The state of the environment has some people feeling blue, but before it makes you start seeing red, consider going green.

Every April 22, the United States Celebrates Earth Day, a day focused on protecting the environment.

Events are held nation-wide to create awareness of issues and to start cleaning up. For some cities, like Austin, one day doesn’t seem like enough, so there are Earth Week events on the horizon.

Today

For Austin High School, the week starts off with a competition. From today through Friday, students will be involved in a Connect Can Contest, to see which class can bring in the most recyclable cans. The winners of the contest will attend the movie “Earth 2009” with the Go Green Club.

Tuesday

Austin High School will have a Green Garment Day in which students are encouraged to wear green attire, with prizes given to the most creative.

The Austin Audubon Society will meet at 7 p.m. at the Jay C. Hormel Nature Center. The presentation will be about Alaskan conversation issues with Lauren Hierl, the Alaska policy associate for the National Audubon Society.

Wednesday

Austin High School will host an Earth Fair in the auditorium, where community businesses and organizations will have displays with information about ways to help the environment.

The Austin Coalition for Environmental Sustainability Spring Gala Luncheon will be held at noon with a silent auction at 11:30 a.m. Tickets are $10.

Reserve tickets by calling Dorothy Owens at 437-2251.

Austin Utilities will host a green living workshop. A panel of experts will cover ways to lighten your carbon footprint. The cost is $10. Call 433-0971 or 433-0928 to register.

Thursday

The Minnesota Environmental Partnership and Audubon Society will hold a clean car forum with former Sen. Dean Johnson. The program will be at 7 p.m. the nature center will cover the effects of the Clean Car Act. Merlene Stiles, field organizer for the Minnesota Environmental Partnership, will host the forum.

Guest speaker with be MEP policy director Molly Schulz.

The forum will focus on the benefits of state-based standards to reduce air pollution, while also supporting the state’s ethanol industry and saving consumers’ money as the gas pump.

Refreshments will be served.

For more information, contact Stiles at 355-1399 or merlenesiles@mepartnership.org.

Saturday

The City of Austin Spring Clean Up Day will be held from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Call 433-1881 to volunteer.

May 2

Austin Catholic School’s parents and students will be helping with roadside clean up from 9 a.m. to noon. Wal-Mart is donating $250 to the school for their participation.

Earth Day was founded in 1970 by U.S. Sen. Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin. The first Earth Day was a day of demonstrations and protests about the excessive pollution world-wide. 1970 also saw the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency and an extension of the Clean Air Act, and the effects of the demonstrations is till evident today.

The United States and a number of other counties celebrate Earth Day on April 22, while the United Nations recognizes the day in late March.