Today is Earth Day – a day to raise awareness about environmental issues, and a day to work toward solutions to protecting our planet.

For the seventh year in a row, the Environmental Council will be sponsoring “Environmental Horizons: A showcase of the breadth and depth of environmental activities” from 12 to 3:30 p.m. today at the Illini Union in Illini Rooms A, B and C. ÿ

A variety of activities have been planned for the event, including lectures from renowned speakers, poster presentations and games.

“The event is geared toward helping people understand the breadth of the environment,” said Lisa Merrifield, program coordinator for the Environmental Council.

Curt Meine, a conservation biologist and writer, will kick off the event with a keynote address. Merrifield said Meine will be discussing home, land and security issues regarding conservation and the common good.

After the address from the keynote speaker, 54 University students will showcase their poster presentations. ÿ

“Students will present a large variety of environmental art,” Merrifield said.

Many other events will take place throughout this afternoon.

Rob Kanter of radio station WILL will be networking with people at the event to help promote his weekly radio show, Environmental Almanac.

“The Environmental Council has provided support for the radio show when it began last August,” Kanter said.

Kanter said his main purpose for participating in the event was to let the community know what the goals of his radio show are.

“My goal is to promote understanding and awareness of the natural world in East Central Illinois,” he said.

Kanter also said his show talks about new and interesting environmental research taking place.

“I’m interested in talking with the community at the event to try to get informed about new environmental research,” Kanter said.

A large variety of student organizations will be participating in the showcase, including Students for Environmental Concerns (SECS).

“I think the Environmental Council wanted to bring together as many student activist groups as they could,” said Ashley Peterson, senior in ACES and president of SECS.

Peterson said SECS was an “all-around” environmental activist group on campus that works with a wide variety of issues.

“The event will be a great awareness builder,” Peterson said. “We’re trying to get the word out to gain support and recruit volunteers.”

Merrifield said the event was more than just a showcase of how people can improve the environment.

“We try to raise awareness about environmental research,” Merrifield said. “We work with people from engineering to history about technology solutions being done right now to make the environment a better place.”

Kanter and Merrifield both agreed the event was a crucial step in raising environmental awareness.

“It’s a chance to talk with others about new environmental initiatives and to promote environmental efforts being taken by groups on campus,” Kanter said.

Peterson agreed the event was a great way to bring the campus community together.

“It’s a great setting,” she said. “It’s great to be surrounded by a barrage of environmental groups,” she said.

Merrifield said the event was important in gaining environmental awareness.

“We feel like (the future of the environment) is a really important issue,” she said. “(The event) is a great opportunity to bring the campus community together to network and focus on the environment.”