MI Earth Day Fest Celebrates Earth Day With New Location, Expanded Offerings

By Edward Cardenas

ROCHESTER (CBS Detroit) - The MI Earth Day Fest is celebrating its 10th anniversary with a new location and expanded programming.

The event, which will celebrate 45th anniversary of Earth Day, is moving from downtown Rochester to the Rochester Municipal Park near the Paint Creek and Trail.

In addition to celebrating Earth Day, the festival features entertainment, educational programming and displays of some of the latest in green technologies.

Jim Leidel, director of clean energy systems at Oakland University, has helped organize the event in the past and will give a talk at the event this year about how home owners can go green and save money through incentives.

"It's all about saving energy, but also saving money," said Leidel, who will also have a display bio-diesel, solar power and energy-saving lights at the event. "Whether you are worried about the environment, or carbon, … or you just want to save some money. There are a lot of different angles to look at these new technologies."

The event runs from 4 p.m. Friday through 4 p.m. Sunday with more than 150 exhibits and presentations, additional activities for kids, a 5K run, and drive 'n drop recycling. SMART shuttle buses will also run from multiple parking sites all weekend.

Organizers are expecting as many 50,000 people to attend the event, which first took place in 2005 on the campus of Oakland University, and has grown to the new location.

In addition to the products for sale - which include all-natural dog treats and organic edibles - there will be presentations including:

• Oakland County Water Resources Commissioner Jim Nash on climate change, fracking and local implications at noon Saturday.
• Raising Rochester will present "community garden without borders" at 6 p.m. Friday.
• Lawrence Tech University Pioneer Material Renewal project, which deconstructs a blighted home in Detroit and constructs a new building from the salvaged material, will have a presentation at 3 p.m. Sunday.
• Recycled-costume parade at 11 a.m. Saturday.

"I think it is just a really good way to engage the community," Leidel said. "It's just a fun place to bring the family and kids and learn a little bit."