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Festival Lovers Can Help Environment by Recycling

Release Date: 03/24/2006
Contact Information: Roxanne Smith, (202) 564-4355 / smith.roxanne@epa.gov

(Washington, D.C. – March 24, 2006) Most Americans do it at home, so why not when they're on the go at a public event? The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the National Park Service (NPS) have teamed up to put recycling places in one of our nation's most popular public spaces, on the National Mall during the National Cherry Blossom Festival. As part of EPA's Recycling Places in Public Spaces campaign, EPA and NPS will help festival visitors deposit their beverage containers in recycling bins located around the Tidal Basin in Washington, D.C.

"What better way to celebrate the beauty of our natural environment than doing our part to preserve it?" said EPA Administrator Stephen L. Johnson. "As Washington, D.C., celebrates the coming of spring, we are reminding Americans and our international visitors that recycling shouldn't stop at the front door. EPA and our partners are helping transform the throw-away culture into a recycling culture – even amidst the pink and white cherry blossoms on the National Mall."

Approximately one million visitors are expected at the National Cherry Blossom Festival this year, which runs from March 25 to April 9. As visitors enjoy the blossoms and related festivities, they will also have an opportunity to help the environment. Festival visitors will find recycling centers at the Jefferson Memorial, the north side of the Tidal Basin and the paddle boat rental facility during each of the festival's three weekends. Volunteers staffing each center will promote the idea of recycling in public places and answer questions about effective recycling methods.

The recycling activities at the National Cherry Blossom Festival are part of EPA's "Recycling Places in Public Spaces" campaign, which encourages everyone to recycle wherever they go. EPA is working toward a goal of a 35 percent recycling rate nationwide. Recycling saves energy, conserves resources, reduces the need for new landfills and incinerators, and stimulates the development of green technologies.

More information about recycling: epa.gov/epaoswer/osw/conserve/priorities/msw.htm

More information about the National Cherry Blossom Festival: http://www.nps.gov/nacc/cherry/