Greenville’s Roper Mountain Science Center commemorated Earth Day on Thursday, April 22 by presenting its Sustainable Future exhibit. The exhibit is separated into five areas where visitors can better understand their impact on household energy, renewable and non-renewable energy sources, food and clothing waste recycling, composting and biodiversity.
A collaboration with Fluor Corporation, the Greater Greenville Sanitation Commission and Duke Energy, the displays featured in Roper Mountain’s new 30,000-square-foot Environmental Science and Sustainability Center include interactive pieces covering a wide variety of sustainability issues.
The exhibit opens June 1.
The interactive displays teach visitors about choosing sustainable options, environmental stewardship, and the relationship between everyday choices and wider environmental impacts.
The games featured in the Sustainable Future exhibit were created by Formula D Interactive of Cape Town, South Africa, according to Michael Weeks, director of Roper Mountain Science Center. Staff at Roper Mountain worked with Formula D Interactive to localize the games to South Carolina. It’s the first installation of the games in the United States.
“Experiences in this gallery are aimed at educating both youth and adults about the human impact on the environment, and it challenges visitors to make choices in their everyday lives that can make a difference,” Weeks said.
Tommie Reece, president of the nonprofit Roper Mountain Science Center Association, agreed. “We’re taking these global principles — and the data and the research and the science — but we have brought it to Greenville and South Carolina and the Upstate,” she said. “What they really see and learn is what they as individuals can do [to make more sustainable decisions].”
One of the interactive features of the Sustainable Future exhibit. Photo by Alex Cooper.The companies sponsoring the Sustainable Future exhibit said the education aspect of the gallery is part of their commitment to the Greenville community.
“Like Roper Mountain Science Center, Fluor is strongly committed to making a positive impact on the world through its work in serving clients as well as in the communities where we live and work. The Sustainable Future exhibit at Roper Mountain’s new Environmental Science and Sustainability Center is a natural extension of Fluor’s commitment. We are confident that this interactive experience will help inform and empower the next generation to further preserve our natural resources and create a sustainable future for everyone, ” said Dave Watrous, vice president of sales, Fluor, in a release.
Linda Hannon, district manager for Duke Energy, said, “Our community is fortunate to have a facility and environment to experience interactive learning that encourages sustainability and fosters stewardship of natural resources for all ages.”
Part of the exhibit that allows a visitor to play a game on energy sources. Photo by Alex Cooper.Greater Greenville Sanitation, which provides full-service, non-hazardous, waste and recovery solutions to almost 60,000 customers in Greenville County, provided support to a portion of the exhibit that teaches visitors the ways to reduce waste through everyday shopping choices. “For several years we visited various elementary schools in the area with our mobile exhibit. Having our interactive exhibit displayed within the new Environmental Science and Sustainability Center allows us to share our message for a sustainable future with far more students in Greenville County and beyond,” said Steve Cole, executive director of Greater Greenville Sanitation.
More about Roper Mountain Science Center https://www.ropermountain.org/.
