Green Apple Festival and Earth Day Network gearing up for special events

Earth Day Network and Green Apple Festival have announced their 2009 plans for “America’s Largest Earth Day Action” - simultaneous events in ten US cities over Earth Day Weekend – April 17 through 19 – that will this year focus on environmental volunteerism. The service events, coupled with Earth Day on the National Mall in Washington, DC and free “Thank You” concerts for volunteers in each city, introduce “The Green Generation”, a two-year initiative that will culminate with the 40th anniversary of Earth Day in 2010.

Earth Day 2009: Over Earth Day Weekend, simultaneous Volunteer Projects will be organized in New York City, Boston, Washington DC, Atlanta, Chicago, Denver, Austin, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle. Growing to ten cities from last year's eight Festivals in public parks across the country attended by 200,000 attendees, Green Apple Festival and Earth Day Network aim to involve even more civic and environmentally-minded Americans in a simultaneous nationwide weekend of action. Then, on Sunday, April 19th free "Thank You Concerts" for volunteers will be held at popular music venues and, the national flagship event, "Earth Day on the National Mall" will be held in Washington, DC.

With support from presenting sponsors Disneynature, Timberland, Motorola, Inc. and Clear2GO as well as media partners Planet Green, USAToday and others, Earth Day 2009 will encourage Americans to sign up to participate in meaningful actions to give back to communities while restoring and renewing the Earth.

2009 events include three components:

• Earth Day on the National Mall: A large-scale free Earth Day Festival with music, entertainment, speakers and environmental activities will take place on the National Mall in Washington DC on Sunday, April 19, 2009. More info on Earth Day is available at www.earthday.net

• Volunteer Actions by tens of thousands of participants in ten cities, April 17 - 19 2009, making Earth Day a time of meaningful change. These projects in parks, beaches, schools and forests, will focus on climate change solutions like tree planting, energy efficiency retrofits, water protection, urban gardens and forest restoration. Produced with the participation of leading environmental organizations across the US, along with city parks and recreation departments, the activities address current challenges and will help cities and organizations get important work done. Suitable for individuals of all ages, including children and families, these activities encourage active lifestyles, while also connecting volunteers with the green products and solutions. Participants can sign up to volunteer at www.greenapplefestival.com and www.planetgreen.com.

• Thank You Concerts for volunteers at popular music venues in all cities April 19, 2009 (artists and venues to be announced). Following volunteer activities, all participants will be invited to attend a celebratory night of music and entertainment at a popular venue in their city.

Presenting Sponsors are:
· Disneynature Earth: In theaters April 22
· Timberland: Join the Earthkeepers™ movement.
· Motorola, Inc.: Offering the first carbon neutral mobile device, MOTO™ W233 Renew
· Clear2GO™: Drink Clean & Go Green

Earth Day 2010:2009 events are a kick-off to the 40th Anniversary of Earth Day which will culminate in April 2010 with Global Days of Service on April 17-18, 2010, a Global Day of Action on April 22, 2010 -- the 40th anniversary of Earth Day -- when participants will ask their governments to take specific environmental action; followed by a Global Day of Celebration on April 25th, 2010 marked by 40 simultaneous music and rally events across the world focused on the theme of “The Green Generation”.

“This Earth Day, we are starting the Green Generation, a worldwide movement that everyone can join,” said Kathleen Rogers, Earth Day Network President. “The tough economic climate means that, more than ever, we have to plan a new green economy with a promising future for everyone. Earth Day will be a day to focus on moving away from fossil fuels toward renewable energy like wind, solar and geothermal, and on job-creating investments in a sustainable lifestyle. These investments in a more sustainable and just world will mean a better future for all of us.”

"The tide has turned on people sitting by and waiting for their leaders to act alone in providing a brighter, cleaner future," says Peter Shapiro, Green Apple Festival co-founder and executive producer. "In keeping with the Obama administration's call to service, we're looking forward to a nationwide collaboration this year between community leaders, environmental organizations and Americans everywhere making an important impact and setting the stage for 2010’s global events. "

About Earth Day Network: Earth Day Network was founded on the premise that all people, regardless of race, gender, income, or geography, have a moral right to a healthy, sustainable environment. Our mission is to broaden and diversify the environmental movement worldwide, and to mobilize it as the most effective vehicle for promoting a healthy, sustainable environment. We pursue our mission through a combination of education, public policy, and consumer activism campaigns. Our campaign and programs are predicated on the belief that an educated, energized population will take action to secure a healthy future for itself and its children. Earth Day Network has a global reach with a network of more than 17,000 partners and organizations in 174 countries. More than 1 billion people participate in Earth Day activities, making it the largest secular civic event in the world.

About Green Apple Festival: Now in its fourth year, the Green Apple Festival began in New York City as an environmental and music event and has grown to become the country's largest coordinated and interactive Festival dedicated to observing and preserving the environment. From its origins in 2006 as a New York City event, through last year's expansion to eight cities with an overall attendance of 200,000, organizers now will present an impactful series of community projects in ten cities to unite individuals, families and civic leaders in making greener life choices and stemming the tide of climate change. Green Apple Festival was founded by executive producer Peter Shapiro and Zenbu Media, a music media company. Since 2007, Green Apple Festival has worked closely in partnership with Earth Day Network.

Visit www.earthday.net and www.greenapplefestival.com