Earth Day, 24 hours set aside to promote worldwide awareness for a safer, more sustainable planet, celebrates its 20th anniversary April 22. And yesterday, members of a University-based environmental awareness group known as Eco-Action announced its plans for bringing Earth Day activities to Penn State and the State College community.

The University's Earth Day events will attempt to bring global concerns such as recycling, nuclear testing, hazardous waste dumping, and global warming to a local level, said Tania Slawecki, president of Eco-Action.

"We're trying to involve the entire community," Slawecki said. "We are chemically altering our atmosphere faster than ever before."

Eco-Action, with Shaver's Creek Environmental Center -- a part of the University's College of Health and Human Development -- has scheduled a day of environmental speakers, poets, celebrities and music on the HUB lawn. A series of films will be shown throughout the day in the HUB Fishbowl.

Events are coordinated by student members of Eco-Action, said Earth Day Coordinator Shawna Reppert.

"It's pretty much the students putting it on for the community," she said.

Eco-Action began 20 years ago as a branch group from the first Earth Day in 1970. Since last year, Eco-Action's membership has doubled from 150 members to 300, Slawecki said.

"For once we are finally impacting the earth on a global scale," Slawecki said, adding that Eco-Action wants to instill not only an awareness in the community, but provide practical ideas for making the planet more safe and sustainable.

The expenses of Earth Day are extremely large, Slwecki said, but funding comes primarily from the recycling efforts on campus and downtown. Sponsors are also needed from downtown businesses.

"We need as much financial support as we can get," said Jeff Feldman, program director of Shaver's Creek Environmental Center.

He added all events are free to the public, but anyone can make donations.

Richard O'Barry, dolphin trainer and author of Behind the Dolphin Smile will also be speaking at the University during the week of March 19. O'Barry's talk will address the recent killing of dolphins trapped in tuna fishermen's nets.

A full schedule of Earth Day events will be available at the end of the month.