Giant Steps Towards Smaller Footprints

Posted by Beth Ingalls

March 31, 2008

The North Tahoe Truckee Earth Day (TTED) celebration will be held again this year at the Village at Squaw Valley on Saturday, April 26th.  TTED drew more than 5,000 people in 2007 and the momentum is building for an even larger crowd this year.  Truckee Climate Action Network (TCAN) is a proud presenting sponsor for 2008. What does this mean?  We give a tremendous amount of time and energy to help create, promote and produce the event in exchange for the honor of being a part of it!  TCAN also created the theme for this year... Giant Steps Towards Smaller Footprints, and is working to make it the first "carbon neutral" TTED.  There are justifiable criticisms about the location and size of the event....how can you call Squaw Valley environmentally friendly?  How can you really offset so much travel to and from Earth Day and account for the amount of consumption during the day? And the list goes on.  As event organizers, we wrestle with these issues logistically, emotionally and morally too!  In the end, we are proud that what started as a concept for bringing a small group of eco conscious friends and organizations together seven years ago has grown into the largest and most anticipated eco event in the region.  The one that folks look forward to all year.  The one that families can't wait to go to and participate in.  The one where environmental organizations who are working so hard to save the sierra can reach such a large audience in one place during one day with their messages, stories and calls for action.  The one that energizes all of us and helps us feel renewed and alive and pushes us to work harder and accomplish even more as we go forward into the spring and summer.  Earth Day kicks off with the Patagonia Wild & Scenic Environmental Film Festival on Friday, April 25th at 7pm at the Squaw Valley Lodge.  Kudos to the Lake Tahoe Earth Day Foundation for creating and perpetuating TTED...please support them by supporting Tahoe Truckee Earth Day 2008! For everything you need to know, go to: tahoetruckeeearthday.org