Special speakers, performances, arts and crafts, Arboretum tours, informational booths, a roundtable conference and more are all part of the many activities planned in observance of Earth Day at ETSU University.
The Earth Day Celebration, which will be held Tuesday, April 22, is co-sponsored by Tri-Beta Biological Honor Society, Campus Greens and SGA 606 funding and supported by volunteer efforts.
Throughout the day, activities will run concurrently in the Culp Center ballroom and at the Amphitheatre and the Pedestrian Mall.
Several Earth Day guest speakers are lined up to discuss a variety of topics in the Culp Center ballroom: Dr. Bill Stone, professor of pediatrics in ETSU’s James H. Quillen College of Medicine, “Habitat Fragmentation and Development,” 9 a.m.
Other speakers and topics include:
* Brad Jones, Johnson City Department of Parks and Recreation, “Nature Programs with Johnson City Parks and Recreation,” 10 a.m.
* Anthony Flaccavento of Appalachian Sustainable Development, “Field to Table Philosophy of Sustainable Agriculture and Forestry,” 11 a.m.
* Dr. Diane Nelson, ETSU professor emerita of biological sciences and aquatic biologist and photographer, “Aquatic Ecosys-tem Survivability,” noon.
* Hugh O’Reilly, mayor, Whistler, Ontario, Canada, “Running a City Sustainably,” 1 p.m. This is the keynote address of the Sustainable Development Roundtable Conference.
* Janell Kapoor of Kleiwerks International, “Building Sustain-ably with Ecological and Local Materials,” 2 p.m.
* Dr. Tim McDowell, assistant professor of biological sciences, “Creating an ETSU Arboretum,” 3 p.m.
* Catherine Murray, ETSU associate professor of art and design, and Dean Worth, both of Cherokee Forest Voices, “Conservation,” 3:35 p.m.
ETSU’s well-known outdoor landmark, the Amphitheatre, will be the site of Earth Day discussions and performances throughout the day.
Opening ceremonies led by Shannon Miller of ETSU’s department of biological sciences and 2003 Earth Day faculty coordinator will take place at 10 a.m.
At 10:15 a.m., Frances Lamberts of Campus Greens and the Tri-Cities Green Party will discuss potential changes in the Clean Air and Water acts and the effects these changes could have on the local environment.
Stephen Smith of the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy will speak at 10:50 a.m.
Amphitheatre activities continue with student artistic performances from 11:30 a.m.-12:55 p.m.
After a 1 p.m. Earth Pep Rally, percussionist CanJoe*John (John L. VanArsdale) will perform at 1:30 p.m. and David Ramsey will discuss “Sustainable Materials” at 2:15 p.m.
A 2:30 p.m. Eco-Fashions Show will be followed by ETSU alumnus Don Yelton’s performance of “Evolution of a Species” at 3:15 p.m. and a gift raffle and announcements at 3:50 p.m.
An “Earth Healing Ceremony” is planned for 4:15 p.m. Evening performances include Serpentine Brown at 5:15 p.m.; Jesus on Vinyl at 6:15 p.m.; Melissa Reaves, the opening act from Lilith Fair, at 7:15 p.m.; and the headlining band, SONiA of Disappear Fear, at 8:15 p.m.
An Eco-Art Fair will take place on the lower patio of The Cave at the Culp Center from noon-3:30 p.m.
The fair will feature pottery; lint, leaf and flower petal cards; candles; can instruments with CanJoe*John. There will also be body balms, salves, perfumed oils and bath salts; puppetry; tie-dying; yoga; mud and food dye painting; weaving; and wind chimes.
Local artist Margaret Gregg will work on a large woven hanging, incorporating strips of writing from Earth Day visitors, who are encouraged to stop by and participate by having their earth-friendly messages included in the weaving.
The Pedestrian Mall that stretches from the Culp Center to Gilbreath Hall will be the site for Earth Day informational booths from 10 a.m.-10:30 p.m. Information will be available on Cherokee Forest Voices; Valley Beautiful; Southern Alliance for Clean Energy; Sierra Club; Campus Greens/Tri-Cities Green Party; Appalachian Sustainable Development; the Washington County Humane Society; USA Raft; ETSU Earth Day 2004.
Other informational booths that will be at the event are: Keep Washington County Beautiful; Kingsport Citizens for a Cleaner Environment; Johnson City Department of Parks and Recreation; Earth Haven Permaculture Community; Oneness Unitarian Church; Feminist Majority Leadership Alliance (FMLA); regional.
There will also be a effort to campus recycling ; “eco- friendly” clothing, toiletries and cleaning products; organic agriculture and composting; environmental effects of animal husbandry; and habitat fragmentation and urban sprawl.

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