Archive: Around Town

ITHACA, NY — The Sciencenter, Ithaca’s own community built, hands-on science museum, recently completed 18 months of collaboration with an international team of science centers on a world-wide initiative to develop educational activities on global warming.

This international project was organized by the Association of Science-Technology Centers (ASTC), a Washington, D.C.-based association representing science museums world-wide. Dubbed IGLO (for International action on GLObal warming), the website will provide high quality educational materials for free download to promote awareness of climate change issues and to educate the public on global warming.

The Sciencenter has been involved in the IGLO project since its inception in 2005, with Sciencenter Executive Director Charlie Trautmann serving as secretary to IGLO’s international education committee. A key outcome of the project is an online toolkit that features free downloads for museums, schools and other educational organizations of science demonstrations, amphitheater presentations, hands-on activities, and links to polar scientists and their current research projects.

The IGLO Toolkit will be launched on March 1 (http://www.astc.org/iglo), coinciding with the launch of International Polar Year, a worldwide effort to connect scientific research of the polar regions and climate change with the public.

“The polar regions are in many ways the ‘canary in the coal mine’ for what is happening to our planet with respect to climate change,” shared Trautmann. “Research being conducted at the poles is giving us an important perspective on the impact of elevated CO2 levels on our atmosphere. Scientists are documenting decreases in polar ice, melting glaciers and thawing permafrost layers as direct consequences of heat-trapping greenhouse gases present in increasing levels in our atmosphere.”

To celebrate the beginning of the International Polar Year and the museum’s involvement in the world-wide effort to raise public awareness on how humans influence climate change, the Sciencenter has recently switched to 100% wind-generated power to meet the museum’s electricity needs.

“We want to reduce our carbon footprint – the amount of carbon we put into the atmosphere each year,” states Trautmann. “To this end, the Sciencenter will purchase 250,000 kilowatt-hours of wind-generated electricity this year.“ The result of the Sciencenter’s move to 100% wind-generated electricity will be to eliminate 163 tons of carbon dioxide that would otherwise go into the atmosphere. This CO2 reduction is equivalent to planting 22,113 trees or not driving 281,940 miles every year.

The Sciencenter is inviting the public to visit the museum for free on Sunday March 4, between noon and 5 pm, to help celebrate the kick off of International Polar Year. Visitors will calculate their own carbon footprint (visitors should bring a household utility bill), and learn more about 100% clean, renewable wind-generated energy as is being supplied to the Sciencenter through a partnership between NYSEG and Community Energy, Inc., a leading marketer of wind energy.

The Sciencenter is the first facility in Tompkins County to purchase 100% of their electricity through NYSEG’s wind energy program.

”We are fortunate to have a facility like the Sciencenter in the community, and we commend them for taking a leadership role in improving our environment and helping ensure a secure energy future,” said Jim Laurito, NYSEG’s president and CEO. “As more and more customers tap into this option, more wind farms will come online in New York and the state’s fuel mix for generating electricity will become more diverse and environmentally-friendly.”

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