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Just a Few of the Events Planned (Little Haiti included) in Honor of the Environment

In about 30 or 40 years we will be able to tell our grandchildren that yeah, once upon a time, we had a semi-stable environment that wasn't too brutal to human civilization. We will tell them this was before rising oceans covered all of Florida and the metropolitan New York area; it was just prior to honeybees becoming extinct - forcing farms to hire undocumented aliens, teenagers, clever canines, schizophrenics, clones and anyone else willing to work for little money to act as unskilled pollenators; and it was just prior to us making a new food source out of algae and kelp from the sea (yeah, that's what it is) and the disappearance of funeral sciences from virtually all community colleges.

We suggest you enjoy the environmentally friendly and educational weekend events while you still can. Some other suggestions before it's too late: Invest in scuba gear and form a pollenators union.

• Former Vice President Al Gore seems to be getting more play these days than when he was running for president, and he's hipper too. Too hip, in fact, to give any press interviews. With his concerts, movies and whatnot, this enviro-star is slated to blow through Miami this Friday at the Poder New America Alliance Green Forum, slated for 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Miami Museum of Science Planetarium, 3280 S. Miami Ave., Miami. Bigwigs - local, national and international - will be discussing the solutions to negative impact of global warming.
• What better way to celebrate Earth Day than with music? And so the South Beach Chamber Ensemble presents Earth Day with Music in Beautiful Spaces. First event takes place at the Miami Beach Community Church at 1620 Drexel Ave. in Miami Beach at 8 p.m. on Thursday. The next performance commences at the Alper JCC at 11155 SW 112 Ave. in Miami on Sunday, April 22, at 2 p.m. For more information call 305-673-2183 or log on to South Beach Chamber Ensemble.
• The Miami Beach Parks and Recreation Department and HSBC Bank have chosen North Shore Park at 501 72nd St. to be the site of their Earth Day Celebration shindig on Friday, from 6 to 8 p.m. And what is a shindig without art and animal exhibits, food, music, rides and games? Why, not a very good one - and so the Beach Earth Day Celebration will have all of the shindig essentials. For more information call 305-861-3616.
• ECOMB, the Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce Pillar of Trustees, the City of Miami Beach and anyone else from the public will get together to plant trees at Stoneman Douglas Park and clean up South Pointe Beach on Saturday, from 8:30 a.m. until noon. The fun begins at Stoneman Douglas Park between Second and Third streets on Ocean Drive. Parking won't be enforced for those who manage not to double-park their vehicles at Pier Park and Nikki Beach Club until 1 p.m. For more information log on to ECOMB or call 305-534-3825.
• The Deerfield Beach Recycling Division will pull out all the stops to give thanks and praise to Earth Day on Saturday, from 9 a.m. until noon at the Deerfield Beach International Fishing Pier parking lot at 200 NE 21st Ave. in Deerfield (that's in Broward, folks!). The fun will include complimentary organic pizza samples, hot and iced coffee and pastries, raffles and various fun environmental-type activities that, incidentally, include picking up trash. Admission is free! For more info call 954-480-4454 or log on to Deerfield Beach, FL!.
• The Miami Beach Botanical Garden presents Go Green, Go Native, an environmental sort of expo that will celebrate Florida's native plants, the concept of "green living" and the importance of conservation. Takes place on Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Miami Beach Botanical Garden, 2000 Convention Center Drive. Admission is free and there will be plants and environmental books for sale. For more info call 305-673-7256, ext. 203.
• The Barnacle State Historic Site at 3485 Main Highway in Miami will have itself an inaugural Earth Day Celebration on Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. that will include displays from "earth-friendly businesses" as well as craft activities for kids and live music provided by The Three Jacks. Also lots of picnicking opportunities so bring a blanket. Admission is just $1 except for those who have existed for less than six years - they get in free. Log on to Main Page - The Barnacle Historic State Park » Florida State Parks or call 305-442-6866.
• EarthFest: WaterFest Goes Green will be a full day of concerts, performances and vendors and organizations selling their stuff and presenting their materials. Oh, yeah, and there will be a workshop on how to be environmentally friendly. Takes place at the Biscayne Nature Center at Crandon Park at 6767 Crandon Blvd., Key Biscayne on Sunday, April 22, from noon to sundown. Admission is free. For more information log on to EarthFest 2007: WaterFest Gone GREEN (Earth Day Miami, FL) or call 305-361-6767.
• Just because Commissioner Jose "Pepe" Diaz is being investigated by the feds for helping out a developer friend or two, doesn't mean the public official can't sponsor a proper "Earth Day" celebration. And so, thanks to the Office of Commissioner Diaz and Common Ground for Conservation, there will be a Hispanic Earth Day Celebration on the church grounds of the Iglesia Presbiteriana El Redentor at 175 SW 120th Ave., Miami, on Sunday from noon to 8 p.m. There will be booths, obstacle courses, face painting, games, interactive art, food, beverages, grown men dressed up in Smokey the Bear and McGruff the Crime Dog outfits and stuff worthy of making this a "first carbon-neutral awareness community event." Cost of admission is $5 for kids and $10 for adults. For more info call 305-279-1946 or log on to Earth Day.
• Earth N Us Farm at 7630 NE First Ave., Miami, will be the scene of the Little Haiti Earth Day Festival, courtesy of Operation Green Leaves. Takes place on Saturday, April 28, from noon to 6 p.m. and will include live entertainment, music, awards for environmentalist types, etc. For more info on the event call 305-644-9000. For more info on Operation Green Leaves log on to Operation Green Leaves.
• The Sierra Club Miami Group will host a Spring Fling Dinner and Silent Auction on Friday, May 4, at the Doubletree Hotel at 2649 S. Bayshore Drive in Coconut Grove. The event commences with an open bar with spirits provided by Bacardi USA and Covey Run Wines. Tickets cost $100 per person. For more information call 305-519-0877 or visit Florida Chapter - Sierra Club.