Recycling district plans Earth Day activities

<p>The Johnson County Recycling District has planned multiple activities in April to celebrate Earth Day for an entire month.</p><p>Fifth grade students across the county have been learning about water consumption and getting other earth lessons. All county residents are invited to an event to learn about recycling changes, and the Johnson County Recycling District will be opening their office and giving out tree saplings to celebrate Earth Day.</p><p>District employees not only want residents to think about the planet this month, they also want to use the activities as awareness for changes the recycling district is rolling out this month and throughout the year, said Kea Deppe, education and outreach coordinator for the recycling district.</p><p>“A big thing is a new plan for the district which will be different than they were before,&quot; Deppe said.</p><p>The county recycling district’s board of directors met last fall and approved opening a staffed drop-off site in Franklin as well as a second location at the Johnson County Park in Nineveh if the first site is successful.</p><p>The first staffed site is readying to open, and the recycling district is using multiple events to educate residents on how the staffed sites will work, Deppe said.</p><p>A free recycling program at 6:30 p.m. April 17 at the recycling district office, 900 Arvin Drive, Franklin, will teach residents about changes in recycling at the county level, which include staff members who will help residents sort and recycle some of their trash, Deppe said.</p><p>“At least we can get folks thinking of the new plan,&quot; she said. &quot;You feel like you know what you are doing for recycling, but it is always changing.&quot;</p><p>On April 22, the recycling district will be conducting an open house that will allow residents to look at the recycling district and also learn about new plans the recycling district is undertaking. A tree business will also be handling out saplings from 1 to 4 p.m. that day, Deppe said.</p><p>The recycling district is kicking off their festivities by bringing resident cardboard recycling, which starts today. County residents can recycle their used, clean and dry cardboard at the site for free, according to a news release from the recycling district.</p><p>District employees have been traveling to elementary schools in the county to educate fifth-graders about environmental issues. The 563 students who completed the full curriculum can attend a free planned movie at the Artcraft.</p><p>The whole idea of the month’s festivities is to allow residents to think about Earth Day at a local level, Deppe said.</p>