The Brown Tree Snake is an invasive species in the state of Hawaii. In Guam, the snake is believed to have been accidentally introduced hidden in cargo and has decimated bird populations there. Photo from dlnr.hawaii.gov/hisc.

What do the Africanized Honey Bee, Brown Tree Snake, Cattails, Coqui Frogs and Wood Rose have in common? They are all considered high-profile invasive species in Hawaii.

If you spot one of them, you should report it right away to the Pest Hotline at 808-643-PEST. You can also report a pest online and find all the information you need at Hawaii's new one-stop shop website at dlnr.hawaii.gov/hisc.

Coqui frogs have invaded the Big Island. From dlnr.hawaii.gov/hisc.

The Hawaii Invasive Species Council and University of Hawaii launched the new website, which also details funded projects, reports to the state legislature and Hawaii's coqui frog management plan.

Invasive species are a big problem in Hawaii due to the state's geographic isolation. Hawaii's native plant and animal species (those that arrived here naturally via wind, waves and birds) have little defense against competitive species.

The results can be really destructive to Hawaii's natural ecosystem. Miconia, an invasive plant from South America, for example, overtakes forests and prevents the growth of other plants, causing erosion. The Brown Tree Snake decimated bird populations on Guam. If you've been on the Big Island at dusk, you've probably heard the chorus of Coqui frogs, which chirrup annoyingly from dusk to dawn, but also disrupt the balance of vulnerable native ecosystems.

While the Brown Tree Snake is not known to be present in Hawaii at this time, eight were discovered in the state between 1981 and 1998, mostly likely carried here in civilian and military vehicles or cargo from Guam.

The Wood Rose, with its yellow flowers, can be seen in many Hawaii yards, but the woody, climbing vine is considered invasive and chokes and smothers plants.

Click here to see a quick list of invasives in Hawaii.

Sometimes it takes a film to knock us out of our apathy and environmental ennui.

Knowledge in Motion brings the Wild & Scenic Environmental Film Festival — A Climate of Change to Doris Duke Theatre from 5 to 9 p.m. on Saturday, June 1.

The festival offers 14 great, eye-opening films, along with live music by the Matty McIntire Project, ono local food by The Hawaiian Chef, an art and book sale, door prizes and more.

The films to be showcased at the Doris Duke Theatre (900 S. Beretania St., enter from Kinau St.) include

>>Seeds of Freedom narrated by Jeremy Irons, tells of story of how global agriculture has been changed with conflicts of interest and control of the food economy. Includes interview with Vandana Shiva, who says seeds are at the center or reproducing the culture of life.

>> The Last Ice Merchant a documentary filmed in Ecuador about a man who for the last five decades has made a living harvesting glacial ice in Ecuador.

>> The Water Tower by Pete McBride. Set in central Kenya, film tells the story of Mt. Kenya, home to a local water god and vial to providing the nation's water supply.

>> Scars of Freedom by Celine Cousteau. The story of efforts to save an entangled humpback whale with a net that had cut halfway through the left side of her tail.

>> and others.

Tickets are $12 general, $10 museum members. All ticket purchasers will receive a copy of "Facing Hawai‘i's Future" and "Hawai‘i Wildlife Viewing Guide." Visit honolulumuseum.org or click on this link for more information.

Lee and Arne are among 12 semi-finalists whittled down from 200 entrants. The public can vote for the top three finalists until May 23 at www.wildkingdom.com/nextwildguide.

In his video, Lee  — animal lover, adventurer and educator — says "My lifelong goal is to help wildlife and help people around the world appreciate them and their natural habitats."

Action speaks louder than words, according to Lee. He leaps along Oahu's rocky shoreline, tags an iguana, catches a mongoose, rescues a sea turtle with a hook in its mouth and teaches the public about how Hawaiian monk seals need to be given space to sunbathe on the shoreline.

Arne is also full of action. She kayaks, jumps into the ocean from a boat, climbs along the shoreline and introduces us to ring-tailed lemurs and how they groom one another. She takes us to the Oahu rainforest to look for Jackson chameleons — she's a great educator, showing us how their eyes can move independently and how they communicate through color.

Looks like they have some stiff competition from around the nation. Good luck to both of them!

Makayla Rose Golden, 6, of Mauka Lani Elementary School, penned a winning poem about a mountain apple tree. Courtesy photo..

Congratulations to the newly minted tree poets who participated in the Wordsworth the Poet "Poe-TREE Contest."

The contest, sponsored by Watermark Publishing and author Frances H. Kakugawa, was open to writers from kindergarten through 12th grade.

Two winners were selected from each grade division (K-5, 6-8, and 9-12). You can read their poems at blog.bookshawaii.net.

