Earth Day a Good Day to Make a Commitment to Clean Air
2010-03-11 08:40 by Staff Writer
What is ozone pollution? How does it affect our health? What can we do about it?
You can find the answers to these and other questions during Earth Day events in the region. The theme for Earth Day festivities is “Make a commitment to clean air.”
The Center for the Environment at Catawba College will provide information at three events through its Campaign for Clean Air, an initiative designed to educate citizens about the causes and effects of air pollution and empower them to take action to meet this challenge.
“We want people to gain a better understanding of the reasons we need to improve our air quality,” says Shelia Armstrong, the Campaign for Clean Air’s outreach coordinator. “We’ll give them concrete things they can do and then offer them commitment cards that invite them to check off things they can personally commit to do for clean air.”
The Center will staff a booth at Earth Night Out in Downtown Salisbury from 5-8 p.m. on Friday, April 16. This will launch Downtown Salisbury’s Friday Night Out series. (Visit downtownsalisburync.com for more.) Center staff will display a battery-powered lawn mower, which emits no toxic fumes, and will offer discount coupons worth more than $100 off the purchase price. They will also have information available on ordering “No-Idling” signs for area businesses.
Center for the Environment representatives will also be present at the Piedmont Environmental Alliance Earth Day event on the Wake Forest University campus in Winston-Salem from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on April 17. (Visit peanc.org/earth-day-fair for more.) Event organizers expect 8,000 people to attend the fair, a family-friendly event on the campus of Wake Forest University. The event will feature live music, more than 100 exhibits on environmental topics and sustainable solutions, eco-friendly businesses and sustainable food.
Finally, Center staff will display the battery-powered lawn mower and provide general air quality information at Viva Verde Earth Fest, an event jointly sponsored by Cabarrus County, the City of Concord and the City of Kannapolis. (Visit vivaverdeearthfest.wordpress.com for more.) Order forms for the “No-Idling” signs for businesses will also be available.
Scheduled for 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on April 24 at North Cabarrus Park in Kannapolis, Viva Verde Earth Fest will feature information booths, classes at the Dogwood Shelter, nature walks, geo-caching, art contests, recycling, arts and crafts, music, children’s activities, paper shredding and an all-natural food court.