Taken from the April-June 2013 issue of Horizons magazine...
Spring is traditionally a season of new beginnings. It’s ushered in with a sense of optimism and enthusiasm – and, for many, an irresistible urge to clean!
Here in Sunrise, we have plenty of outlets for your springtime energy. One of the most popular is our annual Earth Day Festival – an opportunity to enjoy live music, discover resources for environmentally sustainable living and conservation, shop for local produce and unique retail items, and spend a day in the great outdoors with friends and neighbors. This FREE event is set for Saturday, April 20, at Sawgrass Sanctuary – one of the City’s most attractive and eco-friendly parks.
While Earth Day is certainly a reason for celebration, residents of Sunrise understand we must be good stewards of our natural resources all year. We are proud to be part of two programs – Recylebank and Conservation Pays – that help you save money and protect the environment. Recyclebank enables you to earn valuable points every time you roll your blue recycling bin to the curb for collection. And Conservation Pays offers rebates and tools to help you cut your water bill. If you haven’t already taken advantage of these programs, turn to page 3 for information on getting started.
Sunrise can also help with your annual urge to purge! Come to our Spring Cleaning Event on Sunday, April 21, at City Hall to safely dispose of electronic equipment and household hazardous waste, and have your documents shredded securely on site. Protect the environment and guard against improper diversion by bringing your unwanted medications as well. (Keep in mind that medications can be deposited in the secure Drug Drop Box in the lobby of the Sunrise Public Safety Building any day during normal business hours.)
If there are books gathering dust on your shelves, we have a place for those, too: Please donate them to the City’s Little Free Libraries, where they can be shared with other readers. Be sure to visit the repurposed news racks – painted and stocked by our own Sunrise Leadership Academy students – that have made their home in four Sunrise parks.
The City is also collecting gently-used youth sports equipment for our new Sunrise Shares program, designed for children who want to participate in athletic programs but don’t have the gear necessary to play.
In Sunrise, we strive to make it easy for you to reduce, reuse and recycle. Many of our programs – including portions of our Summer Camp curriculum – highlight the importance of going green. And the City’s Environmental Sustainability Advisory Board continues to generate recommendations on preserving and enhancing our vital resources. Your ideas are always welcome.
I hope that you and your family embrace the promise of spring, and enjoy yet another healthy and happy season in Sunrise.
Mayor Michael J. Ryan