Kalamazoo Earth Day: Connecting Communities

Chris Bartley has lived in the Oakwood-Winchell neighborhood for a long time. At one time, Woods lake was so overgrown, it didn’t look like a park at all. Chris wanted to revive the park, so she planted native plants there. Chris believed that native plants would do the most to preserve the park for future generations. Fast forward many years later and Emily Demorest discovers Friends of Woods Lake and commits to continuing the work Christ started there. Join Chris and Emily Demorest in the conversation about the power of native plants, not just to save a park, but to transform residential lawns into low-maintenance ecosystems. Resources from the Show: Seek App: https://www.inaturalist.org/pages/seek_app Email Friends of Woods Lake: friendsofwoodslake@gmail.com Friends of Woods Lake on Facebook: Watch this episode at Public Media Network. Earth Day Social Media https://www.facebook.com/KalamazooEarthDay www.kalamazooearthday.com www.instagram.com/kalamazooearthday https://www.tiktok.com/@kalamazooearthday

The Edison Neighborhood has some awesome projects that are resident-led initiatives that improve the quality of life for those living in the Edison Neighborhood. These projects also have positive impacts for the environment. Stephen Dupuie, the Director of the Edison Neighborhood Association, joins the show to talk about those initiatives, how they function, and why they do so much to improve the quality of life. Edison Community Toolbox:  https://www.edisonneighborhood.com/tool-box Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/edisonkzoo/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/edisonneighborhood/ director@edisonneighborhood.com Earth Day on all social media: https://www.facebook.com/KalamazooEarthDay www.kalamazooearthday.com www.instagram.com/kalamazooearthday https://www.tiktok.com/@kalamazooearthday

Bet you don’t know the story of the first Earth Day. In this episode of Connecting Communities, David Benac tells the story of the first national Earth Day, and the ways that it changed this country.  David, who chairs the Connecting Communities planning committee, also talks about the more recent history of Earth Day in Kalamazoo - Including how people can celebrate Earth Day in 2023. Co-Hosted by Patrick Hershberger and Dee Chauvin. Earth Day on all social media: https://www.facebook.com/KalamazooEarthDay www.kalamazooearthday.com www.instagram.com/kalamazooearthday https://www.tiktok.com/@kalamazooearthday

Patrick Hershberger and Ellen Nelson are professional artists in Kalamazoo. If you have walked, driven, or taken the bus anywhere is Kalamazoo, you have probably glimpsed a mural they were a part of. Patrick and Ellen also volunteer their time and work for Earth Day in Kalamazoo every year. This conversation explores how art can be beautiful and powerful, and how artists can speak to people without using any words at all. Co-Hosted by Dee Chauvin. Photos from Patrick’s website: www.gobonussaves.com Historic Earth Day Images: https://photos.app.goo.gl/zDHiE9gS8iTaQX9j6 Earth Day Banners Bronson Park  https://photos.app.goo.gl/xC56mjUjxd9x8xXE8 50th Anniversary Earth Day Coloring Book slides https://photos.app.goo.gl/tpkiywdn8Zn6PqQk7 Video link for 50th Anniv. Coloring Book  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cfWjHOh1PYA Follow Earth Day on all social media: https://www.facebook.com/KalamazooEarthDay www.kalamazooearthday.com www.instagram.com/kalamazooearthday https://www.tiktok.com/@kalamazooearthday