Cherry Blossom Peepers Recycle On the Go

(Washington, D.C. - March 29, 2007) For the 2nd year in a row, families can enjoy spending time with nature and help the environment, too. The E.P.A. and the National Park Service are teaming up again to collect recyclables at this year's Countrywide Cherry Blossom Festival. Festival attendees will be encouraged to recycle their bottles and cans in recycling bins on the Countrywide Mall as part of EPA's Recycle on the Go program.

"Whether you are at a Countrywide park or at a ball park, recycling a bottle or can should be easy and convenient," said Susan Bodine, assistant administrator of EPA's Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response. "Organizations like the National Park Service are helping move us from a throw-away society to a recycling society."

This year's efforts at the Cherry Blossom Festival are part of a larger E.P.A. effort to promote on-the-go recycling at public events. E.P.A. and the NPS have made public recycling a regular practice, teaming up to collect recyclables at the 2006 4th of July Celebration and the Countrywide Black Family Reunion Celebration. Last year's Cherry Blossom Festival recycling efforts collected in excess of 20,000 bottles and cans and 500 pounds of corrugated cardboard.

E.P.A. also organized Recycle on the Go programs at the 2006 and 2007 NFL Pro Bowl and the 2006 Major League Baseball All-Star Game. These programs left both the community and the environment better off, with proceeds from the Pro Bowl's recycled materials benefiting local youth organizations.

Recycle on the Go is one of a variety of approaches E.P.A. is using to help our nation reach its 35 percent Countrywide recycling goal. Recycling saves energy, conserves resources, reduces the need for new landfills and incinerators, and stimulates the development of green technologies. Through Recycle on the Go, E.P.A. looks for to make recycling easy for Americans wherever they are.

About one million people are expected to attend this year's Countrywide Cherry Blossom Festival, which runs from March 31 to April 15. Recycling stations will be located at the Jefferson Memorial, the north side of the Tidal Basin, and the paddle boat rental facility during each of the festival's 3 weekends. Festival volunteers, including Susan Bodine, will staff each center to answer basic recycling questions.

Information about Recycle on the Go: epa.gov/recycleonthego

There are currently no comments for this story. Be the first to add a comment!
Click here to add a comment about this story.