Earth Day to be observed in Merced County

Many groups and nonprofits around Merced County are getting into Earth Day festivities this week.

Earth Day, which is observed every year on April 22, is essentially a celebration of the planet that highlights ways to treat it better. Observances in Merced County this year stretch into the weekend as well.

With Earth Day in mind, Healthy House in Merced is conducting an ongoing educational effort for non-English speakers. The nonprofit was recently awarded a $65,000 Energy Upgrade Education Grant, a state effort to educate non-English speakers on energy conservation.

Executive Director Candice Adam-Medefind said the nonprofit will conduct weekly efforts to educate residents about conserving energy and water. These efforts will be aimed at communities primarily made up of residents of Southeast Asian descent.

“Often, it’s our underserved cultural communities victimized by environmental problems,” she said.

Along with delivering messages through Hmong TV channels, the nonprofit is available to make presentations to groups of non-English speakers.

For more information, contact Paula Yang at (209) 724-0102 or paula@healthyhousemerced.org.

Wednesday

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Development plans to use Earth Day to mark the start of the expansion of Planada’s wastewater treatment facility. A groundbreaking ceremony is scheduled for 10 a.m. Wednesday at the 8597 Toews Ave. facility in Le Grand.

The department said the $13.5 million investment in rural water and wastewater infrastructure is meant to help improve water quality and protect the environment in the water district.

Thursday

UC Merced will make Earth Day a big deal with a slew of events set from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday on Scholars Lane, the main walkway through the campus, 5200 N. Lake Road.

From carnival games to educational booths, the campus celebrates green technology and efforts. The campus is known for its “triple-net zero” goals – to consume zero net energy through efficiency and renewable energy production, produce zero landfill waste and prevent as much carbon emission as the university produces by 2020.

Many of the day’s events are open to the public.

Friday

Golden Valley Health Centers’ Healthy South Merced program expects more than 500 local students to take part in its eighth annual Earth Day observance.

The event, which is focused on conservation, air pollution, recycling and other green activities, is set for 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday at the center’s office in south Merced, 737 W. Childs Ave.

“It is important to know how the environment affects our health, whether we are talking about the quality of our air and water or the safety of our neighborhoods,” center Chief Executive Officer Tony Weber said in a news release.

The event is free and open to the public.

This story was originally published April 21, 2015 at 3:07 PM with the headline "Earth Day to be observed in Merced County."