The procrastinator's guide to Earth Day: A planet full of free stuff

Earth Day: It's the one day a year that we are encouraged to literally stop and smell the roses, to feel the grass under our feet and the wind in our hair, and hopefully appreciate that the loveliness of nature is worth a little effort. But who the heck remembers to plan for Earth Day? 

Here's a last-minute list of events around Houston on both today (the big day) and throughout the weekend to get you in the green spirit to be at one with nature.

- The Houston Pavilions is hosting an Earth Day happy hour starting at 5 p.m. today with food, drinks and fun on the patio.

- The Houston Arboretum and Nature Center is holding its annual Earth Day reading, A Light in the Forest, at 7 p.m. today. As part of the local Writers in the Schools program, young writers from all over Houston have been selected to read their poetry inspired by nature. 

- The National Park Service is offering free admission to all 392 national parks for the week of April 17-25. Closest to Houston is Big Thicket, an ecologically diverse preserve, about 100 miles away in Kountze. Or look at the national register online here.

- Space Center Houston will celebrate the 40th anniversary of Earth Day with "The Green Generation," a special presentation with games, shows (at 11 a.m., noon and 1 p.m.) and activities for kids that emphasize the importance of recycling, and teach about solar, water and wind power using fun, hands-on demonstrations. 

- Have a groovy celebration with Da Camera's "Earth Day Jazz in the Park" at Miller Outdoor Theater at 6 p.m. Bill Evans has been detained by the volcano travel situation in Europe, and will not appear, but there will be great sets from the University of Houston Jazz Band (featuring guest saxophonists David Caceres, Warren Sneed and Woody Witt) and other area student jazz ensembles.

-The Texas Medical Center is hosting its second annual Earth Day event from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., with 50 exhibitors offering advice, green prizes and native trees.

-Earth Day means Family Festival at the Houston Museum of Natural Science, which will have crafts and activities for the whole family as well as lessons on how to live and eat green.

- Friday the theme continues at Miller with a screening of award-winning documentary Winged Migration at 8 p.m.

-The Health Museum will have a kid-friendly day on Saturday from noon to 2 p.m., as the American Society of Chemical Engineers help kids create gooey worms, freeze balloons on sticks and make green slime.

- On Saturday and Sunday the Houston Zoo will be having a "Party for the Planet" from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. with a recycling relay race, an environmental maze and a reusuable coloring mural, plus eco-themes in the "Meet the Keeper" talks and a crafts table for making your own nature journal.,l

• Earth Day, Procrastinator's Guide

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Houston Pavilions

Texas Medical Center

Miller Outdoor Theatre

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