Celebrate Earth Day with King County April 22 and discover that ‘It’s easy being green’

Learn how “it’s easy being green” all year-round by participating in King County’s sixth -annual Earth Day Expo on Wednesday, April 22, at Westlake Plaza in downtown Seattle, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Admission is free.

Join Executive Ron Sims, EcoConsumer Tom Watson, environmental mascot Bert the Salmon and area school children at a downtown Seattle event that celebrates the spirit of everyday green living.

This free event offers the tools, resources and discounts to help everyone make easy environmental choices. There’s even an array of environmental entertainment and educational activities designed to promote environmental awareness for kids.

Visitors to King County’s booth – “It’s Easy Being Green – Let King County Show You How” – will learn easy ways to recycle, green-up your ride, volunteer for Earth-friendly activities, reduce your carbon footprint and make your home and garden more earth friendly.

Scheduled activities include:

• 10 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
  Children’s activity corner –  Kids ages 3-7 can create crafts designed to promote environmental awareness and learn fun ecological facts like how worms turn paper and food waste into a landscaping resources.
• 11 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.
  Green Globe Awards – King County’s most prestigious environmental awards will be presented to environmental stewardship leaders in the community who have demonstrated their commitment to protecting the environment, managing natural resources and fostering community involvement.

Ongoing activities:

• Tour a “green” bus: Visitors can tour a Metro Transit bus that runs on a mixture of biodiesel and ultra low sulfur diesel fuel.
• Meet Bert the Salmon:  Say hello to King County’s environmental mascot – a star of TV and radio public service announcements, who attends community festivals and is a prominent feature of many Puget Sound-area school science curricula.
• EcoConsumer Tom Watson: Providing tips on green living and sustainable purchases, Watson manages  the King County Solid Waste Division’s EcoConsumer program.

For more information about King County’s sixth-annual Earth Day Expo and Green Globe Awards, visit the Web site at http://www.kingcounty.gov/environment/stewardship/nw-yard-and-garden/spring-into-action.aspx or contact Kate Karpf at 206-263-7147, or kate.karpf@kingcounty.gov.