Idaho Cleanup Contractor Helps Make Earth Day Celebration Accessible to All

Idaho Environmental Coalition volunteers Cory McRae, left, and Chad Phillips lead students in STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and math) activities during the Idaho Falls Earth Day Celebration at the Idaho Falls Zoo. McRae and Phillips were among the many volunteers from the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Environmental Management Idaho National Laboratory Site cleanup contractor who served during this year's event.

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho - A U.S. Department of Energy Office of Environmental Management (EM) contractor at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) Site recently helped make a long-held community-wide Earth Day celebration a reality for families in a southeastern Idaho community.

This support is part of the investment in environmental education and community engagement by the Idaho Environmental Coalition (IEC) since IEC began as the environmental cleanup contractor at the INL Site in 2021.

In part because of the financial support of IEC and other contractors, the Earth Day event is free to children ages 12 and under, and parents receive half-price admission to the Idaho Falls Zoo, which hosts the celebration. The event attracts about 1,000 people every year.

"As the environmental cleanup contractor for the INL Site, the Earth Day Celebration is a natural fit for IEC's mission," IEC Pollution Prevention Coordinator Sue Vilord said. "While the role companies play in environmental stewardship is vital, if we take care of our own corner of the world, which includes the places we live, work and play, we'll find that even small efforts can result in huge benefits."

In addition to learning how to be good stewards of the Earth, Idaho Environmental Coalition (IEC) volunteers and attendees took time out for a zoo-themed photoshoot to commemorate their day. Pictured is IEC Human Resources Generalist Maribel Ochoa Martinez, left, with her family.

For more than 30 years, representatives and contractors from EM's Idaho Cleanup Project (ICP), Idaho Department of Environmental Quality and INL have combined resources to host the community's annual Earth Day celebration at the Idaho Falls Zoo. The event includes hands-on activities focused on teaching children and their families the benefits of environmental stewardship.

This year, volunteers with IEC's weSTEAM program led activities to demonstrate how science, technology, engineering, art and math can help advance environmental cleanup at INL. IEC employees also provided social media and marketing support.

"The public-private partnership that formed and helped build this event into what it is today allows us to keep costs low to families who want to participate in the Earth Day Celebration," Eastern Idaho Environmental Education Association President Michell Walker said.

As part of IEC's diverse cleanup mission, environmental protection and public education continue to be priorities helping to drive waste management that is protecting the Snake River Aquifer for future generations.

-Contributor: Jessica Vasseur