LOS ANGELES, April 13, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Earth Day is coming early to 90 elementary schools throughout Los Angeles this year as they celebrate the Go H2O! Earth Day Festivals. For the second year in a row, 28,000 students are part of the Go H2O! Challenge, a program developed by LA's BEST After School Enrichment Program and the American Chemistry Council (ACC) to educate kids about the importance of recycling, why water is a healthy choice, and how choosing a reusable, recyclable container can benefit the environment.

The festivals include games like Water Bottle Bowling and a Recycling Relay Race that all use recyclable materials and reinforce the importance of reducing waste, increasing recycling and developing healthy habits at a young age.

"The Go H2O! Challenge has been a welcome addition to our program and our students are excited to celebrate Earth Day at these festivals," said Carla Sanger, LA's BEST president and CEO. "Providing our students with a creative way to learn about recycling and adopt healthy habits is an important goal for us and we're pleased the challenge has been a success."

This year's challenge was rolled out at 90 LA's BEST sites in Los Angeles last fall. 15,000 students were given reusable plastic water bottles. Coaches received educational packets to help them teach students about recycling more plastics, why water is a healthy choice, and how choosing a reusable, recyclable container helps reduce the consumption of materials.

"We're honored to be helping LA's BEST students and their families learn about reusing plastic and reducing waste this Earth Day," said Steve Russell, vice president, plastics, American Chemistry Council. "The more we can do to spread the word about recycling, the more committed we all will be to keeping plastic out of our oceans and in the recycling bin where it belongs."

Originally launched in 2009, the Go H2O! Challenge aims to educate the LA's BEST community about the importance of recycling plastics and reducing waste while emphasizing how drinking more water can promote a healthy lifestyle. Since its inception, the LA's BEST program has received from ACC educational materials about recycling and reusable plastic water bottles made from recyclable material.

The messages of the Go H2O! Challenge have sparked additional healthy initiatives throughout the LA's BEST network including the installation of gardens and an increased availability of recycling bins at some of the 180 sites.

LA's BEST After School Enrichment Program is a partner in the statewide recycling awareness campaign, