The City of Gresham is hosting a special Earth Day celebration on Saturday, April 19.

The event is sponsored by the city’s Department of Environmental Services and will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Gresham City Hall, 1333 N.W. Eastman Parkway.

Admission is free and Earth Day Celebration activities (rain or shine) will include free electronics, cell phone and fluorescent lights recycling collections from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. for Gresham and Wood Village residents in the City Hall west parking lot.

Youth and adults may visit booths that feature earth-friendly practices such as local outdoor recreation opportunities, birding, reptiles on display, healthy living, environment advocacy information, local environmental volunteer options, native and drought-tolerant plant sales and recycled art for sale.

"Celebrating Earth Day has become an annual opportunity for our community to come together and celebrate the importance of being good stewards to the area in which we live and the planet," said Dave Rouse, director of the Department of Environmental Services. "Earth, is not getting any larger, we have to take care of it, and at Earth Day you will have an opportunity learn and have fun."

Visitors to Gresham's Earth Day Celebration can enjoy a street tree seedling giveaway in recognition of Arbor Day with the City of Gresham Tree Preservation Committee; Earth Machine compost bin sale, $35 each cash or check; free 45-minute workshops at the top of every hour; children's recycled craft projects; airbrush face painting; Gresham Lions Supper Club 100% compostable lunch; the music event "Rockin' Water Road Show" featuring Recycleman from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.; professional storyteller Will Hornyak at noon; groovy marimba concert from 1 to 2 p.m. with the Springwater Trail High School World Drumming & Marimba Band; a GREAT Businesses fair; and the East County Wind Walkers 10K "Volkswalk of Significant Trees" from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. (free, sign in and get map at City Hall).

The following are a few highlights of the 2008 Gresham Earth Day Celebration:

Rockin' Water Road Show featuring Recycleman. Peter DuBois, a waste reduction specialist for Clark County, Wash., assumes the identity of Recycleman to promote the recycling message throughout the Pacific Northwest. For over 10 years, Recycleman has performed at schools, camps and fairs; inspiring, educating and entertaining thousands of students. In his superhero costume made out of recycled trash complete with a truck inner tube kilt, Recycleman is able to capture kids' and adults' attention and get them excited about recycling and other eco-friendly messages.

Gresham Lions Supper Club 100% Compostable Lunch. When organic materials, such as leftover food scraps and paper napkins head to the landfill, they produce methane, a potent greenhouse gas. At the Compostable Lunch, all the paper plates, food scraps and a special type of biodegradable serving ware go into the green food waste container. These containers, to be collected by Gresham Sanitary Service, are handled at a compost facility instead of being sent to the landfill, which avoids creating methane gas and produces compost. Using a fork made from potato starch at Earth Day is making a difference.

Free Fish-Friendly Car Wash. AmeriCorps volunteers will wash cars Free at Earth Day using a Fish-Friendly Car Wash Kit. Learn how washing the car at home in the driveway isn't the best practice for the environment. City staff recommends washing cars on the lawn or at a car wash to keep sudsy, greasy, dirty water out of the storm drains and keep these pollutants from entering our creeks and streams. Soap, dirt, and grease is harmful to fish and other aquatic organisms. Ask about the City's car wash kit that student groups can borrow for free so they can hold a "Fish-Friendly" car wash when doing a fund-raiser. For more information call Keri Handaly, 503-618-2657.

Volkswalk of Significant Trees. The East County Wind Walkers host a 10K "Volkswalk of Significant Trees" to take place during the Earth Day Celebration. The walk is offered between 8 a.m. and 1 p.m. (finish by 4 p.m.) and starts at Gresham City Hall and ends at City Hall. A walking map is provided and the route and trees marked. Walk about while looking and learning about Gresham's magnificent trees and their history. The Volkswalk of Significant Trees is mostly a flat route on sidewalks and pavement with some gravel path at the end. Many curbs not cut for wheelchair accessibility, strollers OK. Sign-in is at the front City Hall entrance.

GREAT Business Fair. The City's Recycling & Solid Waste Division will hold the annual GREAT Earth Fair showcasing sustainable business practices through recycling and water and energy conservation. There will be a prize giveaway event for the public and businesses are encouraged to bring handouts and sample products.

Gresham's Green Power Challenge – Citizens can sign-up at theEarth Day Celebration. The City of Gresham is challenging residents and businesses to purchase renewable energy. The Gresham City Council proclaimed the launch of the Gresham Green Power Challenge on April 1. The challenge, the first of its kind in Gresham, runs April 1 through the end of June. The City's goal is to generate 300 new renewable sign ups, including 10 new business sign ups, by June 30. Residential and small business customers are encouraged to purchase renewable energy from PGE. PGE will be in attendance at the Gresham Earth Day Celebration to sign up citizens for Clean Wind, for as little as $3.50 a month. Purchasing renewable energy helps create cleaner air, more salmon and steelhead in Oregon's streams and the growth of new wind farms. Learn more about PGE's renewable options and enroll online at GreenPowerOregon.com or call 503-228-6322.