planting saplings, 2011

photo courtesy of: american forests.org We’re not sure how many trees technically make a woodland a forest, but we think we’re off to a healthy start.

As a result of everyone’s purchases made on April 22, 2500 saplings will be planted in honor of Earth Day 2011.

We dig all who participated—and a big, huge ‘Thank You’ to American Forests for doing all the dirty work.

earth day, 2011

In recognition of Earth Day 2011, CB2 is proud to have one tree planted for every sale that’s generated either in stores or on-line on April 22nd.

Actual tree plantings will be done by American Forests—the nation’s oldest nonprofit citizen conservation organization—founded in 1875.

Their efforts helped create the National Park and National Forest systems in the U.S.; and through the Global ReLeaf program, American Forests plants millions of trees each year and advocates the benefits of both rural and urban trees, good science, and sound policy.

On April 22, 1970, the first Earth Day kicked off the modern environmental movement as the nation dedicated itself to focusing on environmental issues. Then about 20 million Americans expressed their concerns for our environment —and now about 1 billion will acknowledge its 41st anniversary globally.

To participate, find local events at the Earth Day Network. Also check out the database at Earth911 for recycling stations and “how-to” hints. Remember, reduce first, reuse when possible, then recycle.

host a tree trimming party

photo courtesy of: qmnonic Traditionally, Christmas trees were decorated on Christmas Eve and stayed up until the day after Twelfth Night, January 6th. Ironically, decorating an evergreen tree for Christmas supposedly started as the Protestant counterpart—as a symbol of the Tree of Life in the Garden of Eden—to Catholic Nativity scenes which are now often displayed under a tree.

Early decorations were foods such as sugared plums, gilded apples, white candy canes and strings of popcorn and cranberries. Woolworth’s was one of the first retailers to sell glass ornaments imported from Europe, and later made in the US, as the tradition made it’s way across many lands and down the social ladder from royalty.

Today, ornaments are made of glass, paper, wood, porcelain…most of us reminisce as we put up favorites from Christmases past and add new ones each year. Hosting a tree decorating party can be a quiet evening visiting—creating new memories while the work gets done—and before guests are off to a second or third party of the night.