Poems were judged for creativity, poetic merit and how well they conveyed what makes the trees special to the students. In Kakugawa's book  "Wordsworth! Stop the Bulldozer!" ($10.95) young mice campaign to save the trees in their community by writing poems that remind neighbors about the special qualities of the trees around them.

The six contest winners — Makayla Rose Molden, Eli Wolfe, Cindy Tsou, Emerson Goo, Sophie Corless and Zoe Edelman Brier — received copies of Wordsworth series books, a gardening tool kit and Koa Legacy Tree from the Hawaiian Legacy Reforestation Initiative, donated by Hawaiian Legacy Hardwoods.

Here's a sample of the winning poetry.

Eli Wolfe, 5, from University Laboratory School, loves to climb banyan trees and write poetry.

K-5 Winners

Eli Wolfe, 5, University Laboratory School

I like to climb the

Banyan tree

at Barwick.

I can climb to

the sky.

You should try it too

someday.

It is so fun.

Makayla Rose Molden, 6, Mauka Lani Elementary

The Mountain Apple tree is yummy to me.

The fruit is up so high to knock it down is a game I try.

I collect the fruit and make apple pie.

Students from Kamehameha Schools teamed up with the Waikiki Aquarium to clear invasive algae (Avrainvillea amadelpha, or leather mudweed) from the ocean on Friday, April 19. Photo courtesy Waikiki Aquarium.

Today is Earth Day, and while we will all be extra conscious today about being good to the earth, ask yourself: What can we do the rest of the year? Earth Day is a great marketing opportunity, but it's really the lifestyle changes that we make on a daily basis that will make a positive impact.

While participating in a beach cleanup with Sustainable Coastlines Hawaii on Saturday, the thought occurred to me that we all should be doing this every time we go to the beach, rather than as part of an organized cleanup. Note to self: Get out to the beach more often.

After scouring the coastline, we found mostly cigarette butts, but also picked up pieces of rope, some plastic debris, some carnations that could biodegrade but didn't really belong on the beach — and nestled in the naupaka bushes, a whole hibachi grill top and a couple of beer bottles.

Picking up cigarette butts during a recent Earth Day beach cleanup was the biggest "pain in the butt." Star-Advertiser file photo.

Picking up cigarette butts was the biggest pain, to be honest. They're usually buried in the sand, and can be big or small — but it's particularly gross to think that it was in someone's mouth, even more off-putting to see someone's lipstick rimmed around the remaining butt.

The beach is not a giant sand tray, and those butts contain plastic and chemicals that shouldn't be leaching into the sand, nor our oceans. It's about time that we passed a law banning smoking at East Honolulu  beach parks (including Kuhio, Kapiolani, Ala Moana and Sandy). Let's hope they get to enforcing it soon.

While today was Earth Day, there are more events this month:

>> 3 to 4 p.m. on Wednesday, April 24 at the Hawaii State Capitol Auditorium: Dr. Axel Timmerman, professor of Physical Oceanography at the University of Hawaii, presents "Fifteen Frequently Asked Questions on Climate Change." Talk is followed by a screening of "The Island President" (directed by John Shenk) from 4 to 5:30 p.m. The documentary film tells the story of President Mohamed Nasheed of the Maldives, which is faced with the threat of sea level rise, making its isles uninhabitable.

President Mohamed Nasheed of the M aldives confronts a problem greater than any other world leader has ever faced — the literal survival of his country and everyone in it in the face of sea level rise. Courtesy photo.

>> 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, April 27: Manoa Public Library holds a "recycled reads" book sale including books, CDs and DVDs. All proceeds benefit the Manoa Library.

>> 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Monday, April 29 at the University of Hawaii at Manoa Architecture auditorium. Dr. Magnus Engwall, professor of ecotoxicology at Orebro University in Sweden, discusses his research on persistent organic pollutants and what he has found on plastic marine debris from Hawaii's beaches. His lecture is titled: "Assessing the toxicity of plastic marine debris & harm to marine life." Free. Visit www.b-e-a-c-h.org/lectureseries.html

Earth Day is Monday, April 22. Illustration from earthdaycentral.com.

So much to do, so much to learn about, during Earth month 2013.

In case you don't know the history, Earth Day, originally founded on April 22, 1970 by Gaylord Nelson, a U.S. Senator from Wisconsin, is celebrated every year. It seems to have evolved in past years to Earth Month, as many community groups plan events throughout April.

Of course, Earth Day should be every day.

Opportunities abound, whether you want to participate in a beach cleanup, catch a movie about the history of the environmental movement or learn more about the impact of marine debris on humpback whales. Set up a worm compost or get a haircut supporting the cause of clean water.

