It's your Earth, How are You Going to Celebrate It?

Blogger's Note: The following are a few ideas from the Perkiomen Watershed conservancy in Schwenksville about how to celebrate Earth Week.

The Perkiomen Watershed Conservancy has a few ideas, and it's probably not surprising that they involve water. During Earth Week, the Conservancy invites the community to get outside with the Annual Stream Clean-up and Lenape Survival Challenge.

For those companies who want to demonstrate tangible support of local environmental initiatives, the Perkiomen Watershed Conservancy is seeking sponsorship for these events.

"Part of the reason we're so excited to offer these opportunities to celebrate Earth Week is that they give companies a concrete focus for their environmental awareness campaigns internally," said Andy Curtis, Perkiomen Watershed Conservancy Board Chairman, "and externally, they highlight a company's important contribution to the watershed, resource conservation, and our communities. We really are all connected."

The Perkiomen Creek is a significant contributor to the Schuylkill River and Delaware River Watersheds, for example. What happens upstream is critical to the health of streams and rivers downstream.

• To kick off Earth Week on Saturday, April 21, the Conservancy will engage hundreds of volunteers in its annual Stream Clean-up in and around the Perkiomen Creek, its banks and tributaries.  Remember Hurricane Irene back in August of 2011? The volume and force of water that plowed through the creek and overflowed its banks left the Perkiomen and many other local water sources in need of clean-up. In addition, many people may not realize that litter on our streets -- even cigarette butts -- gets blown directly into water sources or washed into storm drains and deposited in our waterways. The impact on the health of our streams is significant. Click the link to sign up: http://bit.ly/pwc_streamcleanup

• As the capstone to Earth Week, the Conservancy hosts The Lenape Survival Challenge. Now celebrating its 20th Anniversary, this unique two person team event is the only one of its kind in the area. Featuring a 5.7 mile dash through rolling back roads in Montgomery County, including 1/2 mile up and back down Spring Mountain. plus a 2.5 mile paddle down the Perkiomen, the Lenape Challenge accentuates the connection between land and water. One long time participant describes the race as something she looks forward to “like kids look forward to Christmas.” For details, click the link: http://bit.ly/pwc_lenapechallenge

Sponsorships of both events are available in tiers ranging from $125 for a Participant Sponsorship to $3,000 for a Premier Sponsorship and benefits to the sponsoring organization quickly add up.

For the Conservancy "Corporate involvement positively impacts these outreach events but does even more. Company sponsorships also sustain nonprofits like the Perkiomen Watershed Conservancy throughout the year by funding our award winning Environmental Education, Conservation and Stewardship initiatives,” commented Curtis. The Conservancy encourages companies to demonstrate their environmental commitment proudly and locally by partnering with their local watershed this Earth Week.

To sign on as a 2012 Perkiomen Watershed Conservancy Earth Week Sponsor or for more information please contact Susan in Outreach at 610 287 9383 or outreach@perkiomenwatershed.org