Four years after its birth, the Student Advocates for Valuing the Environment Foundation, or SAVE, is throwing a little shindig to celebrate another successful year, which included recycling about 250 tons of paper, plastic, aluminum, cardboard and electronic waste.

SAVE's fourth anniversary event is being held in conjunction with America Recycles Day.

Tonight's event at the new ExplorationWorks children's museum in the Great Northern Town Center is set to kick off at 6:30 p.m. The party will feature live local musicians, a reception, a silent auction and presentations on SAVE's successes this year and its plans for the next.

A ZENN -- which stands for Zero Emissions, No Noise -- electric car from Eco Auto Inc. of Bozeman will be on display tonight and again Saturday at the Carroll College football game.

SAVE collects recyclables from Helena businesses and holds regular collection events for residents, and it also educates Montana students about biofuels and other environmental issues and lobbies state lawmakers to make the big sky state a bit greener.

The foundation grew out of the Carroll College recycling club, which became a community nonprofit in 2003. It's since gradually grown to include several part-time employees, who make regular rounds to collect recyclables from Helena businesses and help host community collections.

"It's been incredibly exciting for us. We've gone from essentially a local student effort on campus to being able to fill a niche in the community," SAVE Director Matt Elsaesser said. "It's a lot of fun. One of the most encouraging things is having students or members of the community volunteering for us and being involved."

He and the group's board and employees are honored to be "leading the way in tangible activities to reduce our environmental impacts," Elsaesser said.

In the coming year, he hopes to expand his commercial collection operations and reach more businesses in Helena, and raise awareness of ways Montanans can reduce carbon emissions by, for example, mixing biodiesel with commercial diesel. A 50-50 mix can reduce carbon output by 25 percent in a vehicle, Elsaesser said.

The organization successfully lobbied legislators earlier this year to allow cars like the ZENN on Montana roadways. The cars can reach 35 mph and are legal on roads with speed limits of 45 mph or lower. The vehicles' retail price varies from $13,000 to $16,000, but discounts are available, according to

www.ecoautoinc.com.

The cars produce no tailpipe emissions, and can serve as an alternative for consumers just looking for a ride around town to take children to school or buy groceries.

"In Montana, you might have a truck for hauling firewood, but you could have this little car to get around," Elsaesser said.

SAVE also pushed for legislation to allow Montanans to use gray-water systems, which recycle wash water for use in irrigation or in flushing toilets -- and sprinkler systems and toilets are major sources for water usage in many homes.

The group is raffling off a system. To learn more, visit www.savemobile.org.

Reporter Larry Kline: 447-4075 or larry.kline@helenair.com.