TAVARES — For years, the Lake County Board of County Commissioners have encouraged employees working in the downtown Tavares offices to recycle soda cans and paper. Beginning next week, the Lake County Department of Environmental Utilities will unveil new efforts to assist County employees with recycling mixed paper, cardboard and drink cans.

On May 6 and 7, the Department of Environmental Utilities will host “Environmentally U Days” in the rotunda of the Lake County Administration Building, located at 315 W. Main St., in Tavares. The program will encourage employees working in the Lake County Historic Courthouse, Administration Building and Judicial Center to recommit to the expanded recycling efforts and will give citizens visiting the Administration Building information on how the County is protecting the environment.

In addition to learning about workplace recycling efforts, employees and visitors will be able to receive information about other environmentally friendly projects currently being organized and executed by the Department of Environmental Utilities. Exhibits on various County programs, such as Mosquito & Aquatic Plant Management, Adopt-a-Lake and the Home Heating Oil Recovery, will educate interested individuals about the importance of protecting Lake County’s water bodies. The Solid Waste Operations Division will illustrate how landfills are constructed with sweet “landfill sundae” demonstrations held throughout the event.

The Household Hazardous Waste Mobile Unit will be parked at Wooton Park, located at 200 S. Rockingham Ave. in Tavares, from 8 to 10 a.m. on Tuesday, May 6, to encourage employees and visitors to properly dispose of their unwanted paint, used oil, batteries, old pesticides, fertilizers and other household waste.

During Environmentally U Days, staff from the Department of Environmental Utilities will also be displaying their personal commitments to make positive environmental changes. Daryl Smith, Director of the Department of Environmental Utilities, will share some alternatives to producing electrical energy by using solar panels. Emilio Bruna, Solid Waste Programs Director, will explain options for an alternative fuel, bio-diesel and waste vegetable oil. Other Department staff will be on hand to share the results of organic gardening tests.

For more information, call the Lake County Department of Environmental Utilities at (352) 343-3776.