Energized about Earth Day: Celebrating the Environment with PPL
At PPL, we generate and deliver electricity in a way that takes the environment into account. That’s why we have installed pollution controls at our power plants, increased power generation from sources that do not emit carbon dioxide, developed programs to help our customers use energy wisely and host free programs at our environmental preserves to raise awareness about the world around us.
The environment is an integral part of the company’s strategy and it’s something we think about every day. We’re energized about Earth Day because it gives us an opportunity to reflect on how we can all work together to help preserve our resources.
To share that energy with you, we’ve planned a month full of activities to celebrate Earth Day with PPL:
RAIN GARDENS FOR EARTH DAY
9 a.m. to noon Saturday, April 4
Lower Mount Bethel Welcome Center
7701 Martins Creek-Belvidere Highway, Bangor, PA 18013
The Martins-Jacoby Watershed Association invites volunteers to help plant the rain gardens and a green roof at the new Lower Mount Bethel Welcome Center. Lunch is included in this event. To register, please contact John Mauser at 610-498-2126 or jmmauser@epix.net.
LOWER MOUNT BETHEL WELCOME CENTER AND TRAIL OPENING
10 a.m. Wednesday, April 15
Lower Mount Bethel Welcome Center
7701 Martins Creek/Belvidere Highway, Bangor, PA 18013
Join us as we celebrate the grand opening of the Lower Mount Bethel Welcome Center and nature trail. John Mauser of the Martins Jacoby Watershed Association and Fred Gast, a senior PPL naturalist, will be on hand to give tours of the facility and lead walks on the new trail, which connects to the Martins Creek Natural Area.
SPRING STREAM CLEANUP
8:30-11 a.m. Saturday, April 18
Montour Preserve Environmental Education Center
Make a difference for Earth Day by helping the Chillisquaque Limestone Watershed Association with its annual spring stream cleanup. Each year the focus is on a different part of the Chillisquaque Creek watershed. To date the association has removed tons of trash and tires from area streams, but the job is not finished. The watershed association will provide gloves and water. You must be at least 18 years old to participate. Dress in old clothes and wear sturdy footwear. For more information contact Jon Beam at PPL’s Montour Preserve at 570-437-3131 or jdbeam@pplweb.com.
PIKE-WAYNE EARTH DAY FESTIVAL
10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, April 18
Wallenpaupack Environmental Learning Center
Don’t miss this unique learning experience as PPL and local conservation groups join forces to bring you fun activities and events for all ages throughout the day. You can test out a kayak on Lake Wallenpaupack, make a birdfeeder, play recycle relay, learn how to save energy at home or even watch a butterfly puppet show. For more information, visit http://pikewayneearthday.wordpress.com.
EARTH TALES
1:30-3 p.m. Saturday, April 18
Montour Preserve Environmental Education Center
Nature provides us with the basics for survival: food, water, shelter and air. Nature’s beauty and mystery have also been the inspiration for stories about the earth, its plants and animals. This special celebration for Earth Day will feature a leisurely walk through the woods to enjoy natural sights and sounds. Along the way we’ll share stories and quotations about nature and the Earth that provide a special message or lesson.
EARTH SKILLS FOR EARTH DAY
1:30-3 p.m. Sunday, April 19
Lower Mount Bethel Welcome Center
7701 Martins Creek-Belvidere Highway, Bangor, PA 18013
How did the Delaware region’s native people live in harmony with the Earth? What can we learn from them as our culture struggles to understand sustainability with the environment? Step back in time with Mike Dennis of Traditional Earth Skills of North America as we explore the day-to-day activities of the Lenape. The food, clothing and shelter of these peaceful woodland people will be presented along with many handmade display items to view. This is a great program for the family. Registration is required. To register, contact PPL at 570-251-6196 or pplpreserves@pplweb.com.
WILDFLOWER WALK
10 a.m. Thursday, April 9
2 p.m. Sunday, April 19
Shenk’s Ferry Wildflower Preserve, Holtwood, PA
Join PPL for a guided walk through Shenk’s Ferry Wildflower Preserve, one of the best known wildflower areas in the East. At least 73 species of flowers bloom from mid-March until the end of May in this unique botanical area. Jim Smith, PPL consulting naturalist, will lead the walks through this local gem while exploring the incredible diversity, fragility and color the flowers have to offer. Dress for outdoor weather. For directions to Shenk’s Ferry Wildflower Preserve, click here.
EARTHBEAT: A WORLD OF MUSIC
1-2:30 p.m. Sunday, April 19
Susquehanna Energy Information Center
Music is an expression of pure emotion that can draw people together and teach while it entertains. It can also reflect the nature of the culture that created it and foster better communication among people of all creeds. So what better way to celebrate Earth Day than with a joyous concert of music from all over the world? Mary Knysh uses rhythmic music, unusual or native instruments, singing, storytelling and audience participation in this program designed to promote a better understanding of the Earth and introduce participants to some of the various cultures that call this planet home. Her last concert at the Riverlands was a great success that left people clapping, tapping and wanting more. This is one not to miss.
