BALTIMORE, MD (November 14, 2001) – Families can celebrate America Recycles Day with the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) at Port Discovery, the kid?powered museum in downtown Baltimore, tomorrow, Wednesday, Nov. 15 from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. The museum is located at 35 Market Place, a block and a half from the Inner harbor.

MDE, in conjunction with the Baltimore City Office of Recycling, the Maryland Soft Drink Association, the Maryland Recycling Coalition and National Institutes of Health (NIH), is sponsoring interactive displays promoting recycling to children and their parents.

This year's displays focus on educating Marylanders about recycling and fun activities for children. Port Discovery will conduct activities and crafts reusing recyclable materials. MDE will coordinate interactive displays on recycling, vermiculture, composting, gardening, and mercury reduction.

"Recycling is one of the great success stories in America's crusade to protect the environment and preserve natural resources," said MDE Secretary Jane T. Nishida, noting that Marylanders have made recycling a part of their lives by demonstrating a recycling rate of 36 percent last year.

"To celebrate America Recycles Day, each of us can renew our commitment to recycle by buying products with higher recycled content and increasing our recycling efforts at home and work," Secretary Nishida added.

To find out what you can do to increase recycling, visit MDE's website at www.mde.state.md.us, the Maryland Recyclers' Coalition website at: www.marylandrecyclers.org, or the America Recycles Day site at www.americarecyclesday.org.

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