One of the biggest obstacles for the environmental movement is the lack of education. Many people are simply unaware of the urgent need for environmental change. The Allegheny County Sanitary Authority (ALCOSAN), a wastewater treatment agency, not only has several environmentally friendly practices in place, but also works towards educating the public about the services they provide and the need to protect our environment. Here are some of the awesome ways ALCOSAN has promoted green:

ALCOSAN is devoted to teaching our future generations about the importance of conservation, environmental awareness, the sciences, and engineering. The non-profit holds the Watershed Education Program to educate students about the biology, functions, and preservation of watersheds. They also hold the Scholastic Outreach Program for students, teachers, and communities to teach kids to be responsible stewards of their environment. Finally, their Summer Science Program provides students grades 5 through 9 with classes, hands-on activities, and field trips related to the sciences of wastewater treatment and engineering.

ALCOSAN additionally holds many events to educate the general public. Their Storm Drain Stenciling Program teaches the communities about the potential for storm drain contamination and the pollution of local waterways. They also host several webinars, seminars, and training sessions to educate their municipalities and local businesses about storm water management.

ALCOSAN hosts the award-winning event Open House every year, which is the region’s largest watershed and environmental festival! They give tours of their treatment facilities and laboratory, give presentations of microbiology and watersheds, and provide hands-on environmental activities for all ages. At this event, they have switched to recycled and recyclable products and turn their waste into compost. Open House was endowed the Gold Award for “Zero Waste Efforts” in 2010.

Learn more about ALCOSAN and their determination for environmental excellence here.