Earth Hour and Earth Hour Workshop on March 30

(BLOOMINGTON) – On Saturday, March 30, you can participate in a worldwide environmental movement by turning off non-essential lights from 8:30 until 9:30 p.m.


Why – To encourage people to take action on climate change. Hundreds of millions of people in cities around the world from Las Vegas to New Delhi, will be turning off their lights, in their time zone, for one hour.
However, this Earth Hour you can also participate in an Earth Hour Workshop for businesses and households from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. sponsored by the Monroe County Solid Waste Management District (District). The District is holding the workshop to encourage people to practice all the methods they can to reduce climate change.
Speakers include community businesses and agencies that offer “Green” services.
Community Outreach Coordinator Elisa Pokral asks people to “Think about what personal habits each individual and family has that make our world.” She asks, “Are you conscious of your choices?” As she explains, “Much of our power
is being conscious of it. Life is full of choices and most choices are due to habit. Part of our individual, community, and world health is due to whether or not we examine our habits.”
She says the Earth Hour workshop will examine green habits and ways to organize or reorganize our businesses and homes by incorporating green strategies, strategies and daily routines that don’t harm.”
The Workshop will be held in the Education room of the Administration building at the South Walnut Recycling Center, 3400 South Walnut St. Participants may park in front of the white Administration building. Overflow parking will be available at the National Guard Armory to the north of the building. RSVP for the day or any individual sessions of the workshop at epokral@mcswmd.org or call 812-349-2866.
Pokral says, there are a variety of ways that individuals, families, and businesses can be environmental stewards. That’s what the Earth Hour movement is all about.
On Earth Hour you can join in the energy consciousness of the world. Pokral will begin the workshop with “Composting 101.” Keeping food waste out of landfills reduces greenhouse gases. Very little material actually decomposes in a landfill and studies indicate that when materials like food, paper, or plant waste do decompose in landfills, they produce methane gas, a greenhouse gas that is twenty-three times more potent than carbon dioxide.
The presentation will address how composting works and ways it can be done for both homes and businesses. Depending on the size of the business, businesses can also have a fair amount of food waste and associated compostable waste like paper napkins.
Next, there will be a Recycling 101 presentation and a tour of the South Walnut Recycling Center. Pokral points out that recycling is one of the easiest ways to reduce climate change. Studies indicate that business produce the most amount of waste and it is to their benefit to cultivating profit by reducing disposal costs. Households of course also need to practice wise waste management and can reduce their costs as well. Pokral states,
“The public is always welcome to call and ask questions, visit our web site at www.gogreendistrict.com, or contact us on social media. However, sometimes it is best to ask questions in person and see some of the packaging materials that are regularly recycled. If you have some recycling questions you have been wondering about, ask away!” Information will be provided on the services of the District’s rural recycling centers as well, including the orange bag trash program, a cost-effective way to
dispose of our trash, a one-stop for drop off of recyclables and trash.
Although recycling is basic to environmental stewardship practice, Pokral says environmental stewardship goes beyond recycling. The recycling presentation will be followed by a presentation from Owner Jeff Goldsberry of Let It Shine Lighting, LLC. He will offer advice on energy efficient lighting and strategy. Owner Dave Mann of Mann Plumbing and MPI Solar will then give a talk on tankless versus standard water heaters, how they work and why tankless saves money and the environment. The Solar Indiana Renewable Energy Network (SIREN) will address performance, finances, savings, and utilities in their talk. The workshop will end with Manager Dave Debikey of Global Gifts talking about how Green Business means Business, ways to organize the workplace and motivate employees to join in green efforts that go beyond recycling.
Pokral says, “Come take advantage of the valuable knowledge here in Monroe County, compliments of the District. The day of Earth Hour is certainly a great time to learn a little more and keep up on our progress!” Pokral says, “Let’s all tap into energy consciousness and be environmental stewards every day.” Pokral says, “Earth Hour has become a tradition where more than 7,000 cities around the globe go dark for one hour during “Earth Hour.”
Earth Hour is an annual campaign started by the World Wildlife Federation (WWF) to raise awareness of the environmental challenges we all face, such as climate change. “Reducing and changing the types of energy we use is a challenge but it is being done. Examine your habits, come to the Earth Hour Workshop for businesses and households, Saturday, March 30 at the Administration Building of the South Walnut Recycling Center and turn off non-essential lights from 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. that evening to call attention to take action on climate change. RSVP for the day or any
individual sessions of the workshop at epokral@mcswmd.org or call 812-349-2866.

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