New York Celebrates Earth Day's 40th Anniversary in Times Square

Today, on Earth Day's 40th Anniversary, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon and Earth Day New York will be joined by environmental leaders, business leaders and local and international performers at Times Square, the Crossroads of the World.

The celebration will run from 11am - 2pm. Mayor Bloomberg is expected to make his Earth Day speech at 1:15pm. A special performance by United Nations Goodwill Ambassador and musician Salaman Ahmad and his band Junoon will close the celebration.

Featured speakers and performers include: UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon, speaker Christine Quinn, Earth Day Network Honorary Chair and one of the founders of the Earth Day 1960 Denis Hayes, President and Executive Director of Earth Day New York Pamela Lippe and actor and founder of Bicycle for a Day Everyday Matthew Modine.

Business leaders, environmental leaders and performers who will also take the stage include: Tim Tompkins, President of Times Square Alliance, Ajamu Brown of The Center of Development of Human Services, Kate Sinding of Natural Resources Defense Council, Alex Matthiessen of Riverkeeper, artist Maya Lin, Gail Cunningham of Keep America Beautiful (KAB), Miss America Caressa Cameron, KAB president and CEO Matt McKenna, KAB chairman Barry Caldwell, Lisa Young of the Department of Interior, United Religions Initiative's Global Council Chair Yoland Trevino, and the Environmental Defense Fund's Andy Darrell.

Vice President Al Gore and Wangari Maathai will both share their Earth Day messages virtually on the screens in Times Square. Entertainment will be provided by the cast from the Broadway show Hair, Mandy Gonzalez, Elphaba from Wicked, J. Xavier, Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, Blue Man Group and comedian Aisha Tyler.

Sponsors of the celebrations include: Metropolitan Transportation Authority, Toshiba, Home Depot and Con Edison. Media sponsors include Planet Green, The New York Post, Metro NY, 101.9 RXP and Treehugger.com.

For information on all E Day 40 Celebrations, visit: www.eday40.org