Happy Earth Day 2013!

The celebrations begin with a screening of Betting the Farm, a film about nine dairy farmers in Maine who are in danger of losing their farms when their national milk distributor fires them. The farmers band together, launching their own milk company and facing the challenges involved with starting a new business. Discussion follows. Monday, April 22 at 7 p.m. at the Sonoma State University Campus, 1801 E. Cotati Ave. at Darwin Hall.

On Tuesday, activist and educator Ambessa Cantave holds a talk titled “Culture and Behavior Change: Answers to Climate Change." A ten-year veteran of the Bay Area's environmental justice, art activism and non-profit communities, Cantave is highly adept at creating presentations that use hip-hop culture to engage youth of color to empower and educate themselves in areas of ecology, professional development, social justice and mental health. His passion for empowering young people to reach their greatest potential is unrelenting and serves as an inspiration to both his personal and professional colleagues. Tuesday 7 p.m. Cooperage.

Then on Wednesday, catch a one-of-a-kind dance performance outside in Copeland Creek. The Copeland Creek Project / A Theatrical Journey is a site-specific performance presented along Copeland Creek as it runs through the Sonoma State University campus and at the Environmental Technology Center.

Using dance and theater, the performing arts piece explores the stories of communities along Copeland Creek and how the waterway and its communities have shaped each other. Performances from Wednesday-Sunday. Free, although advance reservations required.

Also on Wednesday, the Environmental Technology Center hosts a Sustainability Panel featuring representatives from the Sierra Club, North Bay Conservation Corps and the Sonoma Land Trust will describe some of the environmental challenges society is facing. Each group will discuss what their organization is doing to combat these challenges and ways students can get involved. Wednesday, April 24, 3 p.m.

Later that same day, watch The Last Call at the Oasis, a powerful new documentary that shatters myths behind our most precious resource: water. This film exposes defects in the current system, shows communities already struggling with its ill-effects and highlights individuals championing revolutionary solutions during the global water crisis. Discussion follows. Wednesday, April 24, 7 p.m. Student Union Multi-Purpose Room.

Know of other local Earth Day events? Add them in the comments below as well as our Events Calendar.