Schedule
The New Mexico Earth Day Festival 2024 will take place from 10AM to 4PM on Sunday, April 21st at Balloon Fiesta Park, Sid Cutter Pavilion
Balloon Fiesta Park: 9401 Balloon Museum Dr NE, Albuquerque, NM 87113
Schedule
Location: Front of Sid Cutter Pavilion
9:45 am
Native American blessing by Robert M. Begay
10:00 am
Pavilion and Exhibit Booths Open
Location: Sid Cutter Pavilion - West Side
10:30 am – 11:30
Keeping New Mexico in the Forefront of a Sustainable Future
Moderator, Art Gardenswartz
Teresa Leger Fernández, US Congresswoman
Tammy Fiebelkorn, Albuquerque City Councilor
David J. Simon, Director of Albuquerque Parks and Recreation
Robert Leland, Director of the Climate Change Security Center at Sandia National Laboratories
Alaric Babej, Principal, Custom Energy Solutions, PNM
12:00-12:45 pm
Seal in the Savings: A Comfortable, Stylish, and More Affordable Home
Moderator: Carl Ulibarri, Owner and Professional Consultant at NM Home Solutions
Troy Cucchiara, Green Initiatives Manager, New Mexico Mortgage Finance Authority
David Best, Senior Trainer and Building Science Specialist, Santa Fe Community College EnergySmart Academy
Xavier Obando, Architect and Director of Sustainability at Hartman + Majewski Design Group
Houses waste a lot of energy and money. Installing adequate insulation, energy-efficient doors and windows and even window blinds can reduce your energy bills by up to 30%. They can also reduce the size and cost of a heat pump needed to heat and cool your home. The first step towards a more efficient home is an energy audit. This workshop will discuss the free programs, tax credits and rebates that make “weatherization” a highly cost-effective, but often overlooked, step towards substantial energy savings.
1:00 – 1:45 pm
Power Up! Residential Electrification 101
Moderator: Alex Amend, Director of Communications, Rewiring America
Rebecca Puck Stair, Director, New Mexico State Energy Office, New Mexico Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department
Jeff Polk, EcoAir Heating & Air Conditioning
Craig Shaw, Managing Partner at Bulldog Energy Solutions
Lower your energy bills and avoid harmful indoor fumes by switching to high efficiency electric appliances. Heat pumps both heat and cool your home and do it 3-5 times more efficiently. They also heat your water and dry your clothes. Induction stoves can cook meals fast with easy cleanup. With generous tax credits and rebates from the Inflation Reduction Act, New Mexico state, and electricity providers, it’s a great time to go electric. Learn how to get the most out of these incentives and what you need to know about your electrical system before you begin. We will also discuss how renters and limited-income residents can go electric too!
2:00 – 2:45 pm
It's Our Future! New Mexico Kids
Secretary of Public Education Dr. Arsenio Romero will discuss the importance of Outdoor Learning in the state of New Mexico. A briefing on the Outdoor Learning Initiative through the Math and Science Bureau, as well as the introduction of the 2024 New Mexico Green School Nominees will be announced. This will be followed by a Youth Panel of students moderated by the Outdoor Learning Team at PED.
Research shows that the outdoors is a resource for enhancing learning, social engagement, and health, and we at New Mexico Public Education Department, NMPED believe that outdoor learning opportunities should be available to all New Mexico students in every community. Experiences in nature and access to the outdoors are associated with greater health and wellbeing and academic success. The Outdoor Learning Initiative started during the 2022–23 academic year. During that year, ten districts and schools received start-up funds for their outdoor education programs, and now in the 2023-24 academic year, six districts and schools are using start-up funds to implement new and innovative outdoor learning programs. The goal is to have an outdoor learning program in every school in New Mexico. Please join us for a panel discussion with students from these schools and districts and learn more about the sustainability practices that they are implementing in their schools and in their lives and how they are sharing what they know with others around the state.
3:00 – 3:45 pm
Nothing Helps the Earth Like a Tree
Moderator: Baker Morrow, Professor of Practice of Landscape Architecture, University of New Mexico
Shannon Horst, Tree New Mexico
Sean O’Neill, City Forester, City of Albuquerque
Joran Viers, ISA Certified Master Arborist, Legacy Tree Company, and former Albuquerque City Forester
Our subject is trees and the role they play in making cities livable, beautiful, and functional. What functions do they serve in their natural habitat (forests and woodlands), and how do they make towns and cities better living environments for people and animals? What very useful roles do organizations like Tree New Mexico, the Native Plant Society, and the American Society of Landscape Architects play in encouraging homeowners and others to plant trees for shade, cooling, and improved urban quality? How do we properly water and care for urban trees, and which species are likely to thrive in increasingly harsh climate conditions? How do trees work in an urban landscape along with shrubs, ground covers, vines, and other plants to create a good city environment?
