The Community Conversation on Energy and Climate on Earth Day will take place on Wednesday, April 22, 1 to 5 p.m., at the Venice Community Center, 326 S. Nokomis Ave., Venice.

The event is part of the International Council on Local Environmental Initiatives’ National Conversation on Climate Action. The Greater Sarasota area is one of just ten communities in the nation selected to participate in the national conversation. Admission is free.

Planned in conjunction with Earth Day, planners hope to encourage citizens across the country to conduct substantive, solutions-oriented dialogues about energy and climate action at the local level. In Sarasota County, community input from the event will be incorporated into a cross-jurisdictional Community Energy and Climate Action Plan to work toward energy savings and greenhouse gas emissions reductions.

Following a presentation, attendees will break into five groups to discuss one of several topics, including food and agriculture, transportation, waste, community-wide target and built environment. Sarasota County, SCOPE and New College of Florida as well as the cities of Sarasota, North Port and Venice will participate at the local conversation.

Some of the other communities across the country planning similar events include Greenburgh, New York; Hennepin County, Minnesota; Houston, Texas; Jackson, Wyoming; Lexington, Kentucky; Los Angeles County, California; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Sumter, South Carolina and Tucson, Arizona.

The 2009 National Conversation will build off the success of past events and the rapidly growing demand for clean energy solutions.

Pinellas County is encouraging residents to celebrate Earth Day in April with a visit to Brooker Creek Preserve, 3940 Keystone Road, Tarpon Springs.

Billed as Pinellas County's Wildest Place, Brooker Creek Preserve is the county's largest natural area, boasting more than 8,000 acres of pine flatwoods and forested wetlands. Visitors will find several nature trails, over 10 miles of equestrian trails and a 1.75-mile self-guided hiking trail.

A free Twilight Walk will be offered on Earth Day, Wednesday, April 22, 7 p.m. The program will begin with a salute to the occasion and a short walk to see how the world changes when the sun starts to set. This event is free, and registration is required.

Also in April, visitors may enjoy the preserve with help from nature experts during Spring Migration Bird Hikes, Footprints on the Land Hikes or Saturday Morning Guided Walks. Even younger nature lovers can sign up for Young Birders Morning Walks and a Youth Naturalist Walk.

There will be a special training workshop for teachers on Saturday, April 18, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Earth Day materials will be distributed during this session to help teachers better connect classroom concepts to the natural world at the preserve's education center.

The preserve is open to the public seven days a week. Located in the Preserve, the Environmental Education Center welcomes visitors Thursday through Sunday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Wednesday, 9 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. To register for a program at Brooker Creek Preserve, call 727-453-6800 or visit Pinellas County's Environmental Lands Division.

Volunteers are needed in Pasco County to participate in the 2009 Great American Cleanup on Saturday, April 18, 8:30 a.m. to noon, from Dade City to Hudson and from Zephyrhills to Port Richey and New Port Richey.

Last year, more than 750 volunteers fanned out over Pasco County and picked up more than 26 tons of trash from the county's parks, beaches and neighborhoods. This year, more than a dozen areas will be targeted by teams of volunteers. To join a team, call 888-6-LITTER. The Great American Cleanup is a national effort spearheaded by Keep America Beautiful. The local event in Pasco is coordinated by Keep Pasco Beautiful, a non-profit organization supported in part by Pasco County, the school district and private corporations.

The following areas have cleanups scheduled:

• Crystal Springs (Southeast Pasco)
• Dade City - Highway 35A
• Holiday - Strauber Memorial and Baillie's Bluff
• Holiday - Anclote River Park and the Pier
• Hudson - Sea Pines neighborhood
• Lacoochee - Northeast Pasco
• Moon Lake Park and Banberry
• New Port Richey - Durney Key
• New Port Richey - Werner-Boyce Salt Springs State Park
• Odessa - Gunn Highway and State Road 54
• Port Richey - at Home Depot
• Wesley Chapel - Quail Hollow Boulevard
• Wesley Chapel - Old Pasco Road
• Wesley Chapel - District Park and adjoining roads

For more information, call Jennifer Seney at 727-847-8041 or 813-907-0200.

Keep Sarasota County Beautiful is asking volunteers to join forces for the 2009 Great American Cleanup on Saturday, April 18, 8 a.m. to noon, at sites throughout Sarasota County.

The Great American Cleanup offers residents a fun, educational way to protect Sarasota’s natural beauty, according to Sandra Washington, manager of Keep Sarasota County Beautiful. The Great American Cleanup also happens to be the nation’s largest annual community improvement program, attracting an estimated 3 million volunteers annually in more than 17,000 communities. Volunteers across the country will participate in 30,000 improvement activities and educational workshops to clean local parks, waterways, trails, sidewalks and streets.

For more information about how to sponsor this year’s cleanup, or to volunteer, visit www.scgov.net and select Keep Sarasota County Beautiful from the County A-Z list, or call 941-861-5000 and ask for Keep Sarasota County Beautiful.

In the event of rain, the cleanup will be postponed until Saturday, April 25.