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For Immediate Release A Conversation with Senator Brubaker Earth-friendly activities highlighted in April The commemoration of Earth Day on April 22 reminds us each year that there are many things we can do year-round to keep our communities, our state and our planet a healthy place to live. Every year since 1970, more than 500 million people in 175 countries have observed Earth Day as a means of celebrating the earth and to promote the protection of our natural resources. In honor of Earth Day, I will be joining Representative Scott Boyd and local students for a stream cleanup along the Conestoga River in West Earl Township on April 20. Another simple thing we can all do to make a difference is recycle common household items such as plastics, glass, aluminum, paper and other common household items. Recycling is not only a more efficient use of resources than sending them to a landfill, it also saves energy – for instance, the energy saved by recycling just one soda can could power a television for three hours. While many places in Lancaster and Chester counties now offer curbside recycling, there are some areas where it is not available, and there are many materials that can be recycled that are not picked up curbside, including batteries, cell phones and printer ink cartridges. In addition, hazardous waste materials like motor oil and items containing mercury should not be thrown out in your everyday trash and often require separate methods of disposal to prevent ground contamination. To find out more about what you can recycle and where you can take those materials, you can access the Lancaster County Solid Waste Management Authority web site at www.lcwma.org and the Chester County Solid Waste Authority at www.chestercountyswa.org. April is Financial Education Month in PA Studies have shown that many young people do not have a solid understanding of personal finance basics, which is why I am pleased that these lessons are the focus of Financial Education Month in our Commonwealth. By reviewing basic concepts with young people, we can help them form good habits at an early age that will serve them well throughout their lives. I have been fortunate to participate in the Stock Market Game program, which teaches many of these very principles, with some of the schools in the 36th District. The program is used nationwide to teach math, economics, saving and investing by simulating actual investment in the stock market. In addition to applying classroom concepts to a real-world situation, students reinforce other skills such as research, critical thinking and decision making. I know that some of the schools in our local Stock Market Game are doing quite well with their investments, and I am looking forward to seeing the final results when the game ends on April 20. Humanities Grants available The Pennsylvania Historical Commission offers Humanities Grants to non-profit organizations that promote lifelong learning in literature, history and the arts. Groups such as public libraries, historical societies and arts groups can take advantage of Quick Grants, Small Grants and Large Grants through this PHC program. While Quick Grants and Small Grants are available at any time throughout the year, the deadline to file Intent-to-Apply forms for Large Grants has been moved up this year from August 1 to July 1. The deadline for selected organizations to submit a full application for a Large Grant has also been moved up from October 1 to September 1. More information is available at www.pahumanities.org, and the new 2007-08 Large Grant guidelines and application will be available there by May 1 as well. I encourage local groups to look into this grant program if they are considering any projects geared toward community learning.
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