NEW YORK—“You must be the change you want to see in the world,” said Mahatma Gandhi, the Indian political and spiritual leader. In the spirit of Gandhi’s words, New Yorkers are gearing up for the 41st Earth Day celebrations to help raise awareness and appreciation for the earth’s environment.
“This year our focus has shifted more to a call to action,” said Pamela Lippe, president and executive director of Earth Day New York (EDNY).
Linking recent extreme weather to environmental pollution, Lippe talked about how New Yorkers need to take heed of the warning signs and stop contributing to climate change before it’s too late.
“Earth Day New York is simply asking everyone to do their part,” said Lippe.
On Thursday, City Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn joined officials from Toshiba America Inc., the official consumer and digital electronics partner of EDNY 2011, to announce the three days of Earth Day celebrations.
Speaker Quinn said,“One of the issues the city is working on most aggressively is the city’s food system,” and how to make it “something that is an environmental positive, not an environmental negative.”
Quinn referred to FoodWorks, the city’s “first ever comprehensive ground to garbage plan” food system, and efforts to preserve the city’s community gardens and create opportunities for urban farmers to access more open space.
The three-day Earth Day celebrations kicked off with the students’ eco-panel presentation from five different schools.
The first presentation was Subway Smart Systems (SSS) presented by seventh-grade students, twins James and Hugh Savoldelli, James Hayman, and Jeffrey Weiner from Horace Mann School in Bronx.
The SSS team is the regional winner of the 2011 Toshiba/National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) ExploraVision Awards program.
ExploraVision is the world’s largest K–12-student science competition. Students work in teams of two to four to research technology and explore how their vision can materialize into feasible scientific projects.
The SSS team introduced two models on “generating electricity from the [moving] subway trains and tapping all that wind energy that has never been tapped before,” said 13-year-old James Savoldelli, spokesman for his team.
“By gathering wind energy using the SSS models, we won’t need to use fossil fuels. This way we will help the environment,” said Weiner.
Savoldelli stated that SSS would “drive positive change and a cleaner environment” because “the world is a delicate environment and we really need to protect it.”
Many were impressed with the primary-, middle-, and high-school students’ presentations.
“For all parents out there, maybe you think your kid, your son or daughter, or niece, or nephew has a crazy idea, think again,” said Mario Armstrong, digital lifestyle expert and media personality, who hosted the eco-panel discussions.
Lippe commended on the students’ visions for a more sustainable future: “It gives me hope. It was really inspiring to hear these wonderful projects.”
It is time for us to take proper action to protect earth, said Yoshihide Fujii, chairman and chief executive officer of Toshiba America Inc.
“I am so happy to have the opportunity to see the presentations of the young kids. The one hour I spend here today, is probably a hundred times more valuable than working in my office,” said Fujii.
Anthony Corsano, president and chief executive officer, Anvil Knitwear Inc., said, “Please do not underestimate the impact you have on the environment. Treat the earth well. It’s not given to you by your parents. It is on loan to you by your children.”
Anvil Knitwear, the largest buyer of U.S.-grown organic cotton and transitional cotton, focuses on educating parents and children on the importance of choosing organic food as well as clothing, said Caterina Conti, Anvil Knitwear executive vice president.
“It avoids harmful pesticides, leaching into the soil, and water table,” said Conti, who explained how the company works closely with U.S. organic cotton farmers.
During the three-day Earth Day celebrations, Toshiba America will display a variety of energy-saving products.
Highlights of the exhibits included a multipurpose super-charge rechargeable ion battery (SCiB), new energy-producing solar panels, second-generation LED lights, Toshiba EPEAT gold laptops, and the company’s new energy-efficient television.
The SCiB battery offers 90 percent charge capacity in as short as 10 minutes time and can be used for electric bicycles and other uninterruptible power systems.
Toshiba national sales training manager, Bill Monroe explained the company’s commitment to a sustainable future and responsible recycling, and that materials in older products are used to make many new products.
“We take it down to material level, melt the plastics,” said Monroe pointing to the laptops on display. “The glass parts get broken down and then the materials go back to make something else.”
He gave a Toshiba black plastic ruler to each of the visitors: “This is made from electronic cartridges,” said Monroe.
The Earth Day fair is at Times Square on Friday, April 22 and at Grand Central Terminal through Saturday, April 23.
Besides the three-day indoor exhibit at Grand Central’s Vanderbilt Hall, other featured events include the CO2 E Drive, Plant a Forest in Times Square, and the Green Vehicle Fashion Show at Times Square from 11 a.m.–12 p.m. on Friday.
