Earth Day 2003: “A Day In the Life of Texas Waters”
SAN MARCOS — Volunteers from across Texas will participate in the fourth annual statewide water sampling initiative to be held in conjunction with Earth Day 2003 on April 22.
Texas Watch, a volunteer environmental monitoring program supported by Southwest Texas State University, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, is launching the effort.
Volunteer monitors across the state will sample surface and ground water to collect important environmental information. Those results will be coupled with professional water quality sampling efforts to realistically portray “A Day In the Life of Texas Waters.”
More than 1,000 volunteer monitors are expected to participate, and approximately 200 sites will be surveyed in the sampling. Photos and monitoring results may be viewed online at the Texas Watch web site, http://www.texaswatch.geo.txstate.edu.
Texas Watch facilitates environmental stewardship by empowering a statewide network of concerned volunteers, partners and institutions in a collaborative effort to promote a healthy and safe environment through environmental education, data collection and community action.
Jason Pinchback, who is in charge of volunteer coordination for Texas Watch, said, “Texas’ budget deficit of an estimated $9.9 billion could impact funds designated to protect our natural resources. Reduced state funds, coupled with continuing increases in population growth and the resulting nonpoint source water pollution, intensifies the need for increased volunteer water quality monitoring efforts. The volunteers involved in Texas Watch, are taking the responsibility to help preserve a sustainable and viable future for our planet. This is an important effort, and we hope to gather some very significant data in the process.”
Earth Day, a global holiday to honor the Earth and increase awareness of the need for its preservation, was first celebrated on April 22, 1970. The statewide sampling event and other Earth Day 2003 activities celebrate 33 years of environmental stewardship promoting a clean future for the planet.
Contact: Jason Pinchback at (877) 506-1401