Now is your chance to win the world for your school...or at least an award that looks like the world. Schools that are participating in the contest are Bloomington High School, Chiddix Junior High, Parkside Junior High, and Kingsley Junior High. To support your favorite school, drop off your recycling at one of the participating junior highs. Awards and prizes will be given to the school that recycles the most AND to the school that improves the most.
Our annual McLean County Recycles Day calendar for 2008 will be published this November featuring the artwork of McLean County elementary school students.
We are looking for 12 original pictures depicting ways to save our natural resources. Topics can include reducing the amount of garbage in our landfills by recycling, reusing materials, or by purchasing products with less packaging. Other topics can include composting, energy efficiency, renewable energy, or water conservation.
Drawings must be on 8 1/2 x 11" paper using landscape format (i.e. 8 1/2" tall by 11" wide). You may use markers, paint, or crayons. Be sure to make it brightly colored to stand out on the calendar.
In the picture, include a message related to the theme of the drawing. Please DO NOT write the month on your picture. We will assign months. On the back of your drawing, include your name, school, grade, and a contact number where we can reach you.
Entries must be received by Wednesday, October 31, 2007. Winners will be notified and prizes will be awarded during a celebration at the Children's Discovery Museum on Saturday, November 10, 2007.
Sugar Grove Nature Center's Autumn Celebration is here! Look forward to Fall color walks, the scarecrow factory, historical reenactments, blacksmith & woodturning demonstrations, observatory open house, food vendors, and more. There will be local artisans and crafters exhibiting and selling their work and a pumpkin patch where you can choose your favority to take home and carve. Kids can enjoy nature crafts, pumpkin bowling, and face painting. The celebration takes place on Saturday, October 20, 2007 from 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Admission is $2 per person or free for children 3 years and under.
ISU will be having its Autumnal Festival on Saturday, October 6 from 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Children's activities will be held from 9:00 a.m. - noon. There will be food, pumpkins, gourds, mums, and corn stalks for sale. There will also be a corn maze, scarecrows on parade, and cooking demos. For more information please contact Jessica Chambers at (309) 438-3496 or at horticulturecenter.ilstu.edu.
In a meeting in September of this year, Bush discussed the issue of climate change. He, once again, rejected mandatory limits on greenhouse gas emissions. In May of this year, Bush promised to develop a new strategy to lessen climate-warming emissions by the end of 2008. Americans are becoming skeptical that Bush is rhetorically keeping his promise, but not actually changing anything.
Although the president may not commit to reducing gas emissions, the Town of Normal, along with other towns and cities in the U.S., is taking steps to help the environment. Normal is one of many “Cool Cities” trying to solve global warming. A Cool City is one that has “made a commitment to stopping global warming by signing the U.S. Mayors’ Climate Protection Agreement” (http://coolcities.us/).
The Town of Normal also has an Environmental Stewardship Policy where they recognize the need to be environmentally friendly in order to serve the citizens of the community. “The Town is committed to reducing its use of natural resources, to investing in green buildings, vehicles and materials, to saving taxpayer dollars through wise energy use and resource conservation, and to improving the overall quality of life in the Town” (http://www.normal.org).
When the Town of Normal chooses locations for new public facilities, they consider the proximity to public transportation and preservation of natural areas. They also try to reduce storm water runoff and pollution. The Town of Normal will also promote water conservation and education, energy efficiency, fuel efficiency, and recycling; it will also reduce the use of toxins in work areas and monitor air quality.
Normal is setting the standard for other cities and states to help save the environment. Hopefully the president will follow in the town’s footsteps.