Cool Kids ECOfest at Genesee Community College is marking its tenth anniversary this year and once again will offer the public many opportunities to celebrate Earth Day.
The event is planned for Saturday, April 11 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at GCC’s Batavia campus. Activities include recycling opportunities, a student photography exhibit, and for the first time, an educational event that will precede ECOfest on Thursday, April 9. RIT associate environmental science professor Karl Korfmacher will discuss bringing sustainability into curriculum. The talk, presented by GCC’s Sustainability Committee, is free and open to the public and will be held from 12:30 – 2 p.m. in Room T102 of the Conable Technology Building on the Batavia campus.
ECOfest is co-sponsored by GCC’s Student Activities Office, College Village and Brockport-based Generation Cool. The event is free and open to the public.
Cool Kids’ Steve Appleton says Earth Day can be celebrated everyday, but ECOfest offers an opportunity for the community to come together to celebrate.
“For ten years, we’ve been making a huge difference in educating young and old about the importance each individual makes for a clean environment,” Appleton says. “Let’s keep it going.”
This year, a favorite recycling initiative returns as electronic waste will again be accepted after a one-year hiatus. Rubber sneakers, paperback books, bikes and bike parts, worn American flags, cell phones, ink cartridges and eyeglasses are also being accepted.
New this year is textile recycling. Any clean clothing or cloth will be accepted for recycling – no dirty or moldy items, organizers say.
Each recycled item earns a Cool Kids ECO-raffle ticket for a chance to win prizes including a mountain bike.
More than 40 exhibitors will have booths including exotic wildlife, environmental educators, and make-it, take-it activities.
At 10 a.m., Buffalo-based musician Susan Rozler will kick things off with her Mama Earth’s Kitchen Band. The performance includes instruments from all over the world as well as homemade recycled ones. The audience will have the opportunity to play and sing with the band.
From noon-2 p.m. in the Stuart Steiner Theater Lobby Art Gallery, GCC photography students will share their “Sustainable Still Life” photography exhibit. Students have been crafting still life photos focusing on the concept of taking care of the earth and the environment.
“I cannot tell you how excited my students were after I presented the topic for the assignment and show,” teacher Joe Ziolkowski says. “We’re going to see some very interesting, thought-provoking work.”
Photos will be on display April 1-29, 2015.
