Spreading awareness to the next generation about the importance of protecting planet Earth was the overall message of the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center’s (ERDC) annual Earth Day event.
More than 100 students from the Academy of Innovation, Porter’s Chapel, and St. Aloysious High School attended ERDC’s annual Earth Day Celebration Monday, April 8, in the ERDC Headquarters Building Auditorium. Engineers from several of ERDC’s laboratories set up displays in the Atrium and spread information to the local students about how they can help keep the Earth healthy while also introducing them to the work done at the agency.
Protecting and preserving our environment is an enduring mission for the ERDC and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). More than 10% of USACE’s workforce specializes in environmental disciplines, working alongside the rest of our diverse team to shape a sustainable future for current and future generations. USACE’s global team is planning, designing, building and operating projects and facilities with safety and sustainability at the forefront of our actions.
Robert “Bobby” McComas, chemical engineer and environmental protection manager with ERDC’s Safety and Environmental Management Office, gave the students tips on how they can better take care of the planet.
“People around the world unite to reflect on the planet and ways we can work together to protect Earth for future generations,” said McComas. “We should be good stewards of this amazing planet by reducing, reusing and recycling plastic, conserving water by being mindful of our water usage by turning off water when we’re not using it, conserving energy by cutting off lights when we leave a room, unplugging chargers to prevent them from using energy when not being used and much more. Earth is home to a variety of plants and animals, so we should respect their habitats by being conscious of how our activities impact their homes.”
Visiting teachers applauded ERDC for inviting students to the event to broaden their knowledge on caring for the planet and how they could impact Earth’s well-being. Jerrica Wells, an eighth-grade math teacher at the Academy of Innovation, thought the event was ideal for her students to see how classroom lessons are applied to real-world situations.
“This is an amazing opportunity for our youth,” said Wells. “These are some things that our students have been exposed to in our classrooms, so them seeing how it translates to real life is great for them.”
Each year, teachers mark their calendars for ERDC’s annual Earth Day celebration and are eager to see displays from some the agency’s brightest scientists and engineers. Stacey Lambiotte, an 11th-grade science teacher at St. Aloysious High School, praised ERDC for their educational presentations.
“Every year, I look forward to getting the invite from ERDC to attend this event,” said Lambiotte. “This event is always spectacularly set up, and they provide several educational stations for our student to visit and learn about Earth Day and its theme. It also teaches our students the role that engineering plays in taking care of our planet in a way that’s applicable to our students.”
Exposing students to innovative practices in science and engineering is part of ERDC’s mission to attract prospective employees to the agency. Nancy McClain, a guidance counselor at Porter’s Chapel Academy, believes the Earth Day event inspires students to take a deeper look into science and engineering to see its worldwide impact.
“We never miss this event because it exposes our students to new ways of thinking and new scientific and mathematic activities and technology,” said McClain. “This event is always inspiring.”
A collective effort is needed to care for the planet according to Kathleen Harris, a research civil engineer with ERDC’s Coastal and Hydraulics Laboratory (CHL)/River and Estuarine Engineering Branch. Harris believes that collectively doing acts that seem small results in making Earth a stronger and healthier planet.
“There’s a Mother Teresa quote that says, ‘Do ordinary things with extraordinary love,’ and that message is the motivating principle that led me to become an engineer who works to find positive ways to impact our environment,” said Harris. “Protecting the environment is a community effort, and we should aspire to make a bigger impact on Earth’s wellness.”
We try to stick with Army or USACE messaging for observations such as this unless the outside organization is a partner/sponsor of the event.