FAIRHOPE, Ala. — While many are outdoors this weekend enjoying a little fishing, hiking, boating, beaching or even golfing, thousands of our friends and neighbors will be in Fairhope learning more about the environment and ways to protect it.

Earth Day Mobile Bay 2009 will take place rain or shine on Saturday, from 10 a.m. until 7 p.m., at Fairhope Pier Park. The annual event is sponsored by the Sierra Club Foundation, the city of Fairhope and the Baldwin County Commission.

“We try to make it an educational and fun event for people of all ages, with a focus on sustaining the quality of the environment,” said Gary Gover, chairman of the Earth Day Mobile Bay Committee. Believed to be Alabama’s largest Earth Day celebration, he noted it will provide an opportunity for everyone to become more informed what they as individuals can do to make the planet a better place to live.

There will be family friendly fun and other experiences guaranteed to make folks better stewards of the Earth, according to organizers. The theme of the expo of educational and environmental activities this year is “Every Day is Earth Day.”

The focus is on educating the public about ways to reduce their impact on the environment by protecting and preserving resources. Gover said, “It’s partly for children, to bring more information to their attention about environmental issues.”

Even toddlers can enjoy craft projects that reuse items in the home such as egg cartons. The Mobile Museum of Art outreach program will offer a variety of environmentally friendly art activities for all ages, using recycled materials.

A regional Earth Day Science Fair Exhibition will be held under a big tent. Outstanding science projects of middle and high school students will be presented.

“For older people, we have 50-70 exhibitors that will display things with an environmental slant that will be useful in their everyday lives,” he said.

Energy exhibits will showcase technology, installation advice and products aimed at improving the quality of air, water and land. Among the products typically showcased during Earth Day are solar panels, LEDs, ground source heat pumps and wind turbines.

There will also be booths where you can obtain advice about how to improve your home or business with eco-friendly solutions and also how to grow organic produce. The event also features hands-on activities for all ages that are hosted by community groups, environmental organizations, government agencies, museums, schools and local businesses.

Among the exhibitors, Honda Motor Co. is rolling out a new five-door, five-passenger hybrid today, and Tameron Honda Eastern Shore will unveil the vehicle there on Saturday. Gulf Coast Green Power will set up a life-size model of a wind turbine and will have demonstration information available.

You may also learn about local sources for organic foods and organizations supporting the development of a stronger local food economy. Organizers say buying food from local farmers keeps dollars in the local economy, preserves our valuable land, saves energy and improves our health.

Recycling and reuse will have a strong emphasis as well. Processing electronics, hazardous materials, expired prescription medicines, aluminum, glass, plastic, paint, cooking oil, motor oil, tires and other materials will be the topic of conversation at some of the booths.

Be sure to bring surplus electronics, TVs, computers, cell phones and printer ink cartridges for recycling. The city of Fairhope and Fairhope High School are teaming up with the Fairhope Radio Shack and the County Commission and providing free disposal or reuse.

Electronic Amnesty Day (EAD) is an opportunity to drop off obsolete or broken electronics, which will be recycled. The convenient, drive-up service will be located next to Down by the Bay Café next to the Pier Park entrance, and will be available during the event until 5 p.m.

All Baldwin and Mobile county residents and small businesses are invited to drop off up to 10 electronic items at no charge. The items that will be accepted include television sets, computer monitors, CPUs (towers and desktops), keyboards, printers, scanners, fax machines and stereo equipment.

April Westervelt, Fairhope environmental officer, said EAD is a chance for folks who are already prepared for the June 12 digital television transition to dispose of their old TV sets without fear that they will pollute the environment.

“Most of the electronics hold lead and other dangerous materials and it’s important to keep them out of the landfill so they don’t seep into our groundwater,” Westervelt said. She added everything dropped off on Saturday will be be broken down, stripped of their hazardous components and precious metals, which will either be disposed of properly or be recycled.

The Fairhope High School Environmental Club has partnered with the city and Fundraising Factory to collect cell phones and ink and toner cartridges, which will produce money for the club. Westervelt said the funding will make trips possible, as well as manatee adoption and plants for the school’s butterfly garden.

Westervelt pointed out Radio Shack accepts rechargeable batteries for recycling all year long, free of charge.

Baldwin County will place at the Earth Day event a recycling bin for aluminum, plastic and cardboard, and Daphne Utilities will provide containers for used cooking oil.

Southwest Panhandle Search and Rescue K-9, a local search team, will be demonstrating nationally certified dogs used to find missing persons on land and water. A pet adoption and the popular Blessing of the Animals will also be held.

Middle Earth Healing and Learning Center will demonstrate permaculture, shiitake mushroom cultivation, solar energy, rainwater collection and other sustainable practices.

Live musical entertainment will continue throughout the day. The performers include Molly Thomas, Muskrat Hannah, El Cantador, Lisa Mills and others.

Folks are encouraged to take “Green Route” options to Earth Day such as walking, bicycling, ride-sharing, sailing, kayaking and public transit.

The Baldwin County Commission is sponsoring the free Baldwin County BRATS shuttle bus service to and from the Fairhope Pier.

The free transit service, will depart from the parking lots of Bruno’s, Big Lots and Winn Dixie, all located near the intersection of U.S. Highway 98 (Greeno Road) and County Road 48 (Fairhope Avenue). The shuttles will run continuously during the event.

The Earth Day Network is a worldwide environmental movement worldwide, with a mission to promote a healthy, sustainable planet. It pursues these goals through education, cultural events and consumer activism.

The network includes more than 17,000 partners and organizations in 174 countries. More than a billion people participate in Earth Day activities such as Earth Day Mobile Bay, according to organizers.

Earth Day Mobile Bay is a nonprofit organization dedicated to environmental education and awareness. Volunteers are needed. To help out on Earth Day, call (251) 473-6400.

For more event details, visit www.earthdaymobilebay.org.