For More Information Contact:
John Mitchell, 341-8539 (office) or 954-7528 (cell)
Eugene Water & Electric Board

April 10, 2006

Earth Day Celebration 2006 focuses on sustainability

In the dictionary, the word “sustainable” is defined as the ability to “nourish, keep up and prolong.”

All of those definitions apply to this year’s theme of Earth Day Celebration 2006: “Sustainability Is Food For Thought.”  The annual event is scheduled for Saturday, April 22 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. in Eugene Water & Electric Board’s River's Edge Plaza.

This year’s event will feature ways to achieve a sustainable lifestyle, focusing on agriculture, energy, transportation and many other aspects of sustainable living.

Starting at 11 a.m. on the plaza stage with a welcome by Eugene Mayor Kitty Piercy, Earth Day Celebration 2006 will also feature live musical entertainment, educational booths and more.

At 12:30, a tour of the Emerald People’s Utility District Short Mountain Methane Power Plant will embark from EWEB Headquarters, allowing participants to see how EPUD creates electricity from garbage gas that would otherwise contribute to global warming.

For those who love a parade, a highlight of the day's events is the Procession of All Species at 2 p.m., a celebration of the natural world to honor the myriad of life forms on Earth. The procession is open to all who dress up to represent their favorite animal, vegetable, mineral or ecosystem. Local musicians Samba Ja will lead the fun with Brazilian music and percussion rhythms.

Earth Day Celebration 2006 also features the Earth Action Arena, where non-profit, environmental and community organizations host a variety of educational booths and displays. The Earth Action Arena presents information, hands-on activities and demonstrations related to local, regional and global issues and will showcase local efforts to understand and implement sustainable practices.

The John H. Baldwin Film and Lecture Series will provide three rooms full of lecture, film and workshops. The “Food and Farm” exhibit will feature local chefs cooking up food samples of delicious (and local) organic produce.

Main stage entertainment will include Manzanita from 11:50 a.m.-12:35 p.m., True North from 12:50-1:50 p.m., SILAS from 2:05-3:15 p.m. and Oonie Egghen and his Band of Tricks from 3:30-5 p.m.

Lane Transit District will provide free bus service throughout the Eugene-Springfield area on Earth Day, April 22.

Funding for the event is provided through sponsorships and general donations. This year’s sponsors include: City of Eugene, EWEB, Eugene Weekly, Lane County Waste Management, Lane Transit District, Oregon Country Fair, Emerald People’s Utility District, KMTR-TV, Schnitzer Steel, the Good Earth Home Show and Cumulus Broadcasting. 

The event is free and open to the public.  Check out www.earthdayeugene.com for more information.