Celebrate Earth Day with picnic in the park

A family-friendly Earth Day celebration, hosted by Envirohub Marlborough, is returning to Blenheim’s Pollard Park next week.

Earth Day: Picnic in the Park on April 21 will feature live music and entertainment, an earth-friendly craft market, 100% zerowaste food vendors, conservation displays and activities, and a Conservation Kids NZ kids’ zone.

Envirohub Marlborough general manager Ailie Suzuki said the event would build on last year’s success to be even bigger and better.

“Last year we had over 1000 Marlburians attend, and we are working to create an even better event this year for all in our community.”

The event would have a relaxed “glamping-style picnic aesthetic”, enhanced with live music and entertainment, with Marlborough musician Midge McCleary as MC as well as performing, and featuring international performances led by the Marlborough Multicultural Centre’s Marcelo Gonzalez.

Each year on April 22, more than a billion people celebrate International Earth Day, to draw attention to the need to protect our planet from damage such as pollution, deforestation, climate change and the loss of plants and animals, and also celebrate activities that help the environment, such as growing their own food, making compost, minimising waste, protecting natural habitats and planting trees.

Earth Day: Picnic in the Park aims to provide a free event for Marlburians, where people can share tips on how to tread a little lighter on the planet, showcase conservation in action throughout the region, and show people how they can become more actively involved.

This year’s International Earth Day

theme was Planet v Plastic, which will also be the central theme of Marlborough’s Earth Day event.

A collection drive to divert items from landfill will be a highlight. People were encouraged to bring their clean carton containers made of liquid paper board or Tetra Pak for collection by the Tetra Punks, their soft plastics for collection by Future Post, and even old cellphones, wine bottle tops, and coffee pods.

The Marlborough District Council solid

waste team will also be there, to discuss the new wheelie bin system.

People are encouraged to bring their own picnics, or could buy food from vendors on-site, using either their own picnic sets, or the cutlery, crockery and cups provided by the Envirohub Marlborough Zero Waste Dishwashing Trailer, ensuring the event was waste free.

Other groups sharing their work at this year’s event include the Falcon Trust, Te Whanau Hou Grovetown Lagoon, the

Packaging Forum, Sustainable Coastlines, Forest & Bird Marlborough, the East Coast Protection Group, the Department of Conservation, the Green Party, Volunteer Marlborough, Marlborough Emergency Management, Top of the South Community Foundation, Climate Action Marlborough, and Climate Karanga Marlborough.

Earth Day: Picnic in the Park is on Sunday April 21, from 10am to 3pm, at Pollard Park. Entry is free.

SUPPLIED Last year’s Earth Day: Picnic in the Park attracted more than 1000 people and organisers say this year will be even bigger and better.