Earth Day raises awareness.

The City of Santa Clarita encourages all residents to increase participation in sustainable behavior as part of Earth Day which is Tuesday, April 22, 2008. The purpose of this important day is to increase environmental awareness and promote a healthy, sustainable planet. This day is especially unique because it is one of the only events celebrated simultaneously throughout the world by people of all faiths, and nationalities.

“This event is a wonderful time to take a moment and evaluate our behavior and daily routines to see where we can leave less of an impact on the environment,” said Mayor Bob Kellar.

The City offers a few simple measures and suggestions to help accomplish greener living for Earth Day and year around. First, consider a reusable bag next time you are making purchases at the store. This is a very easy and inexpensive way to make a positive lifestyle change on Earth Day. Reusable bags are lightweight, durable, and in most cases, larger than a regular plastic bag. The life of one reusable bag can wipe out the use of hundreds of plastic bags that typically end up as trash or litter that pollutes our oceans and waterways.

Second, to conserve water make sure sprinkler systems are in working order and are watering the lawn and plants, not the paved areas and water lawns in the early morning when temperatures are lowest because this prevents evaporation. Also, if a storm is approaching, turn off sprinkler systems to take advantage of the rain. Furthermore, by keeping showers less than 5 minutes, up to 1000 gallons of water a month can be saved.

Third, consider riding a bike to work or when running errands. This is a great way to keep the air clean, reduce traffic, and minimize our carbon footprints. The City has 32 miles of trails and by commuting by bike, there are benefits such as daily exercise and saving money on gas.

Lastly, energy can be conserved by switching out incandescent light bulbs with compact flourescent light bulbs (CFLs).  CFLs last up to 10 times longer than incandescents and use over 50% less energy. This is another quick way to increase sustainable behavior, not to mention lowering the monthly energy bill.

The City takes great pride in the beauty and cleanliness of our community. This would not be possible without the dedicated citizens taking an active part. Residents efforts to maintain the health of our wonderful community and planet throughout the year and on Earth Day can and will make a difference.