On December 5, the YLP Environment Day occurred … a day planned by Jan Tracy ‘96 and Hal Ziecheck ‘91. The fun began at the County Public Works building. The teens checked out the roadways of Pinellas County through high-tech cameras. They learned about traffic patterns and engaged in conversation with the crew running the traffic center. Before leaving, the youth visited the sign shop. They were shown how the crew was able to maintain all the street signs of Pinellas County.
The next destination started with a demonstration by Shea Dunifon. Anything a YLP participant could think of to put down a toilet was poured into a large clear glass container. You can imagine what the final product looked like! After a disgusting but informative experiment, they toured the South Cross Bayou Water Reclamation Facility. The educational experience was great, but the smell was less appealing.
The group needed some fresh air, so it was time for a nature hike at Boyd Hill Nature Park. To quote one participant, “We were immersed in nature.” The students learned about conservation as they were taking a guided tour of the beautiful scenery. They got to meet and learn about a few of the many species of birds housed on the grounds. Luckily, the gator hanging under the boardwalk was friendly.
The final stop of the day was at the Pinellas County Solid Waste Facility. Jan went from day planner to expert tour guide. She led the bus tour as we traversed the landfills. She gave a thorough history of the facility and how it is maintained. As always, the CLAW made a huge impression as it crashed down in the trash pile. It was a cool end to an informative and interesting day.