Apr 23 2008
Green: a color between yellow and blue, like the color of grass; supporting or promoting the protection of the environment.
EarthFest: a daylong community celebration of going "green" -- on the grass -- at the Ferguson Center for the Performing Arts in Newport News; event designed to address the challenges facing our home planet.
NASA Langley Research Center and the Christopher Newport University (CNU) Institute for Science Education will host EarthFest, an outdoor and indoor event this Saturday, April 26, at the Ferguson Center from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., rain or shine. All speakers, exhibits, and activities are free and open to the public with free parking and shuttle bus service to CNU from Todd Stadium until 5 p.m.
Visitors will learn about water and energy conservation, about taking steps to protect the environment, about thinking green and using green technology. They will also learn how to make choices to bring about a more sustainable world and what we can all do to preserve and protect it.
EarthFest will include talks by astronaut-scientist and former NASA Associate Administrator Mary Cleave and other researchers discussing "Global Fever: Is there a Cure?" There will be "Ask a Scientist" panels on the "Air, Life, Water, and Sun-Earth Connection" and exhibits from community groups featuring Earth-friendly information.
Hands-On Activities: What's your carbon footprint? Calculate your greenhouse gas emissions and learn how to make small changes to reduce it. Other activities include solar telescope and weather station with instruments; color change bead craft for children; Peninsula Fine Art Center giant canvas -- add your artwork for children; Postcards from Space -- get your picture taken "in space" and take home a postcard; Magic Planet -- 3-D earth projection on a globe. Podcast kiosk -- choose a NASA podcast and take it home; and do cloud observations with NASA scientists.
Exhibits: Learn how NASA puts science to use in everyday life. Other exhibits include Hampton Roads Climate Change as measured by student interns at NASA ; Ozone Demystified -- learn how and why good ozone protects us from the sun's ultraviolet rays -- bad ozone destroys crops; NASA Langley's contributions to green technologies; NASA Aeronautics -- an investment in America's future; a close-up look at insects, a chemistry show, a fish and aquatic environment, marshland restoration project, pollution prevention, and more.
Art Shows: Earth Art and Photography Show, and Earth-themed Juried Art and Photography Show for College/University students and Professional Artists; Earth From Space Art Exhibit.
Entertainment Stage: Music and dance performances throughout the day.