The following is a sample of just a few Earth Day events planned this month in Hawaii (There's lots happening on Saturday, April 20):

Earth Day beach cleanup and celebration

>> 9:30 a.m. to noon, Saturday, April 20 at beaches spanning from Sandy Beach to Pyramid Rock. Show up at the beach accesss of choice to sign in. Supplies provided. Visit sustainablecoastlineshawaii.org.

>> Noon to 4:30 p.m., Saturday, April 20, enjoy an Earth Day Celebration at Sea Life Park’s Makapu‘u Meadows with games, guest speakers and live music. Admission is $5 for beach cleanup volunteers. Those who did not volunteer can bring an empty Coca-Cola product to be recycled at the ticket booth for a 50-percent discount admission of $15 for adults; $12 ages 3 to 11. Sea Life Park is at 41-202 Kalanianaole Highway. Visit www.sealifeparkhawaii.com.

Grow Hawaiian Festival

>> 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday, April 20 at Bishop Museum, 1525 Bernice St. Learn kapa making, lauhala weaving, laau lapaau (healing with plants), get information on energy conservation, enjoy keiki learning activities, musical entertainment and hula. Free admission for kamaaina and military with valid I.D. Call 543-7511 or visit growhawaiian.heco.com.

Honolulu Zoo Earth Day

>> 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday, April 20 at Honolulu Zoo, 151 Kapahulu Ave. Family friendly Earth Day celebration will offer educational posters, coloring books and keiki activities. Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary booth will share information about humpback whales, the disentanglement program and children’s marine science activities. Zoo admission required. ($14 adults, $6 children 3 to 12, kamaaina and military rates available). Visit www.honoluluzoo.org.

Green Saturday at Manoa Public Library

>> 10 a.m. to noon, Saturday, April 20 at Manoa Public Library, 2716 Woodlawn Dr. Malama Manoa demonstrates how tumbler and worm composters work, along with an exhibit of popular chicken types. There will also be giveaways of kalo, ti and ko. Enjoy recyclable craft activities for all ages. Bring a HI-5 can or bottle to receive a “Lucky Draw” raffle ticket. Free. By the way, if you walk or bike to Manoa Public Library from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Earth Day, April 22, you get a free DVD rental and Lucky Draw ticket. Call 988-0459 for more information.

Windward Mall Presents "Face of Climate Change"

>> 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 20 at Windward Mall. Earth Day activities, educational booths and eco-friendly crafts provided by local community organizations. Learn about climate change, ocean sciences and more. The Nature Conservancy presents keiki poster contest awards. Performances by Halau Hula o Leilehua and concert featuring Taimane Gardner.

Earth Day at Pearl Harbor

>> 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, April 20 at Hickam Harbor Marina on Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam. Free. Participate in Earth Day kids’ games, learn about boating safety, humpback whales and the disentanglement program. Special guest appearance by “Coastie” the friendly Coast Guard  boat. Open to Navy Exchange patrons and those that can obtain access to the base. Free. Call 449-5215 or visit www.hookelenews.com.

Screening of "A Fierce Green Fire"

>> 1 p.m., 4 p.m., 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 20 at Doris Duke Theatre, 900 S. Beretania St. Screening of "A Fierce Green Fire: The Battle for a Living Planet," directed by Mark Kitchell. Documentary covers the broad scope of environmental history, exploring both grassroots and global activism from 1960s to the present. Celebrity interviews include Robert Redford, Meryl Street and Ashley Judd. Shows again at 1 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 23. Buy tickets online ($10,$8 museum members).

Family Film Sunday: "For the Beauty of the Earth"

>> 11:10 a.m. on Sunday, April 21 at Doris Duke Theatre, 900 S. Beretania St. Screening of "For the Beauty of the Earth," (54 minutes, ages 8 and up) a collection of live action and animated shorts from around the world about our ever-changing planet. Program is designed to make kids think, ask question and come up with new ways to honor Mother Earth. Buy tickets online ($10,$8 museum members).

Nature at Ho‘omaluhia Botanical Garden

>> 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Sunday, April 21 at Ho‘omaluhia Botanical Garden, 45-680 Luluku Rd. in Kaneohe. The garden invites you to hike in the wetlands, catch and release a fish, meet an endangered waterbird and enjoy a picnic lunch. Free. Call 233-7323.

