trash from local parks, trails and roadsides in the Great East End Cleanup, and a celebration at the Quogue Wildlife Refuge hosted by Peconic Land Trust, The Audubon Society and QWR drew crowds to enjoy canoeing and kayaking on Old Ice Pond, interacting with community groups and environmental organizations, crafts for kids, and food from the Mattitaco food truck.
A celebration put on by Slow Food East End on the grounds of St. Joseph’s Villa in Hampton Bays featured a variety of vendors and organizations including the Cornell Cooperative Extension Wild Capture Fisheries Department, the East End Food Institute, Shinnecock Kelp Farmers (kelp helps to clean local waters), a vendor of organically grown cut flowers, Upsculpt (an artist creating art from recycled materials), Balo Foods North Fork Food Truck and lots more. The Good Ground Heritage Garden was open, too.
Farther east, the South Fork Natural History Museum (SoFo) held a free open house with events throughout the day. In East Hampton volunteers cleaned up Springs Fireplace Road. And in Montauk the Concerned Citizens of Montauk held their Annual Great Montauk Cleanup.
