ORNL Earth Day Celebration: Planet vs Plastics
Main Event: Wednesday, April 24, 2024, 11:00am-1:00pm
Located on Main Street, Court of Flags and the Quad
(Please contact Laura Touton at toutonln@ornl.gov with any questions)
Earth Day: Planet vs Plastics - Representatives and Displays: Come Ask the Experts
Sustainable ORNL Partnering with:
- A&W Office Supply
- Anderson County Beekeepers
- ASAP of Anderson County
- Beardsley Community Farm
- Chemical Management Center
- Discover Life in America
- Drive Electric Tennessee/Knoxville Electric Vehicle Association
- Fastenal Co./Premier Contracting
- Foothills Land Conservancy
- GAI/TIG
- Grainger/Firehawk
- Habitat for Humanity - Clinch River
- Holman's
- I BIKE KNX/Smart Trips
- Ijams Nature Center
- Keep Anderson County Beautiful
- Keep Knoxville Beautiful
- Knoxville Parks & Recreation
- Kurt J. Lesker
- MSC
- National Park Service
- Oak Ridge Police Department
- ORNL Cycling Club
- ORNL Natural Resources
- ORNL Wellness Program
- ORNL Recycle and Reuse Program
- Scientific Sales
- SEEED Knox
- Solar Alliance
- Sustainable ORNL Program
- Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA)
- Volunteer East Tennessee
- WellOne Clinic
- Young Williams Animal Center
Stop by the Sustainable ORNL table to register for one of the sustainable giveaways! Raffle tickets are free for all employees and all employees are eligible!
Food Trucks:
EV Ride & Drive with East Tennessee Clean Fuels and Knoxville Electric Vehicle Association will be onsite for staff to test drive an electric vehicle. You must have a valid driver's license and proof of insurance. Waiver required.
- Kia EV6
- Kia EV9
- Cadillac Lyriq
- Ford F-150 Lightning
- And More!
Tuesday, April 23, 2024
Seminar: An Introduction to Foothills Land Conservancy - Preserving, protecting, and enhancing our region's natural areas, scenic views, and rural character
Speaker: Elise Eustace
Affiliation: Foothills Land Conservancy
When/Where: 11:00am, Wigner Auditorium
Abstract: For almost 40 years Foothills Land Conservancy has partnered with landowners across Tennessee and surrounding states, providing conservation tools for landowners. To date, their efforts have assisted in the protection of 200,000 acres that includes both public and private lands.
This presentation includes an overview of Foothill' regional land conservation programs, recent projects, and highlights from the Harris Farm, a 300-acre working farm in Blount County, TN, that is also the site of FLC's office headquarters.
Bio: Elise Eustace joined the FLC team in 2009 and has over 20 years of experience in marketing, sales, client relations, event management, public speaking, and writing. She has a B.A. degree in Communications with a minor in Business from Southwestern University in Georgetown, TX.
As Outreach Director, Elise is responsible for connecting FLC to local and regional communities - raising the visibility of Foothills' mission and programs through strategic partnerships, engagement events, and philanthropic initiatives. In addition to working at FLC, Elise has served on the City of Maryville's Tree Board, the Smoky Mountain Planned Giving Council Board, and the Great Smoky Mountains Hiking Club Board of Directors. She is a graduate of the Experience Your Smokies Program and enjoys visiting the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and exploring other natural areas across the region.
Friday, April 26, 2024
Seminar: Bridging Science, Technology and Community: Discover Life in America's Collaborative Efforts in Biodiversity Research in the Smokies
Speaker: Todd Witcher
Affiliation: Discover Life in America
When/Where: 11:00am, Wigner Auditorium
Abstract: Discover Life in America (DLiA), led by Executive Director Todd Witcher, is a local nonprofit organization committed to studying and conserving biodiversity, with a focus on their flagship project, the All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory (ATBI) in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Through their dedicated work, DLiA has successfully doubled the number of known species in the park and identified 1,079 species that are new to science.
Despite these accomplishments, there is still a vast amount of biodiversity that remains to be discovered in the park. To further their research and exploration, DLiA leverages new technologies, engages in community science projects, and collaborates with scientists from around the world.
Bio: Todd Witcher, DLiA Executive Director, is a 9th generation Tennessean born and raised in the small town of Red Boiling Springs in Middle Tennessee. He enjoys hiking, gardening with native plants, wildlife watching, and traveling. He became Executive Director of DLiA in 2007 and has worked in the nonprofit conservation field for almost 40 years.