Fermilab celebrating Earth Day with virtual events

Fermilab is celebrating Earth Day with events that you can join from wherever you are. Registration for sessions held via Zoom closes one hour prior to each event. Sign up at ed.fnal.gov/events/earthday/. They will post recordings of events online.

• At 2 p.m. Monday, April 19, learn about "Sustainability at Fermilab." Fermilab has a rich history that carries through to today of paying close attention to the environment in which it operates. This presentation will provide an overview of the concept of sustainability, highlighting the many successes and some of the challenges related to minimizing the environmental footprint of operating the facility. This presentation will be recorded.

• On Tuesday, April 20, Mark Donnelly will talk about "Dragonflies and Damselflies at Fermilab" at 2 p.m. Dragonflies are beautiful, charismatic insects that require aquatic habitats for their life cycle.

Over the years, experimental and restoration activities at Fermilab have established diverse wetlands that have allowed them to flourish here. This presentation will elaborate details of the lives and behaviors of these insects, then describe a five-year survey of the species at the lab. The survey will contribute to ongoing evaluations of the site's natural areas, which provide input to the laboratory's environmental stewardship efforts.

• A Virtual Prairie Walk with Wally Levernier will be offered at noon Tuesday, April 20. Join a virtual tour through portions of Fermilab's natural areas to look at spring wildflowers, plants and other things we see along the way. Some of the topics that will be covered include plant identification, general ecology, and ecological restoration. This presentation will be recorded.

• On Thursday, April 22, youth in kindergarten to fifth grade can learn about "Being a Wildlife Helper" from 9:45 to 10:15 a.m. and 2:10 to 2:40 p.m. Become a steward so you can properly care for the natural world. Learn eco-friendly wildlife feeding and how to make a variety of creative bird feeders. This presentation will be recorded.

• On Thursday, April 22, "Earth Day: Exploring the Chemistry of Nature" will be offered to third-graders and up from 10:20 to 10:50 a.m. and 1 to 1:30 p.m. Learn about the connection between chemistry and nature through a variety of hands-on activities that you can do at home or in your classroom. This presentation will be recorded.

• On Thursday, April 22, fourth- to eighth-graders can sign up for "Your Invisible Footprint: What Steps Can You Take?" from 10:55 to 11:25 a.m. and 1:35 to 2:05 p.m. In this interactive presentation, learn what climate change is, what causes it, and how you can take action to reduce your carbon footprint. This presentation will be recorded.

For questions, contact the Office of Education and Public Engagement Registrar at (630) 840-8258, or edreg@fnal.gov.