On Sunday, April 22, all around the world, we’ll celebrate Earth Day.
It’s the 48th Earth Day and this year is also the 50th anniversary of the Wild & Scenic Rivers Act.
Although there are approximately 3.6 million miles of streams in the United States, only 12,734 miles are protected by the Wild & Scenic Rivers Act; that’s only 0.35% of the rivers found here.
For Jean Stevens, the Director of the Taos Environmental Film Festival, this is a passion, and she’s been working doubly hard lately to bring awareness to this cause.
“I’ve been working around the clock to get the festival launched for Earth Day & the 50th anniversary of the Wild & Scenic Rivers Act.” she says.
We know only too well what the well being of the rivers and streams means, and that here in Taos this summer, our deep regard for the water is crucial – water is life.
The festivities include a special Earth Day Celebration on Sunday, April 22 from 11am-1pm at 115 Civic Plaza Drive at Bataan Hall UNM-Taos, featuring taoStyle fave and longtime Environmental Activist, Robby Romero ,who is planning on being there, but if he is delayed, due to a Standing Rock walk, he will do a live feed “Live From The Ride”. If he is present he will probably play a set with some other musician friends.
The UNM-Taos Digital Media Arts Department plans to screen about a half hour of Robby Romeros short films (of which UNM’s Louis Moya helped edit a couple). Plus the Canon camera representative will be on hand to show the latest Canon film equipment with the Digital Media Arts Department, who will be finishing up a weekend workshop.
An interactive on camera Q&A about what audience/attendees: want to see for the future and their thoughts on Mother Earth Day. is also in the works. The DMA Department may then edit the comments and use it for an environmental outreach.
The event will also be a fundraiser: the Taos Environmental Film Festival donations going to: Amigos Bravos, Rivers & Birds, Taos Center for the Arts, Renewable Taos and SOMOS. The 11-1 portion of the Taos Environmental Film Festival (at UNM-Taos, Bataan Hall), donations go to the Pueblo Educational Fund and Native Children’s Survival Indigenous Student Endowment Fund.
The Taos Environmental Film Festival is FREE but a $5 suggested donation goes to the above!
The festival begins today with “Poets for the Environment” at SOMOS.
Also part of the Festival, an exhibition of “Verona & Ewert” at the Philip Bareiss Gallery. is planned, with a closing reception from 12-4 on Sunday the 29th.
For much more on the Taos Environmental Film Festival, and their schedule, please visit their site linked below
www.taosenvironmentalfilmfestival.com
Photo of Robby Romero by Bill Curry
Images of the Earth from NASA