Ongoing Demonstrations
Nothing Helps the Earth Like a Tree
Moderator: Baker Morrow, Professor of Practice of Landscape Architecture, University of New Mexico
Tree Planting: Join forestry experts as they plant new trees while teaching proper planting procedures. Demonstrations will be next to the Sid Cutter statue on north side of Sid Cutter Pavilion.
Induction Cooktop: Learn how easy it is to use induction cooktops. Local chefs, including chefs from the Street Food Institute (12:00 pm) and David Ruiz, Executive Chef at Scalo (1:00 pm) will demonstrate the unparalleled temperature precision and speed of induction cooking. Cooking demonstrations will be in the Sid Cutter Pavilion, southwest corner of the exhibit area starting at 10:00 am.
Sponsors
PNM
Goodman
Folkman
BernCo Commissioner Baca
BernCo Commissioner Benson
SunState Solar
Sandia Labs
Nusenda
Gardenswartz
US Eagle
Affordable Solar
Sierra Club
Santa Fe Ski Area
Taos Ski Area
Commissioner Olivas
350 New Mexico, Stefi Weisburd
Vendors
- Fiesta Subaru
- BMW/Mini
- Tesla Dealerships
- Tesla Owners Club of New Mexico
- Sports Systems
- Magpie Motors Affordable Pre-owned EV’s
- New Mexico Department of Transportation
- LOBOmotorsports
- In Pizza We Trust
- Root 66 Food Truck
- Asian Fusion Truck LLC
- Cereal Infused Ice Cream
- Shake It Up Lemonade
- Crystal Springs Water
- Carol Woodworth
- Tami Sioux
- Pea Garr
- Robert Archuleta
- Cynthia Sax
- Mariposa Mana
- Cynthia Cook
- Morning Snow Designs
- Khmogen Design
- Kenny Chavez
- Expedia Cruise
- Ocotillo Solar
- Meraki Solar
- Solar Works and Energy
- Whitney Plumbing
- McCabe_Woodcock Inc
- Hi-Tech Heating & Cooling
- The Semilla Project
- Sustainability Studies Project
- Talking Talons Youth Leadership
- Save the Children Action Network
- Moms Clean Air Force
- New Mexico Public Education Department
- Stormwater/Keep the Rio Grande
- WildEarth Guardians
- NM Climate Center
- Green Latinos
- Gabrielle’s Greenery
- Body & Brain Yoga Tai Chi
- Passages
- Natural Burial NM
- Healthy Climate NM
- Rio Grande Community Farms
- Tres Hermann’s Refugee Farm
- Culligan Water
- NM ALSA
- Clean Energy Credit Union
- Groundworks Studio
- Backyard Refuge
- Tree NM
- Let’s Plant ABQ
- Ciudad Soil & Water
- Sandia Green Clean
- BernCo Open Space
- Arid Lid
- Little Green Bucket
- Lifetime Green Coatings
- Water Advocates NM in Middle Rio Grande
- NM Gas Co.
- PNM New Homes Program
- Flawless Results Windows Doors and More
- NM Mortgage Finance Authority
- Second Nature Solutions, LLC
- Energy Smart Academy at SFCC
- BernCo Public Art
- City of Albuquerque Solid Waste Department
- Energy Minerals and Natural Resources Department
- City of Albuquerque Parks and Recreation Department
- ABQ Ride
- City of Albuquerque Sustainability Department
- New Mexico General Services Department
- New Mexico Economic Development Department
- City of Albuquerque Animal Welfare Department
- US Forest Service SW Region
- Lap Dog Rescue of NM
- US Bureau of Indian Affairs
- Great Southwest Council
- Santuario de Karuna
- NM Volunteers for the Outdoors
- New Mexico Wild
- New Mexico Environment Department
This Earth Day, Move Another Way
Ditch the car for Earth Day and ride to the Earth Day Festival at Balloon Fiesta Park! We'll start from Montgomery Park and ride up the diversion channel, enjoy the fair and return to the starting point. There is no cost to participate in the bike ride. A road-suitable bike and helmet are required. Tire sealant and bike lock are strongly recommended. Bring snacks, water and any necessary health and comfort items you may need during the ride. Esperanza Bicycle Safety Education Center will provide bike valet service at the Festival.
