Regional Earth festival planned; electric car featured

The 2nd annual Earth Fest event has been scheduled for 2 p.m., April 18 at the Janet Huckabee Nature Center at Chaffee Crossing.

ECCOpartners, the community outreach division of the Sebastian County Regional Solid Waste Management District, is organizing the event for the purpose of increasing environmental awareness and to educate the public on the benefits of recycling.

“This event is intended to help people appreciate our local lands and ecosystems and in turn inspire them to accept ownership of the responsibility for them,” said Dale Alimena, director of ECCOpartners. “We are emphasizing that everyone has an individual responsibility, starting in the home and extending outward to the local area.”

Experts in various environmental fields will be on-hand to give talks, tours, and demonstrations.

Other events planned include:
• The Army Corp of Engineers will sponsor trips, including tours, to the Lock and Dam at Springhill Park.

• The Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics, an educational, nonprofit organization dedicated to the responsible enjoyment and active stewardship of the outdoors, will host workshops on responsible environmental practices in camping and other outdoor activities.

• The Myers Motors’ electric car, featured on Good Morning America, will be on display. The Myers electric car is a personal transport vehicle that runs on 100% electricity, cruises at highway speed, and needs only a 110 volt outlet to recharge.

“This event will provide people of all ages with the opportunity to heighten their appreciation of the environment, including our natural resources, and how to make decisions in life that will help keep our natural lands and ecosystems healthy, clean, and pleasant for everyone to enjoy,” Alimena said.