This April, the calendar is packed with green goings-on that take community engagement far beyond Earth Day.

Whether you're a longtime devotee of green living, or just getting started, connecting with neighbors and local groups will help put the right resources at your fingertips. In fact, that's part of the idea that inspired local organizations to join forces in the Eco April Alignment.

"There are a lot of people who share these values of honoring community and honoring life," says John Ramer, executive director of the Interra Project, the founding organization behind Eco April. Connecting with one another, he hopes, will encourage citizens to "start aligning the way we live with our values."

So get your pen ready! Here are some of the highlights of the April calendar:

Monday, March 31

Eco April Alignment Launch

Come schmooze over snacks at Seattle City Hall, and witness the official proclamation of April as "Eco April" from Mayor Nickels and Seattle City Council. Space is limited, so please RSVP to Interra Project. More info

April 11-15 

Seattle Welcomes the Dalai Lama

Seeds of Compassion brings His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama to Seattle for five days of dialogue with community leaders. Tickets are sold out, but you can still participate online. More info

April 12-13

Seattle Green Festival

Ever wonder what it would be like if the whole city went green at once? Attend Seattle's first Green Festival and you might get an idea. Come to the Convention Center to check out local and national green businesses, hear from 150 insightful speakers, and enjoy an organic food court and beer garden ... and don't forget to stop by the A Fresh Squeeze booth to say hi! More info 

April 29

Eat Local Now!

Join BALLE Seattle and Sustainable Ballard at Ballard High School to feast on locally grown foods prepared by Seattle chefs. Tickets to this tasty fund-raiser, which promotes awareness of issues like farmland flooding and food security, have a history of selling out. More info

And that's just the tip of the iceberg! You can also attend a concert honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.; learn about alternative transportation at Green My Ride; help restore the Duwamish River and much more. To learn more about Eco-April events--and post your own--click here.