General Motors Donates Interactive Environmental Lab for Children to Omniplex During 8th Annual Clean Cities Conference
OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. - The GM Oklahoma City plant announced its donation of the alternative fueled GMC Yukon Environmental Lab to Kirkpatrick Science and Air Space Museum at Omniplex at the Cocks Convention Center today during the opening session of the 8th Annual Clean Cities Convention.
"Bringing GM's Environmental Lab to Oklahoma City raises the awareness of environmental issues in our community. It allows people to personalize their relationship with the environment through its demonstration of solid concepts and real-world applications," said Russ Youngs, plant manager, GM Oklahoma City plant. " This is an example of GM's commitment to participate actively in educating the public about environmental conservation."
The Environmental Lab on display at Omniplex has been traveling across the country since its debut at the 2000 North American International Auto Show in Detroit. It is an interactive exhibit developed with creative input from Bill Nye, "The Science Guy" and environmental spokesperson for GM. At the exhibit's center is the alternative fueled GMC Yukon that is covered with physical props such as fuel canisters, hoses, steel drums and an ethanol-processing unit. The different props demonstrate various alternative transportation innovations in a fun and interactive way.
"The Environmental Lab is a great exhibit for Omniplex, and a unique educational tool for engaging Oklahoma youth in the protection of our environment and the future," said Meg Salyer, president, Omniplex Board of Directors. "The exhibit props literally come to life while Bill Nye serves as a virtual tour guide explaining the "how's" and "why's" via four video monitors placed around the vehicle and demonstration props. We are fortunate to have the opportunity to share it."
Omniplex, Oklahoma's "amusement park for the mind," is a top education destination for school groups across the state. Over 120,000 students participate in the museum's education programs each year. The museum is home to over 350 hands-on science exhibits, an incredible collection of aviation and space artifacts depicting Oklahoma's place in the aerospace industry, art and cultural galleries, botanical gardens and greenhouse, Oklahoma's premier public-access planetarium and Oklahoma's only giant, dome-screen theater, OmniDome Theater.
Bill Nye is also in Oklahoma City to participate in the ScienceFest portion of the conference. He is educating 1,400 Oklahoma fourth- and fifth-grade students about science; renewable sources of energy such as the sun, wind and water; ways to support a sustainable planet; and the effects of soil erosion and climate change on the earth. ScienceFest is the latest innovation of Clean Cities, and is designed to educate children about different fuels and technologies that are changing the way we get around. GM's Environmental and Energy Education Initiative supports preserving and protecting the environment through the development and integration of K-12 initiatives, such as ScienceFest, which educate youth about energy and the environment.
Clean Cities is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy, and is designed to encourage the use of alternative fuel vehicles and support infrastructure throughout the nation. Unlike traditional regulatory programs, the Clean Cities program takes a unique, voluntary approach to alternative fuel vehicle development, working with coalitions of local stakeholders to help develop the alternative fuel vehicle industry and integrate this development into larger planning processes.
General Motors , the world's largest vehicle manufacturer, designs, builds and markets cars and trucks worldwide. In 2001, GM earned $1.5 billion on sales of 177.3 billion. It employs about 362,000 globally. More information on GM's progress in the area of products, plants and partnerships can be found at www.gmability.com.
