Photos: UH Hilo and Hawaiʻi CC 2016 Earth Day Fair!
The 28th annual Earth Day Fair welcomed over 1,000 local schoolchildren to campus this year who took part in a host of workshops and environmental learning activities.
Photos by Claudia Hagan/UH Hilo Stories.
The 28th Annual Earth Day Fair was celebrated at the University of Hawai’i at Hilo on Friday, April 22. The annual event is hosted by UH Hilo and Hawai’i Community College, free to the public, and done in coordination with the Annual Conservation Career Day. This year’s events featured over 50 organizations with presenters, activities, and educational exhibits. There were also keynote speakers, panels, campus and garden tours, live entertainment, crafts for keiki, and giveaways.
The university welcomed over 1,000 local schoolchildren this year who took part in a host of workshops and environmental learning activities — an opportunity to introduce UH Hilo and Hawaiʻi CC to the next generation of students.
Earth Day Fair
This year’s Earth Day celebration was bustling with educational videos, informational exhibits and science demonstrations, expert guest speakers, a food sustainability panel, environmental science skill-building workshops, marine touch-tanks, dance troupes, HICCUP Circus performance, hula, storytellers, face-painting, campus garden tours, an environmental career fair, unmanned aerial vehicle flight simulators, and many other engaging activities. Free plants, fruits, and other giveaways were available throughout the day.
Click photos for full size.
Conservation Career Day
The 4th annual Conservation Career Day was held in collaboration with Earth Fair. The event drew local scientists and agencies in the field of natural resource management, with the goal to inspire local students to become environmental stewards and to pursue careers in natural resource management. This event is designed to provide information to middle and high school students, with a specific focus on local employment opportunities.
And more
Also on the program were other events of interest to UH students and the campus community, including:
- Morning keynote address by Donna Kahakui, renowned long distance paddler and founder of Kai Makana, entitled “Malama ʻAina & the Power of One—The Power of YOU!” (9:30 a.m. in the UH Hilo Gym)
- An afternoon presentation by Jesse Potter, founder of Pōhāhā I Ka Lani, a Hawaiian organization to revitalize and advance indigenous Hawaiian culture working in Waipiʻo, entitled “Listening to Kuleana” (12:15 to 1 p.m. in Sciences and Technology Building, room 108)
- A panel discussion on Food Sustainability and Local Agriculture, featuring UH Hilo faculty Norman Arancon and Celia Bardwell-Jones, along with Scott Laaback, Jeff Melrose, and Drake Weinert (12 to 2 p.m., University Classroom Building, room 127)
- Demonstrations and activities included poi pounding, a marine touch tank, music and dancing.
- Wonderful local food provided by Liko Lehua, Island Naturals, Conscious Culture Cafe, and Sweet Cane Café, along with coffee from Sharks Coffee.
Photos by Claudia Hagan (part-time student, marketing and digital photography), a photographer for the Office of the Chancellor.
