The EOU Chemistry Club will provide hands-on activities on Friday, April 22, at Cook Memorial Library in La Grande. The theme is “The Buzz About Bugs: Insect Chemistry.”

LA GRANDE — Kids can learn about chemistry during a special Earth Day Extravaganza event Friday, April 22, at Cook Memorial Library, 2006 Fourth St., from 3-5 p.m.

Activities will be provided by members of the chemistry club at Eastern Oregon University in the library’s community room.

This event, called “Chemists Celebrate Earth Week,” is promoted by the American Chemical Society, said Anna Cavinato, EOU chemistry professor.

“It is designed to communicate the positive role that chemistry plays in solving major challenges faced by the world,” she said.

Earth Day is April 22.

Every year there is a different theme and this year’s is “The Buzz About Bugs: Insect Chemistry.”

“We will provide hands-on activities for children,” she said.

Youth must be accompanied by an adult.

The club will set up three stations. At one, kids will make a natural dye using Cochineal insects, which Cavinato said are used to color food, beverages and cosmetics.

“We will observe how the color changes when we mix it with safe household products of varying pH,” she said.

Another station will have participants pretend to be bugs and identify common aromas from natural fruits, flowers and products that use scents as part of their ingredients.

The third station will feature Dr. Laura Mahrt from the EOU biology department with displays of bugs from all over the world.

History

The American Chemical Society joined the Earth Day celebration in 2003. According to the ACS website, www.acs.org, “for years chemists have been promoting a better world through recyclable plastics, cleaner-burning fuels, phosphate-free detergents, environmental monitoring and green chemistry initiatives.”