by Heather John, education & community outreach specialist, Nuclear Waste Program
As a new hire to Ecology’s public involvement team, I was certainly
excited to get my feet wet in the education outreach pool. But not being a
native to Tri-Cities, I definitely had a lot to learn about Hanford before I could start
finding creative ways to teach others. Everything from local history and
legends to the science of radioactivity and the history of the Cold War was on
my agenda. Because I was new to all of this, I thought the best method to learn
was to start from the beginning and collect all the facts I could.
I believe that the way to get people excited about Hanford
is to open a variety of windows onto things the public might not know. For
example, did you know that a Waste Treatment Plant (commonly referred to as WTP
or the “Vit” plant) is still being designed and built to treat the 56 million
gallons of waste remaining in underground tanks?As a new hire to Ecology’s public involvement team, I was certainly
excited to get my feet wet in the education outreach pool. But not being a
native to Tri-Cities, I definitely had a lot to learn about Hanford before I could start
finding creative ways to teach others. Everything from local history and
legends to the science of radioactivity and the history of the Cold War was on
my agenda. Because I was new to all of this, I thought the best method to learn
was to start from the beginning and collect all the facts I could.Or, on a more playful note, did you know that a popular local comic strip here in the 1940s featured a goofy Richland character named Dupus Boomer? There’s just so much to learn and explore!
That’s why Ecology makes it a goal to
create new ways to communicate all the fascinating history, nature, and science
of Hanford. Everything from games to slideshows to posters can reach a wide
range of audiences and get people excited about technology jobs, natural
habitat, and Hanford history.
Reaching out to the community in Richland
The lobby case features a wide variety of materials—everything from animal photos and factoids,
historical and modern Hanford equipment on loan from the Department of Health, and even a detailed slideshow
outlining the history and cleanup efforts at the Hanford site. Curious about Geiger counters, air and water sampling equipment, or
vitrified glass simulant? We’ve got it all on display!
Next to the display case in the lobby we have set up a table with plenty of Ecology-related takeaways for all ages. Patrons will find bookmarks, brochures, magnets, pens, animal photos, and information on how to contact our public involvement team for class and community presentations.
Next to the display case in the lobby we have set up a table with plenty of Ecology-related takeaways for all ages. Patrons will find bookmarks, brochures, magnets, pens, animal photos, and information on how to contact our public involvement team for class and community presentations.
So if, like me, you’re always eager to get the inside scoop
on Hanford, please go check out the Ecology exhibit at the Richland Library. Your
public library may have books and documentaries on the subject of Hanford too, and
if not they can likely get them through interlibrary loan. Be sure to consult one of the librarians and
they’ll lead you right to all the resources.Knowledge is power and there’s something for everyone. If you live in or happen to visit Richland, the Ecology display is up through the end of September 2014. Can’t make it to Richland this month? No problem. Just follow Ecology’s Twitter and Facebook sites to keep up on Hanford-related news, events, and activities.
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