The 43rd annual Earth Day is Sunday, and Southwest Colorado will celebrate it with several environment-minded events. They include an expo at the La Plata County Fairgrounds, two running events and a film festival.

The first Earth Day was held April 22, 1970, the brainchild of U.S. Sen. Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin.

He’d seen the Vietnam War protests and wondered whether people would organize to protect the environment.

It was basically a grass-roots movement, and it took off from the get-go.

Earth Day is now observed in more than 175 countries. Three years ago, the United Nations declared April 22 to be International Mother Earth Day.

Locally, this year’s events will include:

Four Corners Green Living Expo will be held Saturday and Sunday at the Fairgrounds, with other spinoff events taking place. The expo bills itself as “showcasing the latest and greatest green products and services dedicated to making the world a better place while promoting a better life through smarter living.”

More than 75 exhibits are expected, with workshops, seminars, an interactive children’s section, food and events. Visit www.4cornersgreenliving.com for more information about the expo and the Homesteader’s Faire.

The Homesteader’s Faire is being held in conjunction with the Green Living Expo and will be held at the Exhibit Hall at the Fairgrounds. Do-it-yourself workshops feature brick-making, knitting, canning, beer- and wine-making and more.

Also in conjunction with the expo, the second annual Spring Chicken Chase Race, a 4.3-mile run, will begin at 9 a.m. Sunday at the Fairgrounds. A 1-mile fun run will begin at 9:30 a.m. The run is being held by the Fort Lewis College Environmental Center and Local First. To register, visit www.local-first.org.

The Sustainability Alliance of Southwest Colorado will host the Sustainable Living Film Festival from 4 to 9:30 p.m. Friday at The Back Space Theatre, 1120 Main Ave. Several films will be shown, with community discussion to be held after. For more information, visit www.4cornersgreenliving.com/sasco-film.html.

On Saturday, Durango Nature Studies is holding the Earth Day 5K and 1-mile fun run in the For the Birds parking lot next to Rotary Park. The race will begin at 11 a.m. Each participant will receive a free entry ticket to the Green Living Expo. Race forms can be downloaded at www.durangonaturestudies.org/earthday.htm.