'Do Your Part, Be Water Smart' is the theme for Murfreesboro and Rutherford County's free 2015 Earth Day Celebration. The 14th annual Celebration will be held on the historic square in downtown Murfreesboro, Saturday, April 25, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. New to this year's event, attendees will enjoy 'Green Market' vendors, such as Grump Goat Farms and Pies Divine, selling locally-grown and harvested agricultural products. Without clean water none of these naturally grown products is sustainable.

"We are excited to welcome even more vendors and participants to this year's 14th annual Celebration," said 2015 Earth Day Celebration Committee Chair Amy Byers. "Everyone understands how vital and precious clean water is, not only for good health but for agriculture and economic sustainability. We look forward to celebrating the benefits of water quality and urging citizens to 'Do Your Part' by being 'Water Smart.'"

Just a few ways earth-friendly citizens can be "Water Smart" include:

• Do not flush oils down the drain. Dispose of cooking oils on kitty litter and place it in the trash.
• Repair leaks to conserve water by checking toilets annually to inspect for malfunctions.
• Drink water locally. Plastic water bottles are bad for the environment.
• Deliver unused medicines to the Rutherford County Sheriff's Department. Do not flush medicines down the toilet.
• Consider using rain barrels to capture rainwater for watering plants. There is no new water and every drop counts.

On display at this year's Celebration will be the winning Poster-Essays from the Murfreesboro and Rutherford County Schools 5th grade competition. More than 200 5th graders participated in the contest to demonstrate how being "smart" about water is part of responsible earth-friendly citizenship.

What impactful actions can you do on a daily basis to contribute to the water health in our community? Water is essential for life and at the 2015 Earth Day Celebration, organizers and participants will emphasize the protection, conservation and thoughtful use of water. For more information, visit the 2015 Earth Day Celebration Facebook page.

Activities for young and old alike will be available on the downtown square. Children can enjoy temporary tattooing, MED's mascot, Louie the Lightning Bug, General Mills local sustainable mascot, Mr. Wegs. Musical entertainment will be provided by Creative Rhythm at 1 p.m. and various bands from MTSU.

The Murfreesboro Water & Sewer Department www.murfreesboro.gov/mwsd is among dozens of vendors participating in the Celebration by engaging attendees with fun facts and other valuable information about Water and Water Quality, our Stones River Watershed and its tributaries, as well as Smart Water Usage and Re-usage.

Some of the more than two dozen participants setting-up informational booths on earth-friendly topics and services will include, Friends of the Greenway, the MTSU Stormwater Program www.mtsu.edu/stormwater, Rutherford County Stormwater, MTSU alternative fuels researcher Dr. Cliff Ricketts, the Stones River Watershed Association, Tennessee Department of Environment & Conservation (TDEC), Smyrna High School FFA, Earth Experience (Middle Tennessee Natural History Museum), Murfreesboro Park & Recreation Department, and Linebaugh Public Library.

The Murfreesboro Electric Department, a major sponsor of the annual Celebration, will distribute information on the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) Green Power Switch program. The Green Power Switch program gives customers an opportunity to purchase power produced by renewable resources such as wind, solar and biogas. For more information, visit

www.greenpowerswitch.com or contact Murfreesboro Electric (MED). In addition, MED will give-away 500 Pecan Native Sweet saplings. Other major sponsors include General Mills, the City of Murfreesboro, Rutherford County, TVA, All in One Recycling, Murfreesboro City Schools, and Rutherford County Schools, Kroger and Lewis Bakery. Sponsor MaxShred will offer free shredding of two bank-sized boxes per person.

2015 is Earth Day's 45th global anniversary with an emphasis upon economic growth and sustainability. More information on the global celebration on April 22 can be viewed at www.earthday.org/2015.

Need more details?

For more information on Murfreesboro's 2015 Earth Day Celebration and this year's theme 'Do Your Part, Be Water Smart,' contact Celebration Committee Chair Amy Byers, Murfreesboro Electric Department, at 615-494-0407 or emailmarketing@medtn.com. In the event of heavy rain, the Celebration will be moved to Patterson Park Community Center, 721 Mercury Blvd., Murfreesboro, 37130. Call 615-494-0407 for up-to-date information on weather-related event changes.

Murfreesboro Earth Day Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/pages/Murfreesboros-Earth-Day-Celebration/204486542913317?fref=ts .