Earth Week events on Monday

News9.com

Tuesday, April 22, marks the 39th anniversary of Earth Day. In celebration of the day, a number of Oklahoma companies are hosting events. Below are just some of the events occurring around the metro today, Monday, April 21.

• Wal-Mart Stores Inc. donates plants and trees to Linwood Elementary School

     Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and OKC Beautiful partnered for an Earth Day event by planting trees and flowers at Oklahoma City's Linwood Elementary.

    Approximately 20 associates from Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. volunteered in the beautification project through OKC Beautiful's Mother Earth program. Associates were joined by approximately 160 students as they dug and planted new trees and flowers in celebration of Earth Day.

    The gardening tools, supplies, flowers and plants were made available through a donation from Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. to OKC Beautiful. Wal-Mart associates will also distribute re-usable shopping bags as well as seed packets to the students at the event.

    The event will take place Monday, April 21 at 10 a.m. at the Linwood Elementary School located on 3416 NW 17 St. in Oklahoma City.

•     Mayor Mick Cornett hosts Little Blue recycling bin event

     Mayor Cornett will bring in his Little Blue recycling bin, and we'll see if he could be a winner in Blue Bin - Instant Win.

    It's a contest in which one Oklahoma City resident each week could win $100 just for properly filling and setting out a recycle bin. Blue Bin - Instant Win begins April 21, and winners will be declared weekly through the week of July 7.

    The Mayor also will announce an Ecycling event to be held on Saturday, April 26. This will be a great opportunity for Oklahoma City residents to get rid of old computer and electronic equipment in an environmentally sound manner and free of charge.

    The event will take place at Waste Management Recycle America, 5519 NW 4 St. Oklahoma City, OK 73127 at 1:30 p.m. on Monday, April 21.

For more information, contact Debbie Ragan at 343-3959.

•     Putnam City Central Intermediate School raises awareness about Earth Day

    Earth Day is Tuesday, April 22. In preparation for that day, two classes of students at Putnam City's Central Intermediate School will spend part of Monday working to raise environmental awareness by creating and hanging posters and developing a flyer (to be handed out on Earth Day) full of earth-saving and energy-saving tips.

    "A lot of times when students hear about global concerns they don't know how to do something to help. We hope through these activities students will feel empowered to act locally to help globally," fifth-grade teacher, James Pratt said.

    Preparations begin Monday, April 21. From 11 a.m. to 11:40 a.m. the students will make flyers in the computer lab. From 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. they will make posters to hang in the school.  

    Central Intermediate School is located on 5430 N.W. 40 Street.

Earth Day Tips from Central Intermediate School Students:

• Replace incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent lights
• Set your water heater to "warm," or about 120 degrees
• Do only full loads when using the clothes washer or dishwasher
• Use cold water for laundry
• Purchase ENERGY STAR® products when shopping for appliances and electronics
• Install a programmable thermostat and set it to reduce heating or cooling when you are away or asleep
• Set heat to 68 or below in winter (lower if asleep or away) and set cooling to 78 or above in summer (or higher if away)
• Take 5-minute showers instead of baths
• Check the furnace filter monthly and replace when dirty
• Caulk and/or weatherstrip your windows and doors
• Insulate your hot water tank