Today is Earth Day, and local organizations are marking the environmental observance through a variety of events.

Pinecrest High School launched a weeklong "Earth Week" celebration Monday, spearheaded by the school's Student Environmental Assoc-iation (SEA). During lunch each day this week, a variety of displays will be set up in the courtyard describing different ways to "go green."

"Our goal is to bring environmental awareness to all of the student population," adviser Karen Kaplan said. "We're getting diverse and that's what I want. Eventually, this will just be a way of life."

Earth Day, initiated by Wisconsin Sen. Gaylord Nelson in 1970, is a national day of observance to promote environment awareness.

The school had it first Earth Day event last year, and Kaplan said that her club has tried to build on that success this year. A number of contests will be held, including "Pinecrest Idol," in which students record "green" songs, and their peers vote on the best one after watching the tapes. Today, anyone wearing green clothing will be entered to win a "Go Green" bag. All prizes have been donated by local businesses.

The club will be selling T-shirts, Go Green bags, and wildflower seeds for its "adopt-a-flower" program, in which students plant a flower on school grounds and are responsible for taking care of it. Three car dealerships will have automobiles on display, and Progress Energy is bringing its plug-in hybrid Toyota Prius is well. Guest speakers will be on campus throughout the week.

"We're trying to make it interactive and hands-on [for the students]," she said. "It's their life and they can do these things."

Pinecrest is the pilot school for a recycling project for the rest of the school system. As a pilot school, Pinecrest's goal is to demonstrate that a countywide recycling program can be efficiently and productively managed at a minimum increase in cost.

The SEA is responsible for maintaining the recycling bins. So far, the program has been a big success.

"It's been going better than we expected," Kaplan said, adding that the whole school is now involved with the program. "This is a huge campus and we're doing it."

Sandhills Community College is also joining in the Earth Day festivities.

SCC is in the process of holding a "Green Summit," a collaborative effort between the SCC Health and Wellness Committee, the SCC Green Committee and the Sandhills Horticultural Society.

The two-day event, held Tuesday and today, features a variety of speakers and programs that help promote "green initiatives" -- green awareness in the garden, green literature in America, how spaying and neutering pets helps the environment, and health, exercise and nutrition.

Sustainable Sandhills, however, hopes to keep Earth Day going throughout the year.

The nonprofit organization is willing to provide opportunities for community members to go green at home, at work and throughout the community with the Certified Green Business program and Community Action Team meetings.

Sustainable Sandhills, working in local communities, is committed to protecting natural resources, encouraging green growth and changing the way a person lives, works and plays.

The organization has now made the Sustainable Sandhills Certified Green Business program available in Moore County. Green businesses reduce waste, promote recycling, become energy- and water-efficient, purchase eco-friendly products and educate employees and customers about the multiple benefits of a sustainable community.

Sustainable Sandhills Community Action Team (CAT) meetings are a forum for people with green ideas to form networks, identify projects and take positive action to improve their communities. Current projects include: Greening local schools, creating new trails for recreation, weatherizing low income housing, recycling, urban farming and more.

The organization has scheduled several Moore County CAT meetings for May 19, July 21 and Sept. 15. Each of the three meetings will be held at the Dempsey Student Center, Clement Dining Hall on the campus of Sandhills Community College, and each session will run from 6:30 p.m. until 8 p.m.

Anyone needing more information about Sustainable Sandhills programs, projects and events can call 673-0826 or visit the organization's Web site.

Contact John Krahnert III at 693-2473 or by e-mail at jkrahnert@thepilot.com.