All over the world people will be turning off their lights at 8:30 p.m. on March 28 for one hour. The Monroe County Waste Management District (District) is urging Monroe County residents to turn off nonessential lights again this year and make a statement about climate change.

Over 50 million people worldwide turned off their lights last year as part of an initiative started by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). This event is a call to action to increase awareness about climate change and to demonstrate that people from all over the world care about the issue and can take action.

Residents can also take action by picking up free earth care information now available in green bins at any of the District's four rural recycling sites. This information is also available upon request in the Administration Building at Central Recycling on 3400 S. Walnut St. In addition, residents can also join the Citizen's Advisory Committee that works on special environmental stewardship projects and advises the District and the District Board.

Spring Bulky item drop-off days are back. To better serve the public, the event will again be held at the Monroe County Fairgrounds on Friday, April 3, and Saturday, April 4 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Event sponsors are the Monroe County Solid Waste Management District (District), Hoosier Disposal & Recycling Services, the Monroe County Fair Board and the Monroe County Highway Department.

"Miss Elisa, don't forget the earth!" Wise advice from an elementary school student and something everyone should take to heart, even on Valentine's Day!

This wisdom came to me when I forgot to pack a beach ball globe upon leaving a Citizen Science environmental education program. When I packed up the Butterflymobile, the colorful vehicle that I drive to programs, a student came running out to hand the earth to me along with his wise advice.

There are many ways to give a valentine to the earth, and it all starts with remembering the life support system the earth provides us. It also starts with everyday actions that you do yourself and that you teach others. One action is to reuse items as much as possible, which is the second R in the Reduce, Reuse, Recycle slogan.

The 17 principles adopted by the First National People of Color Environmental Leadership Summit in 1991 have defined the growing grassroots environmental movement for environmental justice. In honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, the Monroe County Solid Waste Management District (District) asks the public to honor the environment by taking action and teaching others ways of ensuring environmental justice for all.

The environment is not a place you drive to, or a place you visit. The environment is the air you breathe, the water you drink, the land you stand upon. Environmentalism is the protection of those basic things. And that makes us all environmentalists.

The urgent challenge for people today is to take action and care for the earth and the health of all living creatures on the earth. The District reminds the public that reducing waste, reusing as much as possible and recycling influence basic human rights -- the right of all people to live in a healthy environment.

What would make people trample a person to death to purchase something? Why would anyone stand in line for hours on a national holiday? Nothing explains that.

However, during the holiday period after Thanksgiving through the first of the year, sane adults turn into crazy people on spending frenzies. Some people act as if they are a plane ready for takeoff or a race car on the Indy 500. That's stress we all don't need and gifts we don't need.

America honors recycling in November. You can be part of the celebration by committing to or renewing your commitment to recycle all you can.

Did you know that recycling is one of the easiest ways to reduce global warming? In support of America Recycles Day on Nov. 15, the Monroe County Solid Waste Management District (District) urges you to find out what's in your trash bag and recycle.

The U.S Environmental Protection Agency reports, "Recycling just 35 percent of our trash would reduce global warming emissions, equivalent to taking 39 million cars off the road and anywhere from 75 percent or more of our trash can be recycled."

The National Recycling Coalition states, "Nationally, recycling saves the equivalent of more than 5 billion gallons of gas, reducing the dependence on foreign oil by 114 million barrels." It reduces pollution, saves energy, and conserves resources.