It’s time to “go green” but not because Saint Patrick’s Day is fast approaching. Rather, it is the City of Turlock’s annual Go Green Week, the City’s primary environmental educational campaign.

For the past seven years the City of Turlock has partnered with the Turlock Unified School District to bring the citywide campaign into the classrooms to not only share the importance of environmental awareness to children, but to make tconservation fun and interactive.

“It is the cornerstone of our citywide youth based portion of our Go Green Week,” said Toni Cordell, coordinator of the annual campaign. “As part of the campaign we have targeted different demographics and with the students we are trying to teach them how to be good environmental stewards through several different activities.”

Students took part in environmentally friendly efforts such as tree planting ceremonies which took place at schools across the District. Through the Go Green program, 141 new trees have been planted at local schools in the past seven years. Students also took part in campus wide recycling competitions furnished by Turlock Recycling, who also provided classroom presentations and tours of the recycling plant. Students also toured the local wastewater treatment facility.

In the past seven year, Go Green Week has aiding in diverting more than 15,8116 pounds of waste from landfills and raised nearly $6,000 for schools through the recycling contest. More than economically advantageous, the students have contributed to the City’s aim of inspiring participation in environmental education by dressing up for “Wear Green Day” and donning their green awareness wristbands.

“We are really pleased with how the District and the schools have taken to the program,” said Cordell.