Think green: Earth Day
Got Earth? Green friendly officials and volunteers across DeSoto County want to make sure the planet’s care and nurturing are embraced April 20 as the 43rd anniversary of Earth Day is celebrated at the courthouse grounds in Hernando
The event runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and is free to the public and exhibitors.
“This year the focus is on ‘Nature Deficit Disorder,’ ” said Ray Laughter, manager of DeSoto’s Environmental Services unit. “And our theme is ‘ Keep’n It Green in 2013.’ ”
Other major points are energy efficiency, conservation of resources and sustainable living. Exhibitors will provide educational activities and information, promote the county’s commitment to recycling, anti-littering, wildlife protection, soil conservation, clean air, and water, gardening, composting and more.
“At our station, we’ll focus on our recycling program,” said Laughter. “Before Earth Day we’ll distribute fliers to all the elementary schools in the county about the need to recycle and our programs. Any student who comes to Earth Day and returns the flier to us in our recycle bin will get time on our party bounce.
“It’ll be fun for the kids and we can be connecting with their parents about recycling,” said Laughter. “We’ll have a good time while the kids bounce.”
The county has bins for collecting electronic waste, bottles, paper and plastic and other materials, and is seeking household and business sign-ups needed for the county’s solid-waste vendor to offer curbside recycling pickup. Laughter’s department also sponsors the annual countywide spring rubbish cleanup and the fall household hazardous waste dropoff event.
The federal Natural Resources Conservation Service plans to have its “Enviroscape” stormwater model to show the effects of trash and debris that impede flow. The DeSoto Board of Supervisors also will have a station offering recycling information and prizes.
The Hernando Farmers Market, last year voted No. 5 among most popular markets nationally in the annual American Farmland Trust competition, will have its opening day in conjunction with the Earth Day celebration. There’ll also be a scavenger hunt, and already under way are photography, essay and art contests.
The DeSoto County Recreational District of parks and greenways is sponsoring the youth photography contest; images submitted before Monday will be eligible to win one of four cash prizes, be showcased in the greenways website and newsletter and go on display at the Earth Day event.
The essay contest for school-age students, sponsored by Volunteer Northwest Mississippi, a program of the area Community Foundation, will award first-, second- and third place-prizes in three categories on the Nature Deficit Disorder theme. The term is attributed to Richard Louv, whose 2005 book, “Last Child in the Woods,” notes an increasing and alarming divide between children and the outdoors. He ties this disconnect to rising levels of obesity, depression and attention disorders among today’s cyber-wired youths.
Art contests for children will continue the theme of nature need, while another visual competition — open to all ages — will focus on stormwater awareness.
Shelly Johnstone, Hernando’s community development director and Earth Day committee member, said everyone needs to be reminded not to sweep leaves and debris into storm drains. One way to draw attention is to stencil drains with messages like “Goes to the Ocean” or “Drains to Arkabutla Lake,” so that people “know their actions can actually be harmful to clean water,” said Johnstone.
For the contest, artists are challenged to come up with a creative stencil concept. Artists need not create a stencil per se, but submit a simple design that can easily be converted into stencil form. Entries will be judged by the DeSoto Stormwater Advisory Board and city representatives.
Earth Day’s hosts are the cities of Hernando, Olive Branch, Southaven and Walls; the DeSoto Supervisors and the Recreational District; Volunteer Northwest Mississippi; the Mississippi State University Extension Service and the DeSoto Soil and Water Conservation District.
Also, “Sam E. Soil will be back,” said Jackie James, clerk with the soil district, of the dirt-loving environmental mascot.
Exhibitor applications and contest rules are posted on the DeSoto County government website: desotocountyms.gov. For more information or to be a sponsor of the event, call or e-mail Gia Matheny, assistant in the DeSoto Supervisors office, at 662- 469-8002 or gmatheny@desotocountyms. gov; or Leigh Wills, DeSoto community development coordinator, at 662-469-8197 or lwills@desotocountyms.gov.