Forty-two years ago, Earth Day was created to learn, teach and share ways on how to improve the environment. In honor of the holiday, the Green Festival will take place this weekend in New York City. Through a host of how-to workshops, films and activities for kids, the walk though sustainable exhibit seeks to find solutions of how to make life healthier — socially, economically and environmentally.

Clean-energy activist and author Van Jones, hip hop impresario Russell Simmons and Dr. Benjamin Chavis Jr., CEO of the Hip Hop Summit Action Network, are just a few of the bold-faced names expected to speak on the Occupy the Dream panel.  

MSNBC’s Dylan Ratigan, “Occupy Wall Street” leader David DeGraw and Josh Silver, CEO of United Republic, are also scheduled to speak on a panel on mobilizing activists around political issues in 2012.

On Saturday, Jones will also deliver the festival’s keynote address focusing on messages from his new book, Rebuild the Dream, including experiences from his time as a green jobs advisor to the Obama administration and ways people-powered innovations can spark the U.S. economy for 100 percent of Americans, not just the top one percent.

For more information visit www.greenfestivals.org.

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(Photo: Charley Gallay/Getty Images for NAACP)