Supporting Science at the Museum of the Earth

Many people forget that the Paleontological Research Institution and its Museum of the Earth is a not-for-profit organization. In order for us to provide services and outreach to our community and beyond it entails a certain amount of fundraising. We have always kept this blog separate from those initiatives -- until today! I'm not asking any of our readers for money, but I want to let our local or close to local readers know about a fun event that is coming up tomorrow, Friday, July 16 -- Mastodons and Martinis here at the Museum of the Earth!Join us at the Museum of the Earth on Friday, July 16 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. for a fun summer evening in support of science. Explore our temporary exhibit, One Fish, Two Fish, Old Fish, New Fish*: Exploring the Evolution of Biodiversity; take a journey through time in our permanent exhibits; and enjoy martinis from Felicia’s Atomic Lounge. Hors d’oeuvres by Serendipity Catering and your first cocktail are included with purchase of a social membership ticket. We hope you can join us for this swinging good time in support of science education at the Museum of the Earth!

Social Membership Tickets**: $25

Purchase online at: Mastodons & Martinis

Purchase your social membership ticket by clicking below or for more information and to purchase by phone, please contact 607.273.6623 x11.

*ONE FISH, TWO FISH, RED FISH, BLUE FISH™ & © 1960 Dr. Seuss Enterprises, L.P. All rights reserved. Used by permission.

**Social Membership includes entrance to Mastodons & Martinis on July 16, as well as advance notice of other social events at the Museum of the Earth. Entrance to Martinis & Mastodons is not included with regular Museum membership. You must purchase a social membership to attend this event.

Day of Climate Action a Success in Ithaca and the World

The International Day of Climate Action on Saturday, October 24 was the most widespread day of environmental action in the planet’s history. People in 181 countries came together at over 5,200 events around the world, calling for united efforts and bold leadership on the climate crisis before the crucial UN Climate Negotiations in Copenhagen this December.

Every event associated with 350.org’s Day of Action highlighted the number 350, the benchmark figure that scientists today say is the safe upper limit for carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Incredible creative actions across the globe included mountain climbers on our highest peaks with banners, underwater demonstrations in island nations threatened by sea level rises, star athletes organizing mass bike rides, and hundreds upon hundreds of community events to raise awareness of the need for urgent action. Staff from 350.org are in the process of displaying photos sent in of events on the big screens in Times Square and projecting them at UN headquarters, hoping to put pressure on leaders to pay attention and craft policies that will put the world on track.

While groups formed the number 350 in a creative way on the melting peaks of Mt. Everest and the sinking beaches of the Maldive Islands, Ithaca locals and college students also rallied in their own climate change initiatives. Local groups met at Tompkins Cortland Community College for the event “Cool It! Doing Your Part to Stop Climate Change.” Attendees learned how to increase energy efficiency, lower consumption, and save money through discussions and family-focused activities.

PRI’s Museum of the Earth joined the Climate Action Day celebrations and was represented by speaker James Dake at the “Cool It” event. PRI also partnered with Cornell’s Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Cornell Cinema, and Cornell Center for Sustainable Future for a special showing of “An Inconvenient Truth,” followed by a presentation by Cornell University professor Charles Greene entitled “A Very Inconvenient Truth.”

On Friday, October 23, some 350 Ithaca College students, faculty, and staff gathered to dramatize the need for world leaders to take fast and effective action on global warming. Dressed as ghosts, the “climate Caspers” paraded around campus as symbols of the potentially deadly effects of climate change. Although the International Day of Climate Action has passed, Ithaca locals and their neighbors will undoubtedly continue to fight climate change, especially as the Copenhagen conference approaches.

The number 350 represents a clear and specific goal – to bring the atmospheric concentration of CO2 down to 350 parts per million or less to help stabilize our planet. Click here to view photos submitted from 350.org Day of Action events around the world, track 350 actions in our very own area, and learn more about the 350.org climate change mission.

