The Superhero Within
In honor of this year’s Earth Day theme, which celebrates the superhero in all of us, Earth Day Director Cassandra Hage is unveiling her newly-developed Superhero Self… Orb. The inspiration for this identity is based on Orb-weavers – a fantastic and complex segment of the spider family. When spotted, their beautiful dew-dazzled webs are one of the simple, beautiful joys of nature that can remind us all to take pause to enjoy the many awe-inspiring things occurring around us. Orb’s superhero powers are derived from this special arachnid – she weaves beautiful webs that lure people in, then inspire reverence of the beauty and power of nature. In fact, she and the Earth Day team have been working on a masterpiece, which you are invited to check out – the 23rd annual St. Louis Earth Day Festival!
In addition to Orb, the core Earth Day Team consists of Stream Siren (aka Jeanette Reynolds, Program Manager) and The Phantom Recycler (aka Bill Parmentier, ROG Manager). Perhaps you’ve seen them around – or at least the impacts of their work. Stream Siren charms the pollution out of water bodies with tunes played on her ukulele, while The Phantom Recycler is a stealthy collector of recycling… streets and events once littered with trash transform into pristine environments.
Find YOUR inner superhero at this year’s Earth Day celebration. Join us (you know you can’t resist)… no worries – Orb’s practice is catch and release! Superheroes newly discovered and old are invited to participate in St. Louis Earth Day’s long-time tradition, the All Species (and Superhero) Parade, starting at 12noon from the Main Stage. Costumes, pets, strollers and sidekicks are encouraged! Come early to prepare – starting at 10am, you can transform into your Species or Superhero identity by making masks & noisemakers with the Teacher’s Recycling Center or get your face painted by Impish Grin Face Art (free until 11am).
During the event, join Treesong and his friends at The Real Life Superhero (RLSH) booth, which will hold short workshops starting on the hour about how to develop your unique superhero persona. Discover how to determine your costume, qualities and quest. Meet Real Life Superheroes who are using their persona to inspire themselves and others to do good for the planet. See a display with examples of other RLSH from across the country and around the world, and ways you can become a Hero for the Planet!
Remember, we all have the capacity for doing great things. Start small by taking the Earth Day Challenge: bringing a bag for purchases, a water bottle to refill or use alternative transportation to get to Forest Park. Visitors who accomplish two of the three challenges will receive an eco-friendly prize at the Information Booth!
