Sooke residents are encouraged to come out and celebrate the planet by participating in Earth Day celebrations on April 22.
The celebration will be held at the Sooke Community Hall, hosted by Transition Sooke, the Sooke Fall Fair Association and Creatively United for the Planet Society.
Marlene Barry, a coordinator of the event who tries to live a relatively waste-free life, says the event could inspire people to try and be lest wasteful at home.
Barry spent approximately eight years living on a sail boat with her family, where resources like food and fuel were limited, so they quickly learned to be conservative.
Today she no longer lives on a boat, but continues with the same methods of living in her current home.
“Most of my food is made from scratch, instead of buying pre-packaged food, we always eat leftovers, and whatever we don’t eat I usually bury and use as fertilizer for my plants,” said Barry.
Barry also tries to store food and beverages in reusable containers, and whatever plastic she uses is washed and recycled properly.
She said some ways to start being less wasteful are to avoid single-use plastics such as disposable coffee cups or straws, eat leftovers, try to not bring plastic in to your home by bringing your own reusable bags for both produce and groceries, and try to make trips in your car count by only driving if you have more than one task to accomplish, or need more than one or two things from the grocery store.
Barry has been thinking green since she was a young girl, and wanted to join Transition Sooke to try and spread awareness about being less wasteful in the community.
“People can make a difference and it starts on an individual and community level,” said Barry. “We have more control than we are aware of, we are the consumers. So the more individuals change, the more bigger industries will change their ways. Say if people stop buying those big plastic cartons of spinach at the grocery stores, the grocery store will stop carrying them, and so forth. “
The Earth Day event will include an exhibition with eco-friendly vendors, family activities, an up-cycled fashion show, an evening dance, zero-waste food trucks, and live music.
It will also feature workshops, speakers, demonstrations and a Save Our Coast Sooke orca sign-making project.
Prizes from the community clean up, which took place April 14, will also be awarded at the celebration.
The exhibits will run from 10 a.m. to mid afternoon, followed by the celebration and dance which will run from approximately 4:30 to 8 p.m. Admission is by donation and everyone is welcome.
For more information, please go online to transitionsooke.org/earthday2018/.