Celebrating Earth Day Through Recycling

By Supervisor Greg Cox

SAN DIEGO – Today is Earth Day and around the world, people are celebrating this special day by raising awareness about the fragile state of our environment and through efforts to protect our natural resources.

At the County of San Diego, Earth Day is not just another day on the calendar. Protecting the environment is something we do every day. The County is the local jurisdiction charged by the state with enforcing universal waste laws.

In our efforts to educate the community on the proper disposal of universal waste, we partnered on Earth Day with the Industrial Environmental Association (IEA) and the California Integrated Waste Management Board in an outreach campaign aimed at both businesses and the public.

It’s an event we have conducted with the IEA for the last three years and it has grown bigger each year. This year’s event drew hundreds of County employees, who brought in batteries and fluorescent bulbs from their homes so that these items could be recycled and properly disposed. I’ve always been proud of the work our employees do and I’m especially proud of their participation today.

Employees who brought household items to be recycled and properly disposed of were given mercury-free thermometers, reusable shopping bags, low-flow showerheads and faucet aerators to reduce water usage in bathrooms and kitchens.

I know times are tough, but I also know San Diegans care very much about their environment. By going green, consumers can save green. For example, compact fluorescent light bulbs produce light much more efficiently and last seven times longer than traditional light bulbs. So, I urge all San Diegans to recycle and use products that demand less energy.