A Green Halloween

With tons of sugary candy, decorations, and costumes that are often worn only once, Halloween is an especially consumer-driven holiday. Fortunately, there are countless opportunities to make earth-friendly choices with the getups we wear, the types of food we serve, and how we choose to celebrate. Here are some tips on how to make your Halloween festivities more green from start to finish:

If you are planning a Halloween party, avoid paper invitations as well as the cost of postage by using free online sources such as www.evite.com or even through email or Facebook. If you prefer to send invitations through the mail, make your own from recycled cards or use tree-free paper products like hemp.

When shopping for supplies and treats, always bring your own cloth or recycled plastic bags with you. If you generally drive to do errands, try to get your shopping done all at once to save on gas and money and reduce your pollution. If you can walk, ride your bike, carpool, or take public transportation, even better!

When purchasing food for your Halloween get-together, look for foods that are organic, whole, and local if possible. Going meatless also reduces your environmental impact on the planet. Be sure to compost your food scraps, including leftover pumpkins and any other natural decorations like cornstalks. Here are some ideas for healthy finger-foods with a seasonal feel:

toasted pumpkin seeds
air popped popcorn
cider made with 100% organic apple juice, simmered with cinnamon sticks
baked apples with dates/raisins, walnuts, and cranberries
pumpkin bread with organic chocolate chips
vegetables and hummus

Having a Green Halloween doesn’t mean your party has to be decoration-free. Gourds, pumpkins, apples, cornstalks, straw bales, and other items from nature make great accents on front porches and table tops. Decorations such as colorful recyclable streamers and dinnerware add holiday flare. If you’d like to use candles for ambiance, use those made of soy or beeswax instead of petroleum. Above all, if you are going to purchase items that will end up in the trash, try to find ones than can later be recycled or composted.

Get creative and make your own costume! If you don’t sew, keep things simple with old sheets, cardboard and paint, tissue paper, pipe cleaners, and anything you have lying around the house. You can also visit secondhand stores (or your attic or basement) to find reusable material for your costume. For neighborhood families, host a costume-exchange party and dig out your old creations for the kids. Non-toxic, washable face pencils are suggested for decorating your child’s face.

This Halloween, think treasures instead of candy. Rather than individually-wrapped, sugary treats, hand out stickers, temporary tattoos, whistles, pencils, spinning tops, and other tokens or handmade keepsakes. For healthy food items, organic juice boxes, fruit leather, 100% honey sticks, granola/breakfast bars, boxes of raisins or dried fruits, dried veggie chips, and raw or roasted nuts make great, simple choices. If you enjoy giving out more traditional treats, organic dark chocolate is available in bite-sized pieces by companies such as Endangered Species Chocolate. Dark chocolate is rich in anti-oxidants and Endangered Species Chocolate contributes 10% of its net profits to help support struggling species and their habitats.

If you are bringing the kids trick-or-treating around the neighborhood, let them decorate their own bags made from old pillow cases, shopping bags, purses, or hand-sewn fabric. Remember to use rechargeable batteries rather than disposables in your flashlights. Battery acid is toxic, leaching into groundwater and causing serious environmental contamination. Shakable, hand-cranked, and solar-powered flashlights are also battery-free and fun for kids to use.

As your celebrating the holiday don't forget to visit the Museum of the Earth for our spooktacular Museum in the Dark:


Museum in the Dark
Thursday, October 29
6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Presented in partnership with Cornell Astronomy and the International Year of Astronomy.
Explore the Museum after-hours Halloween-style! Make comets, go on a flashlight tour, hold some creepy crawlies, visit astronomy trick-or-treat stations, make your own cider, and more! Come dressed in your costume and we'll have a spooktacularly good time!
Members - $5 adults, $3 student/senior, $2 youth (4-17), children three and under are free
Non members - $10 adults, $7 student/senior, $5 youth (4-17), children three and under are free

We hope to see you there!