Chemists Celebrate Earth Week
Chemists Celebrate Earth Week (CCEW) is a community-based program of the American Chemical Society (ACS). For us, this annual program unites the Central Arkansas ACS local section, area student chapters, businesses, schools, and individuals in communicating the positive role that chemistry plays in the world. CCEW occurs annually during the week of Earth Day, which is April 22.
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Earth Day provides us with an opportunity to demonstrate support for a healthy environment, raise awareness about environmental issues, and remind us that we all need to contribute to a sustainable planet. Earth Day 2021 marks the 51st anniversary of the world's largest environmental movement!
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For years, chemists have been promoting a better world through recyclable plastics, cleaner-burning fuels, phosphate-free detergents, environmental monitoring, and green chemistry initiatives. The ACS joined the Earth Day celebration in 2003. There have been annual CCEW events ever since. You can read about ACS's policy statement on Sustainability & the Environment on the national ACS website.
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CCEW is administered by the ACS Office of Science Outreach, which is part of the Education Division. The Central Arkansas ACS CCEW Coordinator is Dr. Faith Yarberry. If you or your organization is interested in working with us to hold a CCEW event, please submit your request through the CCEW event request form.
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ACS will celebrate CCEW 2021 from April 18-24 with the theme, "Reducing Our Footprint with Chemistry." The Central Arkansas ACS local section is hosting two exciting contests to encourage students to join the campaign.
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If you or your child are in K-12, please consider entering our CCEW Illustrated Poem Contest as well as our CCEW Art Competition! The deadline for the poem contest is April 22nd and the deadline for the art competition is April 7th.
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CCEW Goes Virtual!
ACS is now encouraging the planning of Virtual Demo Events and Digital Illustrated Poem Contests (updated process) for K-12 audiences, and Virtual Teach-Ins for higher education and adult audiences. If you don’t have time to plan events, you can still utilize and share digital educational resources with teachers in need! Check out the:
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Celebrating Chemistry Coloring Book (grades K-2)
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Endangered Elements Color by Numbers (PDF) (grades 3-6)
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ChemCatcher (PDF) (grades 9-12, undergraduate)
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Earth Day 50th Anniversary Timeline (PDF) (grades 9-12, undergraduate)
Help ACS amplify the campaign on social media using the hashtags #CCEW, #EarthDay2020, and #chemistry. Utilize the “Protecting Our Planet through Chemistry” Facebook Profile Photo Frame. Last but not least, show collective action by adding your virtual events to Facebook and submitting your photos, videos, and screenshots to the CCEW 2020 Photo Album.