COUNTY NEWS

To promote recycling and sustainability in the community as well as to encourage people to take small steps to a more sustainable life, the Los Alamos County Environmental Services Division, the Environmental Sustainability Board, and the Zero Waste Team sponsored the People’s Ecochallenge.

The People’s Ecochallenge is a 21 day environmental and social engagement program. From Oct. 2 – Oct. 23 participants selected or created actions that align with their individual values and made a 21 day commitment to complete those actions all while practicing and reinforcing good habits. For every completed action the participant earned points and created an impact. Participants could take the challenge individually or as part of a team

This year Los Alamos had five teams with a total of 75 individual participants. The teams were Chamisa Elementary Green Team, Los Alamos Environmental Sustainability Board, Zero Waste Los Alamos, Aspen Green Leaves, and Los Alamos County Employees. Combined the teams avoided 17 pounds of food waste, had 316 plastic water bottles diverted from the landfill, saved 2,543 gallons of water, planted 30 trees, volunteered for 29 hours and so much more.

Environmental Services would like to congratulate Chamisa Elementary Green Team, the team winner, with 7,271 points and our individual winners, 1st place Heather Ward with 1,141 points, 2nd place Sara Thurgood-Martinez with 970 points, and 3rd place Gavin Bent with 964 points.

Thank you to all who participated in The People’s Ecochallenge for 2019. Your small actions do add up to make a big impact.