Manchester held its annual Earth Day program at Veterans's Park in downtown Manchester on April 22. The event was organized by the Student Conservation Association, a volunteer service group that is closely associated with the NH State Parks. The program was funded in part by the Manchester Conservation Commission. Other members of the SCA's "team effort" were: Manchester's Adopt-A-Block program, the Manchester Parks and Recreation Department, the Manchester Highway Department, Southern NH University Outreach and High School Partnership Program and the City Year NH Americorps.
SCA members participated in a morning clean-up of a nearby area as part of the Adopt-A-Block program. They then proceeded to organize the set-up of informational booths for the Earth Day program. Most booths were placed within or nearby a large tent, since the weather was cool and clammy and rain was a possibility. SCA members assembled in front of the tent for a group photo and the Earth Day event began.
The NH Sierra Club applied for and received an informational booth at the Earth Day program. Sierrans used the booth to promote the Club's Cool Cities campaign. The campaign is an effort to have Manchester become one of many US cities and towns that are officially committed to energy efficient practices. At the booth postcards were provided for members of the public to prepare and sign. The comments and signatures on the postcards indicated approval of the Cool Cities program. It was explained to signees that the postcards would eventually be delivered to Mayor Guinta, with the request that Manchester commit to the program and initiate energy-saving practices in the near future. Kurt Ehrenburg, the NH Sierra Club's co-ordinator of the Cool Cities undertaking, explained the goals of the program to on-lookers and encouraged them to prepare the postcards.
The "featured speaker" at the event was Barry Rock, a UNH Professor who has published extensively on various aspects of global warming. He gave an illustrated, well-received talk on the phenomenon and explained what must be done by US citizens to limit its effects. After his talk, Professor Rock met with members of the Sierra Club, discussed their mutual interests and posed for a group photo. (Professor Rock is the third person from the right, wearing a NASA baseball cap.)
Thanks to the SCA, Manchester's 2006 Earth Day event was considered to be highly successful. Sierra Club members were grateful for the opportunity to join in a city event that concerned environmental interests, and to heighten awareness of the Cool Cities program.