Happy Earth Day everyone! With the growing concern for our environment, and the persuasion of some highly influential public figures, "going green" is foremost in many people's minds. Today is a good day to starting acting on those little flickers of conscience you keep having.

One of the ways you can do your part is to adjust your spring-cleaning routine. We've all heard of the chemical scare concerning the bisphenol-A content in our water containers, baby bottles, etc. But what about the chemicals under your sink? Many of the traditional cleaning solutions contain high levels of toxins, which contribute to the declining health of our planet (think run-off into our water systems, aerosols, petroleum-based products, etc.).

The next obvious question to ask is how these products affect our own health. Chronic asthma and other respiratory problems can escalate when aggravated by household chemicals. Same goes for skin conditions reactant to air borne chemicals. And the fumes! The fumes do much more than making an oven scrub a "flying good time".

Here's a summary of this week's literary events in Toronto, including this year's Canada Council Heritage Series, which features some of Canada's best science fiction and fantasy authors.

Tuesday, April 22nd:

Michael Eric Dyson, one of the most influential Black American authors, speaks about Martin Luther King's legacy 40 years after his death. The author of 16 books, including Debating Race, Holler if You Hear Me: Searching for Tupac Shakur and Why I Love Black Women, Dyson is making a rare Toronto appearance to talk about the "Promised Land" King spoke of in his final speech. Presented by A Different Booklist & The Centre for Urban Schooling.
University of Toronto, Earth Sciences Auditorium. 6:30pm. Free.

Kelley Armstrong, the author of the wildly popular Otherworld series, will read from her latest novel, Personal Demon, the sexy, action-packed story of a half-demon tabloid journalist and her adventures in crime. Also catch a sneak preview of her next novel, The Summoning. Q&A to follow. Part of this week's ongoing Canada Council Heritage Series, presented by the Toronto Public Library.
Eatonville Branch. 7pm. Free.

Join us as world renowned authors Jhumpa Lahiri, author of Unaccustomed Earth, and Michael Ondaatje, author of Divisadero, take the stage to present their latest books. Lewis DeSoto hosts. Part of the International Readings at Harbourfront series.
Harbourfront Centre Brigantine Room. 7:30pm. $8.

National Poetry Month continues, with a multitude of readings going on across the nation (across the continent really, it's the Academy of American Poets month to celebrate, too).

Tuesday, April 15th:

Rick Blechta will give a lecture entitled "It's Not Whodunnit, it's Howhedunnit!", where he dishes the dirt behind the creation of his new crime novel, A Case of You. This is Rick's new library program for fans as opposed to aspiring writers.
Runnymede Branch. 7-9pm. Free.

Johanna Skibsrud, author of Late Nights With Wild Cowboys, and Karen Houle, author of During, are reading tonight at the Draft Reading Series. Also appearing are Kate Marshall Flaherty and Catherine Graham.
Soma Restaurant & Lounge. 8pm. $5 (includes a copy of DRAFT).

The Art Bar Poetry Reading Series presents Paul Wilson, Elizabeth Rhett Woods and The PoetiKs.
Clinton's. 8pm. Free (donations accepted).

Come out for the Coffeehouse Cabaret Open Stage featuring music, spoken word, and comedy. Hosted by Shawn Sage.
Renaissance Cafe. Sign up is at 8:30pm, show starts at 9pm. Free.

LOTS of stuff going on this week, with continuing events celebrating National Poetry Month, and a TINARS-a-thon.

Tuesday, April 8th:

Celebrate the launch of Roman Dress and the Fabrics of Roman Culture, a creative non-fiction volume edited by Jonathan Edmondson and Alison Keith, investigating the social symbolism and cultural poetics of dress in the ancient Roman world in the period from 200 BCE to 400 CE.
Trinity College, Provost Lodge. 6-8pm.

Join Indigo for an on stage interview with author and U of T business prof Richard Florida about his latest book, Who's Your City. Book signing to follow.
Indigo Bay & Bloor. 7pm. Free.

How do we learn to identify the "fun" in family dysfunction? At the Canadian launch of her much celebrated memoir, House Rules, author Rachel Sontag will have a spirited on-stage conversation about overcoming a decidedly zany, traumatic upbringing with Damian Rogers, Arts & Lifestyle Editor at EYE Weekly. A TINARS event.
Gladstone Hotel Melody Bar. 7:30pm (doors 7pm). Free.

If you love poetry, then listen up, man.
April is National Poetry Month.
Readings, workshops, parties and slams.
...
Dammit! There's nothing that rhymes with month.

Tuesday, April 1st:

Throughout the month of April, The League of Canadian Poets will be featuring several renowned poets, as part of this year's National Poetry Month. Come out for the official launch, a meet and mingle reception with poetry readings, a question and answer session moderated by Martin Levin, as well as the announcement of the shortlist for the Gerald Lampert Award and the Pat Lowther Award. Canada's Poet Laureate John Steffler, as well as other notable poets, will be reading.
Ben McNally Books. RIGHT NOW! It started at 9am. Free.

Are you ready to kick off your penny loafers and rock out to a book? Celebrated author Ibi Kaslik will perform a musical piece based on The Angel Riots, her highly anticipated new novel about the fleeting nature of indie rock stardom in Canada. Also performing is Apostle of Hustle. Senior Editor of EYE WEEKLY, Stuart Berman, hosts this TINARS event.
Gladstone Hotel Ballroom. 7pm. Free.

Celebrate the launch of Stan Dragland's newest novel, The Drowned Lands. It tells the coming-of-age story of three young friends, set in a small Ontario town in the early 1900s.
Supermarket. 7:30pm. Free.

Some really great historically/politically motivated works are being launched this week, including William Dalrymple's book The Last Mughal: The Eclipse of a Dynasty, 1857, and Daoud Hari's memoir The Translator. And for the not-so-serious (young adult) reader, this weekend marks the annual Ad Astra conference, featuring sci-fi writers like husband-wife duo Kevin J. Anderson and Rebecca Moesta.

Tuesday, March 25th:

Java Knights presents a public forum with five guest appearances from Toronto's gay and lesbian community. Jeffrey Round, Todd Klinck, Donald D'Haene, Pat Capponi and Debra Anderson will all be reading from their books, which will be followed by a moderated panel discussion and audience questions. Author's books will be available for purchase and signing afterwards. This will be the first gay Book Slam in the world!
Gladstone Hotel Art Bar. 7-9pm. Free.

Jeff Latosik, Pier Giorgio Di Cicco (Toronto's Poet Laureate) and Ariel Platt are reading at tonight's Art Bar Poetry Series.
Clinton's. 8pm. Free (voluntary donations appreciated).

The West End reading series/cabaret FREE SPEECH proudly showcases the prose, poetry, spoken word, comedy, storytelling and songwriting of Parkdale-High Park based writers and performers. The March installment features novelist Ray Robertson, poet Karen Solie and actor/writer Maev Beaty. Songwriter of the month is guitar wiz Andy Sheppard. As usual, FREE SPEECH is hosted by Johan Hultqvist.
Tinto. 7pm. Free.