EARTH DAY BIRD WALK
9 a.m. Wednesday, April 22
Start off Earth Day with a leisurely walk at the Brunner Island Wetlands. As we explore nature’s bounty and what it has to offer, we will inspect the bluebird boxes, check out the activities at the wood duck boxes and enjoy a morning stroll. Listen as Jim Smith, PPL naturalist, leads us on a guided walk. The entrance to the wetlands is directly across from Gate A on Wago Road. Follow the stone road back until you see the sign for the Wood Duck Pavilion. For additional information, contact Karen Ament at 717-284-6274 or kament@pplweb.com.
THE NATURAL HISTORY OF THE TIMBER RATTLESNAKE
7 p.m. Wednesday, April 22
PPL and Millersville University Partnership present Dr. Carl Ernst, one of the best-known herpetologists in the world, speaking about the timber rattlesnake — a large species of poisonous snake that lives in Pennsylvania. Come learn more about conservation efforts and Ernst’s studies. This free lecture will be held at Millersville University, Roddy Hall, Room 261, 50 E. Fredrick St., Millersville, PA. For additional information, contact Karen Ament at 717-284-6274 or kament@pplweb.com.
ENVIROTHON
April 1 and April 22
Susquehanna Energy Information Center
PPL’s Susquehanna Riverlands is proud to host the Luzerne County Envirothon, a scholastic competition in which teams from different schools from around the county pit their environmental knowledge against one another. The winning school goes on to the State Envirothon, with a chance to compete in the nationals. The theme of this year’s Envirothon is “Biodiversity in a Changing World.” The Riverlands and Energy Information Center will remain open to public traffic during the Envirothon, but visitors are reminded that access to some facilities may be limited. We appreciate your patience.
GREEN PETS
7-8:30 p.m. Friday, April 24
Susquehanna Energy Information Center
Fido and Fluffy take up a lot of our time and attention, but what else do they take up? Learn the surprising environmental repercussions of caring for a pet, and learn some tips to reduce that impact while still keeping you and your pets safe, healthy and happy. In addition to the standard cats and dogs, we will also discuss exotic pet trafficking and the effect that trade has on the health and welfare of both human and animal populations. So come to the Riverlands to find out how you can love your pets and your planet at the same time.
ALLENTOWN PARK CLEANUP
9 a.m. Saturday, April 25 (rain date May 2)
Valania Park, Allentown, PA
PPL’s African-American Business Resource Group will clean up Allentown’s Valania Park, picking up trash and helping to spread a new spring coating of mulch. The group promotes the advancement and inclusiveness of minority employees within PPL and local communities. It has supported numerous community organizations in recent years.
WOLF: FORGOTTEN FRIEND OF THE EARTH
1:30-3 p.m. Saturday, April 25
Lower Mount Bethel Welcome Center
7701 Martins Creek-Belvidere Highway, Bangor, PA 18013
The wolf stirs the emotions in humans, inspiring folklore and myths, fear and love, good science and bad. Hope Awyll and Tom Nelson, of the Pennsylvania Raptor and Wildlife Association, will help us sort fact from fiction and show us the true wolf, an animal struggling to maintain its important niche in nature, free from human labels. The program is free, but registration is required. To register, contact PPL at 570-251-6196 or pplpreserves@pplweb.com.
EARTH DAY CELEBRATION AT QUARRYVILLE LIBRARY
11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, April 25
Quarryville Library, 357 Buck Road, Quarryville, PA 17566
Don’t miss the Quarryville Library’s Earth Day celebration featuring a variety of programs. Fun activities include a book sale, tree plantings, demonstrations on wise energy use and crafts made of recycled materials for children. Seedlings will be sent home with kids to plant in your own backyard. The Hershey Zoo will present a program on endangered species with live animals at 11:30 a.m., 1 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. Food and beverages will be available. For details on how to obtain free tickets, visit www.quarryvillelibrary.org or call 717-786-1336.
SPRING WOODLAND WILDFLOWER WALK
1:30-3 p.m. Saturday, April 25
Montour Preserve Environmental Education Center
The delicate beauty of spring woodland wildflowers brings a special touch to a still dull landscape. These early bloomers have some unique adaptations that allow them to sprout and bloom in a mad dash to beat the growth of tree leaves. These wildflowers are among the first signs that spring is truly here. Join Jon Beam, PPL’s senior naturalist, on an exploratory walk through the preserve’s woodlands to discover the joy and beauty of spring wildflowers. We’ll explore some interesting facts and fascinating folklore about the different species encountered along the way.
PENNSYLVANIA WILDLIFE
1:30-3 p.m. Sunday, April 26
Susquehanna Energy Information Center
It’s a fact of life: Animals sometimes get hurt. If they’re lucky, those animals will be cared for by people like Eric and Kathy Uhler. The Uhlers are licensed experts who run the Pocono Wildlife Rehabilitation and Education Center, where they take in injured birds, reptiles and mammals. They nurse their wild charges back to health and use the opportunity to teach people about the animals and the natural world of Pennsylvania. Join us for the chance to meet some of these ambassadors of the wild world. Hear their stories, learn about their lives and gain a new appreciation for your neighbors in nature.
PENOBSCOT RIVER COMMUNITIES, MAINE
Saturday, May 16
Work alongside community volunteers as they clean up the Penobscot River in communities from Bangor to Milford, Maine. PPL Maine is providing support to volunteers in Milford, Old Town, Orono and Veazie. For more information, including meeting times and locations, contact any of the town offices:
- Milford, 207-827-2072
- Old Town, 207-827-3974
- Orono, 207-866-5051
- Veazie, 207-947-2781