Sunny skies and warm breezes make April a pretty convenient month to celebrate Earth Day — it gets everyone in the celebration mood. Saturday, April 21 marks the worldwide celebration of Earth Day in an effort to promote environmental consciousness, spread awareness and cherish Earth's natural beauty among diverse populations 'round the globe. Following is a very non-comprehensive list of some Earth Day happenings around the city. Satisfy your green thumb and pick a way or two to celebrate his year. For more greenie-friendly events, check out the events calendar at greenumbrella.org. • Staples stores around Greater Cincinnati are holding a limited-time binder recycling program. Shoppers will receive $2 off the purchase of a new binder for every binder that they bring in to recycle. The used binders will be sent to TerraCycle for recycling. Through June 30. • The Cincinnati Zoo hosts Party for the Planet from 4-8:30 p.m. on April 19. E-waste recycling will be available and organizations from all across Cincinnati will be available to talk about how to live green. • Northside hosts “Reduce, Recycle, RUN!” on Earth Day, Sunday, April 22. The 5K race kicks off at 7:30 a.m. at Spring Grove Cemetery. Bring old running shoes to recycle of donate your cell phone for recycling and receive a coupon to the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden. • The 42nd annual Earth Day Celebration takes place Saturday, April 21 from noon to 5 p.m. at Sawyer Point. Enjoy a number of hands-on exhibits, free swag and tons of kid-friendly entertainment, including a rock climbing wall and a kayak paddle safety pool. Limited quantities of batteries and other electronics will also be accepted for free e-recycling. • Marvin’s Organic Gardens hosts Parade of Plants a free event  that will showcase a number of new, unique plants.• The Hamilton County Recycling and Solid Waste District kicks off its annual free Household Hazardous Waste Drop-Off Program on Saturday, April 21. The program, open only to Hamilton County residents, accepts a number of odd items for safe recycling, including fluorescent bulbs, propane tanks, car batteries or antifreeze. For a complete list of accepted items and location and time information, click here. • Although it comes a bit late, Building Value's ReUse-apalooza celebration doesn't miss out on the Earth Day fun. Diversions include live music, games and a silent auction featuring handcrafted items made from reused materials. Light appetizers and cash bar will be available throughout the night. 7-11 p.m. April 27. $20-$50. • Park + Vine hosts the Second Annual Earth Day Kombucha Keg Party on Friday, April 20. Visitors can sample Fab Ferment’s kombucha on tap and vegan appetizers including vegan maple bacon donuts, vegan jerky and peanut and almond butter cups. 6 to 8 p.m.  • Cocktails for a Cause will be held at Bartini's downtown on Friday, April 20. This celebration marks Aveda and the Sierra Club's annual fundraiser for clean water. Twenty percent of the bar and food sales will be donated to support clean water. The evening will include music, a fashion show and a silent auction. Tickets $20 at the door, $15 in advance. Don't feel like leaving the house to celebrate? That's OK too. Plant a tree, turn your lights off for an hour, unplug your electronics or start a compost pile. Do something!

Want to offer your two-cents on how the city of Cincinnati's 2012-13 budget should be structured? City leaders want to hear it, too. Beginning next week, there will be a series of open discussions in which citizens can voice their greatest concerns as they relate to the development of the city's newest budget plan. There are three ways to voice your opinion about the direction of the next city budget: In-person community meetings: Monday, April 16, 6:30 p.m.                 Dunham Recreation Center, 4356 Dunham Lane, Price HIll Tuesday, April 17, 6:30 p.m.         College Hill Recreation Center5545 Belmont Ave., College Hill Tuesday, April 17, 6 p.m.              The Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton CountyAvondale Branch, 3566 Reading Road, AvondaleElectronic Bulletin Boards: Answer guided discussion questions here or here. Surveys:A sample of surveys will be distributed to residents to identify budget priorities, plus there will be a survey available online. According to the city's press release, the community meetings are intended to function not as a "free-for-all" situation in which citizens take turns expressing opinions, but a civilized discussion to identify budget priorities facilitated by a third party. Once consultants assess public input and compare it to already-existing programs and initiatives, the feedback will be organized for presentation to Cincinnati City Council, which will make the ultimate decisions on 2012-13 budget priorities. Find current budget documents here.