Join us on Thursday, Apr. 26 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in front of Bldg. 1 to celebrate Earth Day at NIH. This event is for NIH employees, contractors and visitors and for children here for Take Your Child to Work Day. Lunch may be purchased from vendors and there will be plenty of seating. At 1 p.m., NIH director Dr. Elias Zerhouni will discuss the importance of our environment and how employees can help "NIH Go Greener!" He will also present awards to the winners of the IT contest.

Earth Day events will highlight the natural environment at NIH and the importance of biodiversity for humanity. These include:

• Displays of diverse plants from Africa that are used to help human health.
• Interactive demonstration of how NIH scientists collect sap and screen plants for medicinal value.
• Virginia Raptors will display several of the hawks and owls that they are rehabilitating and discuss the importance of habitat preservation for wildlife.
• Nature walk to learn about what NIH is doing to revitalize our forest and the NIH stream. Learn what role we play in the Chesapeake Bay watershed and about some of the native plants and animals found on our campus.
• Examination of the many aquatic invertebrates found in our local streams.
• Interactive model that demonstrates the importance of protecting our streams and groundwater.

Also on hand will be Roco the Montgomery County recycling dog; the NIH Mad Hatter; Ben Franklin; and clowns doing face-painting and balloon animals. Children will have a chance to take environmental quizzes for prizes and participate in the Frisbee toss at 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.

This will be the first NIH zero-waste event. All waste from the event will be composted or recycled. In the spirit of zero waste we will be collecting the following for reuse:

• Clean, usable clothing
• Used bicycles for Bikes for the World
• Used eyeglasses and old, personal cell phones.

L ocal car dealerships will display hybrid vehicles and Pepco and Washington Gas will be on hand to discuss green energy. USDA will have a composting demonstration. Montgomery County will have a display and information on recycling. NIH employees will have tables and displays on greener transportation options; NIH-owned green vehicles; proper chemical disposal; radiation safety; bicycle commuting options; energy conservation; and the NIH Environmental Management System.

To see a complete list of activities and specifics for donations, visit http://www.nems.nih.gov and click on Earth Day. To volunteer, email green@mail.nih.gov.