Vancouver --"This Friday April 22nd is going to be an historic Earth Day event in Vancouver," said Ben West, Climate Campaigner for the Wilderness Committee. West has been a mentor to a group of East Vancouver high school students who have organized this year’s Earth Day Parade and Celebration which is expected to draw students, families and other residents from around the Vancouver area.

The parade has received a letter of support from the Mayor of Vancouver Gregor Robertson.

What: Youth-led Earth Day Parade and Celebration, organized by high school student group Youth 4 Climate Justice Now, supported by the Wilderness Committee.

When: Starts at 11am Friday April 22nd, just north of Broadway-Commercial Skytrain Station. Parade proceeds down Commercial Drive to Britannia Field for Festival, 12pm to 3pm.

Who: Students from across the region, local area families, as well as community and environmental groups. Everyone is welcome. Guest speakers will include: Melina Laboucan-Massimo, an advocate for indigenous rights with a focus on the impact of the tar sands, Marc Lee from the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives focusing on the Climate Justice Project , and members of Youth for Climate Justice Now. The festival will receive greetings from local elected representatives: MP Libby Davies, MLA Jenny Kwan and City Councillor Andrea Reimer. Free live music by CR Avery and Maria in the Shower.

Why: "We are hoping to recapture the original spirit of Earth Day as a day for environmental action and as a celebration of the Earth as it should be," said Cassandra Ly, a grade 12 student at Windermere and member of Youth For Climate Justice Now (Y4CJN). "This will be a big colourful event, we are saying it's going to be the most fun you ever had saving the planet" said Ly.

The students are "recycling the peace sign" as a symbol for the event to focus on the need to keep global temperatures from rising beyond 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. Students are posing for photos making the peace sign two finger gesture and will be circulating a petition urging governments to do 2 things to reduce the supply and demand for oil by redirecting money for highway expansion to public transit and banning oil tankers on the Pacific coast.

"This Earth Day event provides a great opportunity for this event to increase youth participation in democracy, especially as environmental issues have been sorely missing from the discussion in the ongoing federal election campaign," said West. Friday April 22nd is an advanced polling day. A student 'Vote Mob' is also planned to take place at the festival.

Contact:

Ben West, Wilderness Committee, Healthy Communities Campaigner, 604-710-5340

Cassandra Ly, Youth 4 Climate Justice Now, 778-896-3788