This Friday is Earth Day: a time to give Mother Nature a big hug and forgive her for the mood swings she’s been having lately. It also happens to be Good Friday, so while you’re out buying chocolate bunnies, take some time out of your day to participate in one of these earth-friendly events! 

Water: The Exhibition
The ROM’s newest exhibition is a ground-breaking exploration of life’s most precious resource. Developed by the American Museum of Natural History in New York with enhanced Canadian content from the ROM, visitors are taken on a journey around the world to examine both the scientific and cultural importance of water. Features include multimedia installations, hands-on exhibits, live animals and cultural artifacts that showcase the origin of water, how it’s used and the importance of conserving it. Water tickets available from 11 am to 4 pm daily (7 pm on Fridays), with guided tours offered at 1 pm daily for $5 (does not include general admission).  
www.rom.on.ca/water 

THURSDAY 

Evergreen Brick Works
This community environmental centre (550 Bayview Ave.) transformed a collection of deteriorating heritage buildings into a centre for urban sustainability and green design, offering everything from a farmers’ market to yoga classes. They’ll be hosting two days of earth-friendly events, beginning Thursday with a picnic! Be part of the world’s longest picnic table by bringing your own picnic or enjoying their BBQ and check out the grand opening of the Evergreen Garden Market, a place where seasoned green thumbs and beginner gardeners can receive tips and tricks on how to make the their gardens truly green. There will also be an Electronics Product Stewardship Canada booth for you to recycle old electronics like cell phones, cameras and printers. Runs from 5 to 9 pm.  
http://ebw.evergreen.ca

FRIDAY 

Hydraulophone: Improvisations Over Water
Ever heard of the hydraulophone? Neither have we. This peculiar instrument is of the woodwind variety and runs on incompressible fluid like water rather than compressible fluid like air – for this reason, it’s sometimes called a “woodwater” instrument. Humans obviously can’t breathe water, so playing this instrument requires the water to be blown into it through a pump that can be hand, wind, water or electric-operated. If you’re as curious as we are about this thing, The Music Gallery (197 John St.) will be celebrating Earth Day with a performance by musicians Ryan Janzen on the hydraulophone and John Kameel Farah on piano, and a demonstration by hydraulophone inventor Steve Mann. The show begins at 8 pm and it’s free! www.musicgallery.org 

Planet Organic Markets
There’s no better day than Earth Day to stock up on organic foods and beauty supplies – especially when it includes free coffee and cake! Planet Organic Market (170 Lakeshore Rd. E., Mississauga) is an ethically minded, forward-thinking organic grocery store that began in northern Alberta and has since expanded to five additionally provinces. 100% of the fruits and vegetables sold in their stores are certified organic and their Natural Living department carries health and body care products made without harmful preservatives. To celebrate, they’ll be serving free coffee and cake and will have recycling bins on hand for expired batteries. Open 9 am to 9 pm, 7 days a week.  
www.planetorganic.ca
 

SATURDAY 

Evergreen Brick Works’  Earth Day Festival
Day two of Earth Day celebrations at the Brick Works (550 Bayview Ave.) is packed full of things to do. Shop at the Farmers’ Market or test out the Outward Bound Climbing Wall from 9 am to 1 pm, hop on the LEAF Tree Tour and help clean up the ravine from 10 am to 12 pm, learn how to make garlic mustard pesto (yum!) from 11-11:30 am and tour the site at 12, 1 and 2 pm. Runs from 9 am to 4 pm.  
http://ebw.evergreen.ca
 

Todmorden Mills Heritage Site
Set in the scenic Don Valley, Todmorden (67 Pottery Rd.) is a complex of historic buildings that once made up a small industrial community. Today, the site consists of two historic millers’ homes from the early 19th century, the Brewery building, the Papermill Theatre and Gallery and a 9.2 hectare wildflower preserve with walking trails taking visitors through forests, dry and wet meadows, swamp lands and a pond. In celebration of Earth Day, Todmorden Mills will be offering a free day of events – from environmentally-friendly art to a tour of the preserve. Runs from 12 to 4 pm.   
www.toronto.ca/culture/museums/todmorden.htm

~ Caitlyn Holroyd