EARTH DAY

PROGRAMMING HIGHLIGHTS:

ART

Scrapdaddy Circus presented in partnership with Houston First

Houston based artist Mark “Scrapdaddy” Bradford will display six of his one-of-a-kind artcars and 25 interactive solar and wind power sculptures. These mobile, kinetic sculptures called “smile machines,” are constructed from found and salvaged objects. Also on display will be two pieces that appeared on Comedy Central’s Battle Bots.

Bradford’s work is a testament to the power of creativity to reform discarded items into works of art. An advocate for recycling and repurposing, Bradford teaches people to use the resources at hand to make the world a better place. A Q and A with the artist is scheduled on the main stage for 2 pm.

Parallel Painting 

Houston artists Donkeeboy and Donkeemom will be painting live. 

Bayou at y.our Doorstep

Under the guidance of Professor Natacha Poggio, MFA, University of Houston-Downtown graphic design students visualize the significant environmental, emotional, and developmental roles played by Houston’s bayous in fostering community well-being.

Envisioning Water

University of Houston-Downtown students led by professors Natacha Poggio, MFA (graphic design) and Laura Cesarco Eglin, MFA, Ph.D. (creative writing), collaborate to emphasize a profound dialog between poetry and illustration. The graphic design students bring to life poems penned by creative writing students centered on the themes of water and environmental concerns.

PERFORMANCES

Live art demonstrations throughout the day. Chalk artists will create their masterpieces for an audience while a live “art battle” is held on stage.

Calmecac Indigenous Arts Dancers will perform an opening ceremony for the Earth Day celebrations. Indigenous peoples comprise less than 5 percent of the world population but protect 80 percent of the Earth’s biodiversity. This performance is a call to protect the environment and bring awareness to the good stewardship of a sustainable planet.

Lee’s Golden Dragons will perform a traditional Chinese “dragon dance” as well as an original lion dance created for this year’s Green Mountain Energy Earth Day.   In Chinese folk, Buddhist and Taoist beliefs, dragons were celebrated as rain gods and beseeched to bring rain.

RECYCLED MUSIC

Houston band Jukebox Trainwreck takes crowd requests to turn familiar and beloved tunes into their own creations with chaotic, amusing and awe-inspiring speed.

DOCUMENTARY SHORTS

The Place Man (2024, 19 mins)

Meet the man whose efforts helped launch not only the first Earth Day – but whose ideas also informed the founding principles for Discovery Green’s creation. Fred Kent devoted his life to creating public spaces for people to enjoy. “If you plan your cities for traffic and cars, you get more cars and traffic,” Kent says. “If you plan for people and places, you get more people and places.” Kent’s passion for public spaces that foster social connection will inspire you to create solutions for the challenges of today.

There’s Something in the Water (2020, 8 min)

Caddo Lake is the only natural lake in Texas, but its delicate eco-system is threatened by a seemingly unstoppable invasive species of floating fern: Giant Salvinia.  There’s Something in the Water is an 8-minute animated documentary featuring interviews with people who live and work on the lake, demonstrating the damage that has been caused, and how everyone can work together to try and fix it.

Interruption: The Magpies and Peacocks Story (2022, 11 min)

Magpies and Peacocks is the nation’s only non-profit design house dedicated to the collection and sustainable reuse of post-consumer clothing, scrap textiles and accessories diverted from landfill. Its mission is to disrupt the cycle of waste in the fashion industry and mitigate its enormous environmental and social impact. “Fast fashion” has resulted in too many clothes landing in a landfill. Learn why I change is needed and how you can get involved.

ELECTRIC CAR PETTING ZOO 

The cars of the future are here. Get to know the electric vehicles that are transforming how Houstonians get from point A to point B. Speak with the owners, look under the hood and rub your hands over the steering wheel. From Tesla Cybertrucks to Rivian adventure vehicles, the Houston Electric Vehicle Association has something cool to show you.

EXHIBITOR HIGHLIGHTS

More than 60 exhibitors will have education, activities and more to help visitors find new ways to engage, give back and get involved.

Wildlife Habitat Federation (WHF)

A rainfall simulator will demonstrate how different surfaces affect the absorption of rainfall. This hands-on exhibit shows the importance of grassland habitat and the work the WHF is doing to restore native habitat in Texas.

Leadership Houston Inc

Promoting the use of reusable water bottles to limit the use of plastic water bottles that add to pollution and waste and announcing the locations of the new water fountains being installed around Houston. 

Electrochemical Safety Research Institute

Educating the community on the importance of safely disposing of and recycling their lithium-ion batteries. 

Bayou Preservation Association

Informing the public about water quality, watershed health, and the importance of removing non-recyclable materials from the waste stream. 

Green Education Foundation

Educating the community about recycling and repurposing items to keep things from the landfill. They will be doing an art project at their booth for kids as well as a backpack giveaway. 

Whole Earth Offsets

Providing education about carbon offsets along with what we can do to help. They will also have an interactive puzzle for kids and a “fireside” chat with individuals that are curious about carbon offsets. 

Houston Humane Society Wildlife Center

HHSWC will bring a collection of education tools and environmental education items to teach about bats found in Houston and Texas. Items may include cultural trinkets, wet specimens, taxidermic bats, informational handouts, and more.

Green Mountain Energy

The Green Mountain Energy solar team will be showing home and business owners how solar options can help offset carbon emissions. By investing in local solar farms consumers can make a difference.

BE A ZERO HERO FOR ZERO WASTE

Green Mountain Energy Earth Day is energetically pursuing a zero-waste event. Zero-waste means all trash* must be diverted from the landfill. This year we’re making it easy for ALL visitors to Be a Zero Hero.

Five convenient and brightly colored stations will be available for visitors to hand their trash over to a UHD Recycling Ambassador. Volunteers were recruited from across the university and include more than 100 students, faculty, staff and community partners. These amazing volunteers will then sort the materials for a no-muss, no-fuss experience for all visitors. At the end of the day, everything will be weighed and recorded.

We’re hoping to become the largest Zero Waste event in Houston! Be a Zero Hero, and help Earth Day Houston take the lead in waste reduction in Houston, Texas!

As Discovery Green’s green energy provider, Green Mountain Energy provides the park with 100 percent renewable energy offsets.

*Technically, to reach our goal as the largest Zero Waste event, we must divert at least 90 percent of all trash from the landfill, but “Be a Zero Hero” is more effective than Be a 90% Hero.