April 2013 on Whidbey Island is all about celebrating our planet. Earth Day is officially April 22, but a month of activities has been jointly organized by eight Whidbey Island organizations.

They are: Citizens Climate Lobby; EcoNet (Education, Communication, and Outreach Network); Goosefoot; Orca Network; South Whidbey Tilth; Thriving Communities; Washington State University Waste Wise Program of Island County; and Whidbey Watershed Stewards.

Highlights include two lectures, on April 20 and 21, the annual Welcome the Whales parade, two art exhibitions, the highly acclaimed documentary film Chasing Ice on April 27, and a series of “Science while Sipping” pub and wine bar talks, April 22, 24, and 26.

A complete schedule of events, with listing of sponsors, will be available at www.goosefoot.org beginning March 15. If possible, please confirm any event listings with Marian Myszkowski prior to publication as updates may occur.

April art exhibits

Mother Earth: Earth & Oceans, at Blooms Winery Taste for Wine & Art, includes stained glass, painting, multi-media, and sculpture.

Our Earth, in the Cash Store Hub, showcases artists’ dreams, concerns, and desires as they contemplate our environment present and future.

Annual Peace Picture at 1 p.m. Sunday, April 7 at the Bayview Cash Store parking lot.

Opening reception for “Our Earth” exhibit from 1-4 p.m. in the Bayview Cash Store Hub.