Earth Day Reef Awareness Weekend

>> 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday, April 21 at Haleiwa Harbor. Sea Shepherd Conservation Society  invites volunteers welcome to participate in a beach cleanup in front of Jameson's restaurant. Divers are also welcome (but must sign up in advance at hawaii@seashepherd.org). Free air will be provided by Deep Ecology Dive Shop. The Earth Day Reef Defense Launch Party takes place from 6 to 9 p.m. at the dive shop, with a 7 p.m. presentation from local reef expert Rene Umberger titled "Full Tanks & Empty Reefs — The Impacts of Hawaii's Reef Wildlife Trade."

Composting with worms

>> 7 p.m., Sunday, April 21 at Nu‘uanu Congregational Church, 2651 Pali Highway. Nu‘uanu Congregational Church's "Ulu Wai Ministry" invites you to a presentation by worm guru Ralph Rhoads from Bellingham, Washington. Rhoads shares the who, what, when, where and why about worm composting. The first 15 guests to sign up will get a free, green gift. Reservations required. Contact Velma at kimoment2@hawaiiantel.net or 595-3135.

Global Cut-A-Thon for Clean Water

>> 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday April 22 at Ho‘ala Salon & Spa, an Aveda Lifestyle Salon and Spa at Ala Moana Center. Money raised from the Aveda Global Cut-A-Thon will go towards charities working on clean water initiatives. $30 donation for a 30-minute haircut (no blow dry). Make an appointment at 947-6141. Also, small plants will be on sale, with proceeds benefiting the Surfrider Foundation, Hawaii chapters.

Lecture: Marine Debris in Hawaii's Whales and Dolphins

>> 6:30 to 8 pm., Monday, April 22 at the University of Hawaii at Manoa Architecture auditorium. Brenda Jensen, associate professor of biology at Hawaii Pacific University, presents “POPs and Marine Debris in Hawaii’s Whales and Dolphins,” including her team’s recent findings and research measuring persistent organic pollutants and marine debris in marine mammals. Free. Visit www.b-e-a-c-h.org/lectureseries.html.

NEIGHBOR ISLES

Kauai

Earth Day Concert

>> 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday, April 21: Enjoy "Ground Zero," an Earth Day Concert at Lydgate Park on Kauai. The public is invited to learn about the A‘ole GMO movement. Listen to the Sacred Earth Choir, Love Tribe, Maz and the Mystic Bee at 3 p.m. followed by a potluck at 5 p.m. Visit the Ohana O Kauai Facebook page or call 808-652-6139 for more information. Free, with suggested donation of $10.

Hawaii island

25th annual earth fair

>> 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Friday, April 19 at Hawai‘i Community College in Hilo. Free parking at the Manono Campus, 1175 Manono St. Free and open to the public.

More than 50 exhibits will be on hand at the 25th annual earth fair at Hawai‘i Community College. Enjoy hula, a trash fashion show, garden tours, live music by Ras Sparrow, Bill Rodriguez-Kawia, and Positive Motion and a presentation of “The Life Cycle of a Plastic Bottle.” The college’s Forest TEAM Program and Agriculture Program is donating more than 1,000 free native tree seedlings and edible plants. Visit hawaii.hawaii.edu/eday.

Hot off the press: Hui O Koolaupoko's "Hawai‘i Residential Rain Garden Manual" is out.

It's available for download at this link or also from Hui O Koolaupoko for $20.

The manual offers homeowners the information they need to build a rain garden to capture and infiltrate storm water from their property. Rain gardens — flat-bottomed depressions in the ground that capture excess water and pollutants from rooftops, driveways, sidewalks, parking lots and streets — are low-cost, effective ways to participate in ocean protection.

Students recently built a rain garden on the slopes of Hawaii Pacific University's windward campus next to the Nursing Annex.

Cities like Seattle actually offer a rebate for installing cisterns and rain gardens.

Ko‘olaupoko residents are also eligible to participate in Hui O Koolaupoko's Rain Garden Co-op program, which covers the costs for rain garden materials and recruits volunteers to build one at your home. Visit their website for more information.

Sea Life Park hosts an Earth Day Celebration on Saturday, April 20, with educational booths and a concert. Volunteers who help with a beach cleanup of East Oahu shores that morning get $5 admission to the fair and park. Photo courtesy Sea Life Park.

Another broad-sweeping beach cleanup and Earth Day Celebration is planned at Sea Life Park on Saturday, April 20.

Sustainable Coastlines Hawaii is hosting a large-scale beach cleanup on the East shores of Oahu. Volunteers are invited to help clean up beaches ranging from Sandy Beach to Makapu‘u, Kaiwi Coastline, Waimanalo Beach Park, Sherwoods, Bellows, Lanikai, Kailua, Kalama Beach Park, Shorebreaks and Pyramid Rock. Volunteers should show up to the beach access of choice at 9:30 a.m. Gloves, trash bags, sunscreen and water will be provided.

