Green-Themed Programming For Preschoolers, Kids And Tweens Coincides With Earth Day, Beginning Saturday, April 17 On Disney Channel

-- New Episodes of Playhouse Disney Hits "Handy Manny," "Special Agent Oso" and "Imagination Movers" to Premiere --

-- New Disney's Friends for Change: Project Green On-Air Messages, Starring Joe Jonas and Demi Lovato, to Debut --

Disney Channel celebrates Earth Day with green-themed episodes of its hit series, each conveying the importance of conservation, recycling and using sustainable natural resources, beginning Saturday, April 17.

For the youngest viewers, Disney Channel will present a new episode of "Handy Manny," an Environmental Media Association Award-winning series, guest starring eco-crusader "Sustainable Dave" Chameides and Lance Bass, and new eco-themed episodes of "Special Agent Oso" and "Imagination Movers." PlayhouseDisney.com will launch a new "Special Agent Oso" game entitled "Recycling is Forever," on THURSDAY, APRIL 1, in which kids can help Oso identify, sort and properly place recyclable items in the correct bins to earn a special recycling Digi-Medal.

For older kids and tweens, Disney Channel will feature encore eco-conscious episodes of "Phineas and Ferb," "Hannah Montana," "The Suite Life On Deck" and "Wizards of Waverly Place."

New Disney's Friends for Change: Project Green on-air messages featuring multi-platinum recording artists and actors Joe Jonas ("JONAS") and Demi Lovato ("Sonny With A Chance"), stressing the importance of protecting the planet's oceans and waterways, will debut on Earth Day. Kids can add to the more than 1.5 million Friends for Change "pledges" that have already been made by visiting Disney.com/ProjectGreen and committing to help local habitats.

Disney Chanel's green-themed programming schedule includes:

SATURDAY, APRIL 17

* "Special Agent Oso" (8:00 a.m., ET/PT) – In "Recycling is Forever," Oso helps Joshua recycle his family's bottles, cans and paper.

* "Handy Manny" (8:30 a.m., ET/PT) – In "The Earth Day Challenge / Dario Dance," with the help of Sheet Rock Hills mechanic Gary (voiced by eco-crusader Dave "Sustainable Dave" Chameides), Manny and the tools replace Manny's truck engine with a new environmentally-friendly electric motor, which they later submit as their entry for the "Sheet Rock Hills Earth Day Challenge." Then Elliot (voiced by Lance Bass) teaches Mayor Rosa's nephew Dario how to dance in time for the Earth Day dance in the park.

* "Imagination Movers" (10:00 a.m., ET/PT) – In "Power Play," when the Movers realize they’re using too much electricity and are almost out of power for the warehouse, they put several energy saving techniques to the test, including solar panels, a water wheel and a windmill.

THURSDAY, APRIL 22

* Playhouse Disney will encore green-themed episodes of "Mickey Mouse Clubhouse," "Handy Manny," "Special Agent Oso," "Imagination Movers" and "Jungle Junction" (8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m., ET/PT).

* Joe Jonas and Demi Lovato star in two new Disney's Friends for Change: Project Green spots stressing the importance of protecting the planet's oceans and waterways (6:25 p.m. and 6:55 p.m., ET/PT). Throughout the evening, Disney Channel will encore Disney's Friends for Change: Project Green anthem, "Make A Wave," performed by Jonas and Lovato, which will also be featured in the upcoming Disneynature film "OCEANS," opening in theaters Earth Day 2010.

* Disney Channel continues its Earth Day celebration with encore presentations of environmentally-themed episodes of hit series "Phineas and Ferb," Hannah Montana," "The Suite Life On Deck" and "Wizards of Waverly Place," followed by an encore presentation of Disney Channel Original Movie "Minutemen" (6:00-10:00 p.m., ET/PT).