DANIELLE MALOTT/Arizona Daily Wildcat Mark Scartezin, drummer for the band Mae Ploy, plays on the mall for yesterday's Earth Day celebration. Over 40 organizations took part in the festivities, which focused on saving the environment. See page 14 for story.

Students and community members battled Mother Nature as they took part in Earth Day festivities on the UA Mall yesterday.

However, the windy conditions didn't deter people from enjoying several events.

"There (were) over 40 organizations expected to participate," said Alana Levine, program coordinator for recycling and waste management. "They specialize in a variety of issues from energy to wildlife to recycling to eco-feminism."

Event-goers received information about saving the environment while listening to the sounds of Mae Ploy, a local "eco-friendly" band whose bass guitarist was missing because he is in jail, following an "Earth-related protest."

"He's locked up in the psychiatric ward for running around naked and throwing Twinkies," band member Charlie Bruzza, an interdisciplinary studies senior, said. "It was Earth-related, protesting the environmental crisis we have on Earth. Our performance today is for him and the Earth. We had a chaotic stream of consciousness to mirror the environmental crisis on Earth."

Stephanie Beigle, an undeclared freshman, and Meghan Smart, a wildlife, watershed and rangeland resources sophomore, enjoyed the band's performance from the grass in front of the stage.

"(The sound) fits the day because the drums make for a down-to-earth type of music. It's a relaxing day to enjoy music and nature," Beigle said.

"Yes, it's the perfect music type for Earth Day, no lyrics, very natural," Smart said. "The wind adds to the Earth Day feel."

Band member Omar Garbareno, a creative writing senior, had some problems with the wind.

"I was playing for the Earth but the Earth is battling me or maybe the wind was trying to play my turntables for me," Garbareno said.

Along with the band performance, people enjoyed face painting, sponsored by Residence Life.

"The face painting is for kids but we'll do older people too if they want," said Jeff Goodhue, a systems engineering junior and recycling coordinator for Arizona-Sonora Residence Hall.

Several children took advantage of the face painting services, including 9-year-old Alex Fernandez.

"I'm getting a half-polluted Earth and half clean. It represents what would happen if we polluted the Earth and what would happen if we recycle," Fernandez said.

People were also able to take advantage of a tree and plant tour guided by Arboretum Director and plant sciences lecturer Elizabeth Davison.

Tour highlights included the Joseph Wood Krutch Cactus Garden, old olive trees near the main gate and some of other "great trees" around campus, Davison said.

Three trees on campus were recently named great trees of Arizona by the Arizona Tree Council.

The trees, which were nominated by Davison, are a White Floss Silk tree south of the Engineering building, an African Sumac located between Maricopa and Yuma residence halls, and a Fever tree southwest of Cochise Residence Hall.

"We had dozens that qualify; these were really unique and truly fit the bill," Davison said.

Davison said the criteria used by the tree council included history, rarity and size.