Next week is one of exciting opportunities for Carroll families and individuals to participate in activities and presentations about our local environment and to discuss the big picture of how we are evolving in our local and regional roles for the sustainable future of everyone.

Planet Carroll, Our Environmental Future? is the creation of local college students and citizens which responds to some of the issues raised by the Carroll County Commissioners at their forum held in Pikesville on Halloween Day last year targeted at PlanMaryland.  Major differences with the Planet Carroll events are that they are free to all, held locally, and offer perspectives from real scientists and land-use planners on how we can positively address the major issues confronting our planet and this county.

The events will culminate in a free morning-long forum at McDaniel College with great discussions on the topics of land use planning, sea level rise, and solid waste alternatives but more about that later.

The Planet Carroll week schedule includes the following:

• Monday, April 16^th: Business and
  Career Day at the Decker College Center on McDaniel from 4 to 6 PM
• Monday, April 16^th, an Recycling Art
  Show at Ensor Lounge on McDaniel from 6 to 9 PM.
• Tuesday, April 17^th, General Earth
  Day Activities including a hybrid / electric car show, plant giveaway, water testing, informative booths and information on how to measure your carbon and nitrogen footprint -  in the Great Hall at Carroll Community College  from 9 AM
  to 2 PM
• Wednesday, April 18^th an Energy Event sponsored by Baltimore Gas and Electric Company with demonstrations on how you can save on your home utility bill from 6:30 to 7:30 PM at Carroll Community
  College. Room 100 in the “K” Building.
• Wednesday at 7:30 PM at Carroll Community
  College, a free viewing of the film Cool It in the theater room 100 in the new K Building.
• Thursday, April 19^th, Carroll Hospital Center will hold its annual Earth Day Event in the main lobby of the
  Hospital from 10 AM to 2 PM. Stop by for the informative exhibits!
• Thursday, April 19^th, a free viewing
  of the movie “No Impact Man” as part of Carroll Community College’s Community Matters Film Series and Discussion in Room K127 at the College from 7 to 8:30 PM, Sponsored by Sustainable Living Maryland.
• Friday, April 20th a free music concert sponsored by Waste Not Carroll ! and Sustainable Living Maryland at the amphitheater on Carroll Community College campus at 7 PM. Area musicians and
  students will sing about the joys and challenges of our environment.
• Saturday April 21st, The Keynote presentation
  and panel discussion from 9 AM to 1 PM at Decker Auditorium on the McDaniel College campus. Free refreshments will be served and the audience is encouraged to linger and meet an all-star group of nationally recognized scientists and planners.
• Sunday, April 22^nd, EARTH DAY! Get your hands good and dirty and help the Carroll Venturing Crew with a tree planting at Freedom Park in Sykesville from 11 AM to 2 PM, rain or shine.

So many students, teachers and individuals have come forth to sponsor these great events that it is a wonderful reflection on the Carroll Community and its concern for a better future for everyone.

As I said earlier, the main event will be held at Decker hall on McDaniel’s campus on Saturday morning. Planet Carroll has assembled a very special, nationally recognized group of speakers and panelists for the public to listen to for free. Light refreshments will be served throughout the morning thanks to community sponsors.  The lineup of keynote speakers and panelists who will discuss the most important environmental issues of our time are:

Don Boesch,PhD --‐ President, U of MD Center for Environmental Science

Michael Barbour, PhD – Director, Tetra Tech Environmental Science

Ned Tillman --‐ Co‐Founder of Sustainable Growth, LLC

Dru Schmidt-Perkins --‐ Executive Director, 1000 Friends of Maryland

Richard Josephson --‐ Director of Planning Services for the MD Department of Planning

Nelson Widell --‐ Co-‐Founder of The Peninsula Compost Group, LLC

There will be a question / answer session for all of these guests and the
public is encouraged to stay after the panel Q&A to meet with the presenters. I hope you can take advantage of many of this weeks great activities.