Opening hours for the indoor exhibit are 10 a.m.–7 p.m. on Friday and 10 a.m.–5 p.m. on Saturday.
“This year our focus has shifted more to a call to action,” said Pamela Lippe, president and executive director of Earth Day New York (EDNY).
Linking recent extreme weather to environmental pollution, Lippe talked about how New Yorkers need to take heed of the warning signs and stop contributing to climate change before it’s too late.
“Earth Day New York is simply asking everyone to do their part,” said Lippe.
On Thursday, City Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn joined officials from Toshiba America Inc., the official consumer and digital electronics partner of EDNY 2011, to announce the three days of Earth Day celebrations.
Speaker Quinn said,“One of the issues the city is working on most aggressively is the city’s food system,” and how to make it “something that is an environmental positive, not an environmental negative.”
Quinn referred to FoodWorks, the city’s “first ever comprehensive ground to garbage plan” food system, and efforts to preserve the city’s community gardens and create opportunities for urban farmers to access more open space.
The three-day Earth Day celebrations kicked off with the students’ eco-panel presentation from five different schools.
The first presentation was Subway Smart Systems (SSS) presented by seventh-grade students, twins James and Hugh Savoldelli, James Hayman, and Jeffrey Weiner from Horace Mann School in Bronx.
The SSS team is the regional winner of the 2011 Toshiba/National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) ExploraVision Awards program.
ExploraVision is the world’s largest K–12-student science competition. Students work in teams of two to four to research technology and explore how their vision can materialize into feasible scientific projects.
The SSS team introduced two models on “generating electricity from the [moving] subway trains and tapping all that wind energy that has never been tapped before,” said 13-year-old James Savoldelli, spokesman for his team.
“By gathering wind energy using the SSS models, we won’t need to use fossil fuels. This way we will help the environment,” said Weiner.
Savoldelli stated that SSS would “drive positive change and a cleaner environment” because “the world is a delicate environment and we really need to protect it.”
Many were impressed with the primary-, middle-, and high-school students’ presentations.
“For all parents out there, maybe you think your kid, your son or daughter, or niece, or nephew has a crazy idea, think again,” said Mario Armstrong, digital lifestyle expert and media personality, who hosted the eco-panel discussions.
Lippe commended on the students’ visions for a more sustainable future: “It gives me hope. It was really inspiring to hear these wonderful projects.”
It is time for us to take proper action to protect earth, said Yoshihide Fujii, chairman and chief executive officer of Toshiba America Inc.
“I am so happy to have the opportunity to see the presentations of the young kids. The one hour I spend here today, is probably a hundred times more valuable than working in my office,” said Fujii.
Anthony Corsano, president and chief executive officer, Anvil Knitwear Inc., said, “Please do not underestimate the impact you have on the environment. Treat the earth well. It’s not given to you by your parents. It is on loan to you by your children.”
Anvil Knitwear, the largest buyer of U.S.-grown organic cotton and transitional cotton, focuses on educating parents and children on the importance of choosing organic food as well as clothing, said Caterina Conti, Anvil Knitwear executive vice president.
“It avoids harmful pesticides, leaching into the soil, and water table,” said Conti, who explained how the company works closely with U.S. organic cotton farmers.
During the three-day Earth Day celebrations, Toshiba America will display a variety of energy-saving products.
Highlights of the exhibits included a multipurpose super-charge rechargeable ion battery (SCiB), new energy-producing solar panels, second-generation LED lights, Toshiba EPEAT gold laptops, and the company’s new energy-efficient television.
The SCiB battery offers 90 percent charge capacity in as short as 10 minutes time and can be used for electric bicycles and other uninterruptible power systems.
Toshiba national sales training manager, Bill Monroe explained the company’s commitment to a sustainable future and responsible recycling, and that materials in older products are used to make many new products.
“We take it down to material level, melt the plastics,” said Monroe pointing to the laptops on display. “The glass parts get broken down and then the materials go back to make something else.”
He gave a Toshiba black plastic ruler to each of the visitors: “This is made from electronic cartridges,” said Monroe.
The Earth Day fair is at Times Square on Friday, April 22 and at Grand Central Terminal through Saturday, April 23.
Besides the three-day indoor exhibit at Grand Central’s Vanderbilt Hall, other featured events include the CO2 E Drive, Plant a Forest in Times Square, and the Green Vehicle Fashion Show at Times Square from 11 a.m.–12 p.m. on Friday.
Opening hours for the indoor exhibit are 10 a.m.–7 p.m. on Friday and 10 a.m.–5 p.m. on Saturday.
