Senator Murphy announces 2018 Earth Day poster contest

ALBANY, NY - Earth Day is a time of year to promote awareness of the environmental issues affecting our planet. It is also time for us to celebrate and take pride in this world we call our home. In honor of Earth Day 2018, Senator Terrence Murphy and the New York State Senate is sponsoring his annual poster contest for children in grades K-6. This year's theme of our Earth Day celebration is "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle." Students are encouraged to create a poster that could be used as part of this campaign that emphasizes the importance of recycling and waste reduction.
 
"This generation of students will soon be responsible for decisions regarding our natural resources," said Senator Murphy. "This contest is a great way for students to express their creativity, show their concern, and convey messages that can help increase awareness of the issues affecting our environment."
 
Schools wishing to participate in this year's event must submit their entries by April 9, 2018, via Senator Murphy's website: www.nysenate.gov/senators/terrence-murphy. The winning posters will be displayed on Senator Murphy's website, and participants will receive a certificate acknowledging their participation. For any questions concerning the contest, please call Senator Murphy's District Office at 914-962-2624.
 
The idea for the first Earth Day was proposed in 1970 by then-Sen. Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin. After seeing the damage done by a massive oil spill in Santa Barbara, California, Nelson was inspired to organize a national "teach-in" that focused on educating the public about the environment. Earth Day is now observed in more than 193 countries throughout the world. Each year more than 20 million Americans participate by helping to improve the air we breathe and the water we drink.
 
Senator Murphy has made improving New York's environment a top priority since taking office in 2014. He approved a record amount of funding for the Environmental Protection Fund; secured a $500,000 grant for a critical meadow restoration project at Croton Point Park; had more than a dozen lakes, rivers and streams in the Hudson Valley added to New York's inland waterway list, and led the charge to keep the United States Coast Guard from approving barge anchorages along the Hudson River. Most recently, Senator Murphy joined a statewide effort to protect vulnerable lakes and waterbodies in Upstate New York from harmful algal blooms.