News Releases - 2000

Special Youth Presentations Planned For Earth Stewardship Event

Springfield, Ill. -- The importance of clean air, land and water will be highlighted at eight stations manned by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency during the ninth annual Earth Stewardship Day on Wednesday, May 3, at the Illinois State Fairgrounds. Co-sponsored by the Illinois Departments of Natural Resources, Agriculture and Commerce and Community Affairs, the event will feature a total of 41 presenter stations at sites scattered through the fairgrounds.

In addition to inter-active games and presentations, special events will include Brian "Fox" Ellis, of Fox Tales International, Peoria, offering "Prairie Tales;" Jack Kaufman, In the Green Productions, Normal, presenting a multi-media event featuring music, singing and a slide show on environmental responsibility; and "Birds of Prey" presented by the Wildlife Prairie Park at Peoria. Ellis's appearance is being funded by the IEPA.

Stations will be located in the Exposition Building, the Ethnic Village, and the Lincoln stage, where the IEPA's Environmental Jeopardy game will be located.

Other IEPA presentations will include "We All Live Downstream," focusing on water quality; the Recycle Dash; Toxic Relay; Water Works; water critters and an erosion table; Less Toxic Bingo, and a program spelling out how non-point source pollution occurs and what people can to do prevent it.

Approximately 1,400 fourth graders from 27 Sangamon County schools are expected to attend the event.

Earth Stewardship Day will run from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Stations will be manned by volunteers from the sponsoring agencies as well as local and county groups and private-sector entities.

To underline the day's "stewardship" focus, youngsters are being asked to pack waste-free lunches.