ALEXANDRIA, VA. — Just a few days before the start of the first Earth Science Week, President Bill Clinton issued an Earth Science Week message. "I encourage all Americans, especially our young people, to participate in the different Earth Science Week activities occurring in schools and communities across the country," Clinton said in a statement released Oct. 8. "By understanding more about our planetary system and the natural processes that shape our world, we preserve the Earth's splendor for generations to come."

Even before Clinton issued his message, Earth Science Week was gaining national recognition. Before the Oct. 11 starting date, 34 state governors had proclaimed Earth Science Week. By the end of the week, five more governors had signed proclamations. In July, Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden read the resolution issued by the Association of American State Geologists into the Congressional Record.

The foundation of each state's proclamation is that geology and the earth sciences are fundamental to society and to our quality of life. Citizens who understand geology and the earth sciences can make wise decisions about land use and management.

"Earth science research has given us the knowledge to find, develop, and conserve the Earth's precious natural resources while safeguarding our environment," Clinton said in his statement. "It has also provided us with a fuller understanding of global climate patterns and helped communities better prepare for and mitigate the devastating impact of such natural hazards as hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, and earthquakes."

The celebrations of this year's Earth Science Week were as diverse as the disciplines that make up the earth sciences. The interest in this first celebration of the earth sciences was high, and many museums, schools, colleges, universities, geoscience societies, and state geological surveys across the country sponsored a variety of activities from Oct. 11 to Oct. 17.

Details of Earth Science Week "Hot Spots," including activities in National Parks, are available on the Earth Science Week web site. Visit the site to find out which states proclaimed Earth Science Week and to read President Clinton's full statement. The web site  includes information and activities that may be used throughout the year as well as tips on preparing for Earth Science Week.

The American Geological Institute initiated Earth Science Week in 1998 as part of its 50th anniversary celebration. Oct. 10-16 are the dates for the 1999 Earth Science Week. Every year Earth Science Week will take place the second full week of October.

The American Geological Institute, founded in 1948, is a not-for-profit federation of 32 professional organizations in the earth sciences representing more than 100,000 geologists, geophysicists, and other earth and environmental scientists. AGI provides information services to geoscientists, serves as a voice of shared interests in our profession, plays a major role in strengthening geoscience education, and strives to increase public awareness of the vital role the geosciences play in mankind's use of resources and interaction with the environment.