Union Square was filled with sunshine and environmentalists Sunday as the city kicked off Earth Day a little early. Our Tara Lynn Wagner has the story.

It's considered the biggest Earth Day event in the country, with roughly 70 exhibitors including city agencies, grassroots nonprofits and local businesses pass out information and samples to anyone with an interest in protecting the Earth. 

Organizers say sustainability is a wide umbrella and there is room for many issues underneath it.

"We want everyone to be represented there so let's say your thing is forests or water conversation or animals or endangered species or food, whatever it is you can sort of find it here," said John Opeermann, Executive Director of Earth Day Initiative.

Union Square is a fitting location since the city's first earth day event was held in this same spot 46 years ago. Then and now, Eric Goldstein of the Natural Resources Defense Council says the focus is on educating young people.

"And make them aware of the importance of the environment and they then in tune, as they grow up, will we hope work to protect for their children, their air, their water and their parks," said Eric Goldstein of Natural Resources Defense Council.

That message definitely seems to be taking root. In fact, kids have many great suggestions for ways to protect the earth. 

"I like recycling things," said one.

"I don't like to litter," said another.

"Not cut down any trees," said a third.

Then there's Maya Baudrand, who along with her mom has spent over 3 years weaving together a lesson on the hazards of plastic bags, which they'd like to see banned.

"Try to bring a reusable bag literally everywhere you go and keep it in your trunk or your purse if you have a purse," said the younger Baudrand. "And if you do have to use plastic bags, try to reuse it as much as you can."

The event also gave people a chance to check out the latest green vehicles but there's also a movement to get New Yorkers to ditch their cars altogether.

 "Twenty-five percent of the emission that we produce in New York City are produced by vehicles."

"Using public transportation, using bicycles, walking, trying to minimize our auto use is one easy thing we can do to live a little more gently on the planet," said the Defense Council's Goldstein.

Many signed a pledge to go car-free on actual Earth Day, which is April 22.