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Both entertaining and educational, " Earthfest" will offer something for
all ages
Former U.S. Senator and Earth Day founder Gaylord Nelson will be the keynote speaker for Furman's "Earthfest," to be held April 19-22.
The university's celebration of Earth Day will also include, lectures, entertainment and a day-long festival on the mall that will include up to fifty environmental theme displays.
Nelson, who also served as governor of Wisconsin, conceived of the idea of Earth Day in 1969. The first Earth Day was held the following year and attracted 20 million participants.
A statesmen and popular public speaker, Nelson also had a hand in crafting the most significant environmental legislation of our day including the Clean Water Act, the Clean Air Act and Safe Drinking Water Act. In 1995, Nelson received the nation's highest civilian award: The Presidential Medal of Honor.
Nelson's address, to be held April 19 at 7:30 p.m. in McAlister Auditorium, will be co-sponsored by the Furman University Center for Habitat Earth and the Richard W. Riley Institute of Government, Politics and Public Leadership. Nelson will also speak in several classes during the day.
Health and Exercise Science Professor Frank Powell says Furman is partnering with the Sierra Club and city of Greenville for the April 21 festival on the mall.
A combination industrial trade show and country fair, industries, environmental marketers and education groups will have presentations on the mall. Many of the displays will be interactive. The event will be open to the public.
"There will be something for everyone - from a five year-old to a business owner looking to explore alternative energy sources," says Powell, who is helping to coordinate the event. "It's going to look like Homecoming on the mall. It will be very exciting."
He added that displays will include two hybrid (half electric, half gas) automobiles, the Toyota Prius and Honda Insight. Participants will also be able to view the latest techniques in solar energy and composting.
The Mall will be closed to traffic for the day and walking and biking will be encouraged. Pamlico Joe and Woody Pines, a singing, dancing and comedian brother act, will also perform on mall. The pair, originally from eastern North Carolina, perform skits and songs with an environmental theme. An exclusive performance for Furman students will be held Friday, April 20.
Mike McLeod, a 1989 Furman graduate and co-founder of the Furman Environmental Action Group, will also be a featured speaker. McLeod, who lives in Montana, is a naturalist, professional photographer and is the former publisher of River Magazine.
A complete listing of Earthfest activities will be posted on university online calendar later this month.