Minnesota Pollution Control Agency

Contacts: Barb Skoglund, 651-296-5965 Colleen Coyne, 651-297-7363 Saint Paul, Minn. -- Does your family's visit to the State Fair typically include splitting up and rendezvousing later in the day? Well this year, schedule your meet-up at one of the most kid-friendly buildings on the fairgrounds, the Minnesota State Fair and Minnesota Pollution Control Agency's new Eco Experience. It's certainly easy to find: Just look for the fair's newest piece of eco-sculpture, a 123-foot white wind turbine blade mounted vertically out front. We guarantee the little ones won't be bored. They'll be able to:
· Pick up an eco passport and roam the building for clues. Get the passport filled out and win an official Eco Experience button!
· Check out the six-foot spinning globe and get a bird's-eye view of the earth.
· Grab a free snack at Renewing the Countryside's healthy local foods exhibit.
· Walk through the amazing two-story eco home in the center of the building.
· Climb the spiral staircase and learn to measure how clear lake water is.
· Experience an indoor rainstorm! Rain falls every 15 minutes from the roof of the indoor house onto the simulated rain garden display.
· Stroll through tall Trash Mountain, where adults and kids can learn about reducing junk mail, composting and recycling.
· Hear some great tunes, as well as see some great skits and puppet shows when Tricia and the Toonies take the Sustainability Stage.
· Sort trash, color, make a button and more at the Kid's Activity Area beside the stage. Try out environmentally-friendly toys, including a mass transit train set. Hamline University's Center for Global Environmental Education (CGEE) is sponsoring the Kid's Activity Area. The organization works with educators and graduate students to provide community outreach and education on environmental topics. "The Eco Experience is an exciting opportunity to reach many people with environmental messages," says Kate Knuth, CGEE fellow. "Our goal is to get kids engaged and interested from a young age." Knuth adds that CGEE is working with IKEA, whose support for environmental projects that promote the learning and development of children, proved a nice fit. The fun furniture and toys are from IKEA, and the store's employees, as well as students and staff from Hamline, will be on hand to answer questions. About the Eco Experience at the Minnesota State Fair
A first of its kind, the Eco Experience is an indoor green space with lush rain gardens, an eco home, live entertainment, and cutting-edge displays on renewable energy, new fuels and vehicles, and organic farming. Perfect for do-it-yourselfers, techies, gardeners and nature-lovers, the space features a children's area with fun for kids of all ages. The Eco Experience is presented by the Minnesota State Fair and the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, helping Minnesotans protect the environment since 1967. Bring your family, bring a friend - get in on the Eco Experience! The Eco Experience is located in the Progress Center building at the corner of Cosgrove Street and Randall Avenue on the State Fairgrounds. The Minnesota State Fair runs Thursday, Aug. 24 through Labor Day, Sept. 4, 2006. Park and ride information is available online at http://www.mnstatefair.org. Visit http://www.EcoExperience.org for more information.