U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE

95/03/27 NEWSLETTER ON EARTH DAY 25





                             EARTH DAY 25 UPDATE



This is #4 (March 27, 1995) of a series of informal newsletters to share 

information here and abroad on activities in support of Earth Day 25 and 

ongoing efforts for global stewardship of the environment.



Focus Abroad: South Asia and the Pacific Rim -



Embassy Kathmandu (Vogelgesang) is planning numerous, mission-wide 

activities for the 25th.  The Embassy will feature solar energy 

technology as well as a solar energy project to determine suitability of 

solar electrification for Nepali villages and future actions for 

alternative energy use.  The Ambassador will host the Missionâs 

environment team and local environmental groups for a special dinner and 

discussion on natural resources legislation and the growing 

environmental challenges in Asian cities.  Furthermore, the Ambassador, 

in coordination with educators from Nepali schools and officials from 

the Ministry of Education, plans to address students participating in 

the GLOBE program and also present awards for the best environmental 

projects of the participating schools.



Embassy Jakarta (Rath, Schmidt) is coordinating an environmental 

training seminar involving IBM and with participation from the entire 

mission, Indonesia government agencies (Ministry of Environment and 

Forestry) and NGOs.  Also on the Earth Day agenda is a special ceremony 

entitled ãCooperation in Conserving Indonesiaâs Biological Diversityä.  

Representatives of the Governments of Indonesia, Japan and the U.S. will 

commemorate the jointly funded Indonesia Biodiversity Conservation 

Program and  Indonesia Biodiversity Foundation.



Embassy Tokyo (Blackburn) plans for Earth Day 25 to feature the Common 

Agenda -- U.S. - Japanese cooperation in dealing with international 

environmental and other global issues.  Under Secretary Timothy E. Wirth 

will participate in a USIA arranged ãDigital Video Conferenceä with the 

Post, media representatives, government officials and academic experts 

from Tokyo and Osaka.



Embassies in Southeast Asia and the South Pacific - Embassy Suva, 

Embassy Port Moresby, Embassy Kuala Lumpur, and several others - are 

focusing on a variety of environmental activities.  One theme uniting 

them - especially given an upcoming workshop in the Philippines in early 

June - is the Coral Reef Initiative, which may be the subject of a 

regional Worldnet dialogue for Earth Day.  USIA has produced a special 

video on the global effort to preserve coral reefs.





Video on Technology and Sustainable Development -



The Departments of State and Energy, in cooperation also with OSTP, AID, 

NOAA and the Global Environmental Technology Foundation, are producing a 

video for Earth Day on global environmental challenges and environmental 

technology solutions.  The video will feature climate change, 

biodiversity, urban pollution and sustainable communities.  Contact 

Lesley Savage or Christina Timmins, Triodyne Inc., #(703)677-4730, 

FAX(708)647-2047.)





ãService for the Environmentä Bulletin -



The Department has sent out a cable describing the initiative (see State 

Cable #73495, March 25).  The mission is twofold: 1) encourage students 

and youth groups worldwide to engage in ongoing service on behalf of the 

environment (such as the clean-up of parks, urban wastelands or 

beaches), especially in the annually designated season of service from 

Earth Day (April 22) to World Environment Day (June 5); and 2) foster 

global environmental awareness via an Internet discussion group called 

GreenServe.  (To participate in the Internet discussion group sharing 

environmental service experiences, send Internet E-mail message to 

ãmajordomo@econet.apc.orgä.  In the text of the message type ãsubscribe 

greenserveä.)



Several Embassies are already planning Earth Day activities with schools 

and thus are easily able to promote the ongoing ãService for the 

Environmentä initiative.  Embassy Bandar Seri Begawan, for example, is 

planning to send environmental mailings to local schools in Brunei and 

suggest clean up campaigns and tree plantings, etc.  Also, Embassy Amman 

has requested a Worldnet dialogue with Jordanian and U.S. students 

discussing their environmental school projects and sharing their ideas.



Organizations are also fostering environmental service efforts.  

EarthWatch is an international NGO which funds environmental field 

projects with over 600 teams in over 60 countries around the world. 

Officials at U.S. missions overseas or others interested are encouraged 

to take part in EarthWatch projects or to cosponsor an EarthWatch Corps.  

(For more information see State cable # 32788 or Contact James Burnes, 

Director of Field Operations for EarthWatch, #(617) 926-8200, 

FAX(617)926-8532, INTERNET: IBURNES@EARTHWATCH.ORG)





Earth Day in America-



St. Louis, Missouri will hold an Earth Day Community Festival with the 

theme ãCreating a Sustainable St. Louis,ä which will include a tree 

planting event with Americorps members.  San Francisco, California is 

planning a ãMarch for Parksä, environmental restoration projects, an 

event at the Presidio, and ãBike around the Bay.ä  New York City is 

gearing up for the ãParade for the Planet,ä linking Earth Day 25 and the 

UNâs 50th, as well as an event in Central Park called ãthe Great New 

York Green Up and Clean Up.ä  Dallas, Texas is busy with ãOur Planet 

Dallasä festival with the theme of community service and the goal of 

completing one million hours of voluntary service by Earth Day.  



For more information about the many exciting activities taking place all 

around the country contact:



1) Carolyn Chase, Earth Day Network , PO Box 9827 San Diego, CA,  

     #(619)272-7370, FAX(619)272-2933, INTERNET: earthday@qualcomm.com



2) Bruce Anderson, Earth Day USA, 70 Sargent Camp Rd, Peterborough, NH 

03485

     #/FAX(603)924-9266



3) Caroline Harwood, Earth Day Resources, 116 New Montgomery St., S 530, 

San Francisco, CA 94105

     #(415)495-5987, FAX(415)543-1480







Contact Michael Schneider or Robb Hirsch in the Office of Global Affairs 

at the Department of State for more information: Tel. (202) 647-6240 

Fax. (202) 647-0753.  Internet: global@state.gov  (Internally, 

use:ãGlobal Issuesä as the unclassified e-mail address.  Send messages 

to this address if you know others who want to be included on 

distribution list for updates).