All volunteers are invited to Sea Life Park from noon to 4:30 p.m. (for a special $5 admission fee) to enjoy an Earth Day Celebration with games, guest speakers, educational displays, face painting and live music by local performers (Summer, The Urchinz, HI Remedy and Shawn Kaua‘awa-Mokuahi Garnett).

If you aren't able to volunteer that morning, you may also bring in an empty Coca-Cola can to be recycled, and get a discount admission of $15 for adults, $12 for children 3 to 11.

Sustainable Coastline Hawaii's mission is "inspiring local communities to care for their coastlines through hands-on beach cleanups of the Hawaiian islands."

Sea Life Park hosts an Earth Day Celebration from noon to 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 20. Admission is $5 for volunteers who participate in a beach cleanup of East Oahu shorelines organized by Sustainable Coastlines Hawaii earlier that morning. Photo courtesy Sea Life Park.

Pacific Corporate Solutions is offering to recycle your ewaste for free at various locations in April. Image courtesy of science.howstuffworks.com

Recycling your ewaste – or electronic waste – is one simple step you can take to commemorate Earth Day on Monday, April 22. Recycling ewaste prevents lead from entering our landfills.
Pacific Corporate Solutions will take e-waste at the following locations in April:

>> 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, April 6: Pearl City Highlands Elementary School, 1419 Waimano Home Rd. parking lot

>> 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, April 13: Kailua Intermediate School, 147 S Kainalu Dr. parking lot

>> 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, April 20: Kahala Mall, 4211 Waialae Ave. Macy's parking lot along Kilauea Ave., Kapolei Shopping Center, 590 Farrington Hwy , Safeway parking lot along Farrington Hwy and DOE - Auxilary Service Branch, 1037 S. Beretania St. parking lot. Entrance on Young Street.

Pacific Corporate Solutions will take obsolete or unwanted electronics including monitors, computers, laptops, printers, fax machines, servers and telecom equipment of all  brands. No TVs, microwaves or alkaline batteries accepted . Call 488-8872 for more information.

Alternative transportation is one way to combat climate change, as demonstrated by this father in the Philippines. Visit www.earthday.org/2103 to see more photos from "The Face of Climate Change" project by Earth Day Network.

Earth Day is on Monday, April 22.

This year, the Earth Day Network, founded by the organizers of the first Earth Day on April 22, 1970, has launched a project called "The Face of Climate Change."

People are sending in photos of what they're doing to address climate change all over the globe. The images submitted, so far, include everything from a mountaineer at Mount Cook, New Zealand, to a father driving an electric vehicle in the Philippines. Ederly residents at a LEED-certified Assisted Living facility in New York also sent in a photo, holding a sign that says: "The Face of Climate Change." To see the photo of the day, click here.

The faces of Climate Change in Fiji. From Earth Day Network's "The Face of Climate Change" project. www.earthday.org/2013.

So far, I haven't found any photos from Hawaii. I know we're taking positive action here, as well, whether it's investing in solar PV, building a rain garden or opting to bike instead of drive. Let's put Hawaii on the map, folks!

Go to www.earthday.org/2103 to upload a photo.

If you're interested in making positive change or celebrating Earth Day, here are a list of events:

>> Saturday, April 13: Celebrate the sixth annual Mauka to Makai Environmental Expo from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. the Waikiki Aquarium. Enjoy ocean-related arts and crafts for the keiki, along with educational displays, free native plants courtesy of HECO and a sea urchin release at 11:30 a.m. Free admission. Sponsored by the city and state department of health.

>> Saturday, April 20: Sustainable Coastlines Hawaii hosts a beach cleanup and Earth Day Fair. Meet at 9 a.m. for a beach cleanup of beaches stretching from Makapuu to Kaneohe Marie Corps Base Hawaii. Show up at your beach of choice and supplies will be provided. Beach cleanup is from 9 a.m. to noon. Afterwards, volunteers get $5 admission to the Earth Day Fair from noon to 5 p.m. at Sea Life Park, which will offer keiki games, prizes, live music, food and interactive green booths. Visit Sustainable Coastlines Hawaii.

>> Sunday, April 21: Enjoy an Earth Day Concert at Lydgate Park on Kauai. The public is invited to learn about the A‘ole GMO movement. Listen to the Sacred Earth Choir, Love Tribe, Maz and the Mystic Bee at 3 p.m. followed by a potluck at 5 p.m. Visit the Ohana O Kauai Facebook page for more information.

Building a garden in New Orleans. From "The Face of Climate Change." www.earthday.org/2013