3609 Hwy 24 (Ocean) | Newport, North Carolina 28570

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 24, 2006

Sally Steele, Development Director
252-393-8185
sallys@nccoast.org

Environmental Groups Join to Celebrate Earth Day

Morehead City, NC - Eight environmental groups working in Carteret County have joined together to celebrate Earth Day 2006.  The Crystal Coast 2006 Earth Day Celebration scheduled for April 21-23 includes an assortment of events that highlight the county’s rich natural resources.
     Earth Day participants can enjoy learning about the coast by joining a marine life collecting cruise with the NC Maritime Museum; a field trip to the Rachel Carson Reserve with the Carolina Estuarine Foundation; a hike along coastal forests and marshes with a Cape Lookout National Seashore Park Ranger; or a birding trip along Pettiford Creek with the NC Coastal Land Trust.
     The Outer Banks Wildlife Shelter offers an up close and personal introduction to a raptor while visiting their facility. There are also opportunities to roll up your sleeves and help out with a tree planting sponsored by the Core Sound Waterfowl Museum and Heritage Center or help pick up the beach with staff from the NC Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores.
     The NC Coastal Federation is offering its annual Native Plant Sale complete with workshops, demonstrations and entertainment.
     In addition to awareness, the groups hope to raise funds for their good work. Several local businesses, including the Carteret County News-Times, Emerald Isle Realty and Bikes-R-In have pledged a percent of sales over the Earth Day weekend or have made donations.
     Ed Johnson, owner of Bikes-R-In in Cedar Point and one of the events organizers, explains his interest in supporting Earth Day, "We support Earth Day because this special day of celebration and cycling just naturally go together. Both inspire us to experience and treasure the marvelous world we live in. Riding a bike is a wonderful way to enjoy the gift of life, while the Earth Day events help us to learn how that life (which we often take for granted) can be both fragile and endangered. Enjoy the Earth Day events as they will surely be fun, informative, and will highlight actions we can take in support of mother earth."
     Julia Batten Wax, owner of Emerald Isle Realty, is an enthusiastic supporter of the weekend, "It brings us great joy to help organize and support the Crystal Coast's official countywide Earth Day celebration. We love, appreciate and treasure the natural wonders of the Crystal Coast. We want to do our part to help preserve these beautiful spaces for many future generations of our families to enjoy."
     Local businesses and individuals are encouraged to support these nonprofit organizations with donations and memberships. For more information on how you can help, please contact any of the eight organizations.
     To receive a full listing of Earth Day events, call the NC Coastal Federation at 252-393-8185 or visit www.nccoast.org/calendar_06/earthday06.