etcetera
1. A number of unspecified additional things; 2. pl. additional items, odds and ends

BAG OF LIFE Nantucket Land Council recycling maven Elisabeth Hazell, a veteran of the war against plastic shopping bags in her hometown of Montreal, Canada, is bringing the fight to Nantucket.

On Earth Day, observed on April 22, the Land Council will give away 1,500 extra-large organic cotton grocery bags. Volunteers from the Nantucket New School will hand out the bags at Stop & Shop from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m. Bags will also be available at Annye's Whole Foods and Bartlett's Ocean View Farm that day. Hazell and the Land Council are hoping those already using reusable shopping bags will use them on Earth Day to help illuminate the damage plastic and paper bags do to the planet. One reusable bag, Hazell reminds us, will take the place of 1,000 plastic bags over the course of its lifetime. Also, the organic cotton the bags are made of is far better than conventionally grown cotton, which is grown with huge amounts of herbicides and pesticides.

LORING NATURE FOUNDATION DESIGNS TRAIL SYSTEM Asystem of walking trails and bird viewing stands for the Linda Loring Nature Foundation's 270 acres off Eel Point Road is on the table for discussion at the May 7 meeting of the Conservation Commission.

The specifics of the plan remain in flux as the foundation scrambles to provide the commission with wetland boundary and vegetation information.

Although resident naturalist and property manager Vernon Laux is hesitant to spell out the exact details of the trail system and locations of viewing blinds because he does not have a final plan to comment on, the ConCom application calls for use of existing paths and deer trails, with bird viewing blinds near Long Pond and another small pond nearby.

When the trail work is completed and the blinds in place - Laux is hoping for a completion date before summer - the trails will be open to the public, but not dogs, during daylight hours. Loring's property will eventually become an island wilderness educational center, with a barn to be built for events, classes and possibly summer programs for island children.

Loring's vision, which always centered on providing a natural world learning experience for Nantucket children through a system of walking paths, viewing blinds and an educational building, does not include deer, rabbit, duck or any other type of hunting on the property

The Linda Loring Nature Foundation was formed in 1999. The foundation hired executive director, Kathryn "Kitty" Pochman in the third week of July last year and two weeks later she hired Laux as resident naturalist and property manager.

EARTH DAY IS ON APRIL 22…FOR SOME An earlier Earth Day celebration is being coordinated by Bruce Marshall-Jones and will take place April 20 at The Loft at Bartlett Farm from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. Other events may occur at the Nantucket Atheneum courtyard and at the Universalist Unitarian Church. The theme of this year's Earth Day celebration on Nantucket incorporates the "Wave of Change" sculpture created by Nantucket students. More than 70 "eco-creatures" made by students from recycled materials will be placed all around town and at Bartlett's Farm.

Currently, many of the activities and events for Earth Day on Nantucket are still in the germination stage, but they will include face painting, a group dance inside of an Earth Dragon [similar to a Chinese dragon], along with green building and energy conservation awareness presentations.

Island businesses that wish to participate are being asked to contribute $15 toward advertising and promotion of Earth Day. Contact Bruce Marshall-Jones at info@energyindependencetoday.com or 228-2000.

PREVENT UNDERAGE DRINKING On Monday, April 14, from 4:45 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. the Alliance for Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition will sponsor a community dinner in the Nantucket High School Cafeteria at 10 Surfside Road. Everyone is invited to attend before the "Town Hall Meeting Preventing Underage Drinking" takes place from 5:50 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. in the Mary P. Walker Auditorium. The event will include a youth-led 'community briefing;'NHS poster and essay contest winners; summary of the second annual NHS YRBS results; highlights of ASAP's Substance Abuse Prevention Plan; introducing Communities Mobilizing for Change on Alcohol, with coordinator Mary Beth King; and featured guests from the Mass. Department of Public Health, Bureau of Substance Abuse Services and the Southeast Center for Healthy Communities.

HOSPICE ON CARE PLANNING In coordination with National Healthcare Decisions Day, on Wednesday, April 16 from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Hospice Care of Nantucket will present an informational talk on how to make plans for health care. The free presentation by Hospice Executive Director Charlene Thurston in the hospital board room will provide information and tools for people to make it easier to discuss their wishes with family, friends and healthcare providers. Participants will also learn how to write advance directives about their care, such as for living wills or healthcare proxies, in accordance with state laws. These resources are available at hospiceofnantucket.

org and other Web sites or by calling the Hospice office at 825-8325. I