2004 Press Releases

In Celebration of Earth Day, April 22, 2004

April 21, 2004

The U.S. Embassy in collaboration with the Government of Trinidad and Tobago Ministry of Education will commemorate Earth Day 2004 with a LIVE web chat at the International School of Port of Spain and at Naparima Girls School. The program will highlight the GLOBE Educational Program (“Global Learning to Benefit the Environment”). In Trinidad and Tobago, 33 schools have signed up with the GLOBE program. The US Embassy supports the Globe Program by providing teaching materials, resources and by speaking at training seminars.

In addition to The International School, two students from the following schools will also participate in the web chat: Providence Girls, St. Mary's College, Mucurapo Senior Comprehensive, St. Augustine Girls School, and El Dorado Secondary Comprehensive. Mr. Henry Saunders, the GOTT Ministry of Education GLOBE coordinator will also be present at the International School.

Naparima Girls College will also host two students from the following schools to participate in the web chat: Couva Government Secondary, Iere High School, Naparima Boys College, and Waterloo Presbyterian School. Mr. Ramsundar Seenath, GOTT Ministry of Education Science Curriculum Coordinator will also be present at Naparima.

The web chat will take place from 1:00-3:00PM. U.S. Ambassador Dr. Roy L. Austin will show his support for Earth Day and the GLOBE program at the International School. Students will discuss Earth Day Field Campaigns as well as ongoing data collection and research collaborations, done through GLOBE.

Many similar programs will be conducted in the United States, and throughout the world. The United States marks its deep commitment to preserve the bounty and beauty of the earth for future generations everywhere on Earth Day, and throughout the year.

Americans of all ages will be engaged in activities that celebrate the wonders of nature and highlight the efforts required to maintain a healthy environment. There will be film festivals in Boise, Idaho and Washington, D.C. Students and teachers in San Diego, California are planting trees and planning gardens. Volunteers in Jamestown, Rhode Island are cleaning shorelines. In addition, activists, business leaders, sportsmen, and government representatives like those of the California environmental resources evaluation system are engaged in the kind of public discussions upon which thoughtful U.S. economic and environmental policies are founded.

In the 34 years that have passed since U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson launched Earth Day, the United States has continued to show its ability to set, achieve and maintain high standards for environmental protection. And we have laid out ambitious new goals like the reduction of mercury emissions in energy production and ending the sale and export of illegally harvested timber around the globe.

President George W. Bush has pledged that the United States will meet the challenge of addressing long-term global climate change by reducing the ratio of greenhouse gas emissions to economic output by 18 percent by 2012 compared to 2002.

For further information on Earth Day and other Environmental issues we encourage interested persons to go to the following Internet websites:

http://www.epa.gov/earthday
http://www.earthday.gov/govtsites.htm
http://www.whitehouse.gov/infocus/environment