Milpitas residents learn about going green at Earth Day event
Milpitas residents literally put down roots in Selwyn Park on Saturday, April 22, doing some planting in celebration of Earth Day.
The city’s sustainability initiatives and programs took center stage at the event, with demonstrations of container gardening by the Green Thumb Garden Club of Milpitas, and of induction cooking by The Plant Chef.
Staff from Milpitas Sanitation, Inc. held forth on recycling and food scrap collection. A resource fair was hosted by 12 local organizations and city groups show attendees how making simple changes protects the environment.
Composting and pollution prevention were introduced through fun activities for all. Young participants particularly enjoyed creating rain and rivers within a model of the city to observe the water washing out in lakes and ponds.
The city’s Energy and Environmental Sustainability Commission sponsored an Earth Day Youth Essay Contest for students in grades 7-12, asking them, “What invention would you uninvent that would benefit our environment by doing so?” and “How do you think you could change your lifestyle to help benefit our planet?”
High school senior Natalie Chen and Isabelle Nguyen tied first place. Nguyen’s essay was about uninventing the trawl fishing net, while Chen focused on regulating energy consumption.
The winners were recognized at the Earth Day event by Commission Chair Felix Mbuga and Student Commissioner Tara Tony.