(NAPSA)—Earth Day was created in 1970 to celebrate Earth’s life and beauty and to emphasize the need for preserving and renewing the threatened ecological balances upon whichall life on Earth depends. Chemists Celebrate Earth Day (CCED) is a program sponsored by the American Chemical Society (ACS) andis celebrated annually on April 22. Chemists Celebrate Earth Day was created as a way to highlight the positive impact that chemistry has on the environment. The ACS offers a suite of events, contests and educa- tional resources that can be used by ACS members, chemical educators and chemistry enthusiasts to illustrate the positive role that chemistry plays in the world. Here are some ways to help protect the environment, on Earth Day and throughout the year: Tour a recycling center or a laboratory or government facility that monitors the Earth, soil, water, plants, atmosphere or the weather; Encourage members of your community to reduce their carbon dioxide emissions by walking, bicycling or using public transportation; and * Hold a theme-related awareness event at your library, school or other public site. This year, the American Chemical Society’s observance of Earth Day includes a wide variety of community activities focusing on the program’s theme, “Air—The Sky’s the Limit.” This annual event unites ACS local sections, businesses, schools and individu- als in communicating the impor- @ 4eMists cee™ Chemistry plays an important role in protecting the environment and reducing carbon footprints. tance of chemistry to the quality oflife. Activities planned by ACS local sections and studentaffiliates feature an illustrated haiku contest for students in grades K-12 and informing the public of ways they can reduce their carbon footprints. Among ACS’s numerous ongoing, environmental-related initiatives is the Green Chemistry Institute, which addresses envi- ronmental issues throughout the year. Green chemistry is the design of chemical products and processes that reduce or eliminate the use and generation of hazardous substances. The American Chemical Society—the world’s largest scientific society—is a nonprofit organization chartered by the U.S. Congress and a global leader in providing access to chemistry-related research through its multiple databases, peer-reviewed journals and scientific conferences. Its main offices are in Washington, D.C. and Columbus, Ohio. To learn more, visit the Web site at www.acs.org/earthday.
