For high school students, the festival provides an excellent opportunity to earn required community service hours necessary for graduating. For community members and companies, helping out at Earth Day is a satisfying contribution to the community and the environment.

Corporate volunteer groups are welcome! The Earth Day Festival is a great opportunity for teams of volunteers from your business to help make the festival possible while having a great time. Email Earth Day Volunteer Coordinator Kelly Kacmar for more information, or call her at 805.963.0583 x106.

To volunteer, you can also register on-line at www.volunteermatch.com. It's fast, informative, and easy!

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: Volunteers needed for eco-footprint booth

Help people calculate their eco-footprint and create a personal plan to reduce it

The Community Environmental Council and The Sustainability Project are looking for college students, environmental activists, educators and outgoing folks to help out at the South Coast Earth Day Festival on Sunday, April 20.

The theme for this year's festival is "Reduce Your Eco-Footprint." Festival attendees will follow the footsteps to a large tent, where volunteers like you will help them measure their demand on the Earth using a bank of solar-powered computers. Using specific websites, you will then help them create a personal plan for enhancing their quality of life while treading more lightly upon the planet. Those who complete a pledge to reduce their eco-footprint will received a free reusable Chico Bag.

Volunteers will receive a brief training on the two websites (www.MyFootprint.org and www.GetEnergized.org). Volunteers should be comfortable working with the public and with computers, and should have a general knowledge of environmental issues and sustainable living.

Volunteers are needed for the following shifts:

· 9:30 to 11 (includes some set-up)

· 11 to 1:30

· 1:30 to 4:00

· 4:00 to 6:00 (includes some break-down)

If you are interested in this or other volunteer opportunities at Earth Day, please contact Earth Day Volunteer Coordinator Kelley Kacmar at volunteer@cecmail.org or 805.963.0583 ext. 106.