FORT CARSON, Colo. -- About 2,000 Fort Carson students got an early start on the annual Army Earth Day celebrations with the theme of "Sustaining the Environment for a Secure Future-Net Zero." Activities began April 17-18 as volunteers read environmentally-themed books at Fort Carson schools.
Students in kindergarten through second grade entered an Earth Day-themed recycled grocery bag contest. All entries will be used to bag groceries at the grand opening of the new commissary May 9.
A poster contest was held for students in third through fifth grade, depicting various themes concerning stormwater, water resources, wildlife and recycling.
An Earth Day educational fair was held at the Elkhorn Conference Center Monday-Wednesday, featuring hands-on activities for the students of Fort Carson's elementary and middle schools.
Directorate of Public Works representatives taught the students about three of their programs.
Stormwater program staff taught students the effects of introducing pollutants into the storm drains, which eventually end up in streams, lakes and rivers.
Sustainable Fort Carson officials taught the children the importance of recycling and alternative energy.
"If we teach children these things and get that to be part of their culture -- be it recycling or the way we design buildings, the way we capture sun power or wind power -- it is our future going forward to preserve the things that are limited," said Eric Bailey, DPW Recycle Program manager.
DPW's Wildlife Division staff was on hand to teach the students the do's and don'ts of interacting with the various wildlife found on Fort Carson. The Cheyenne Mountain Zoo personnel also taught them the importance of animals in our ecosystem.
"We want children to learn how all animals fit into the environment and how they themselves fit into the environment and how they are all connected and every living things' role in the ecosystem," said Diane Vandergiessen, outreach coordinator, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo.
Representatives from Florissant Fossil Beds and Cheyenne Mountain State Park demonstrated their Leave No Trace program that teaches people about how to reduce their impact on the environment when they hike and camp.
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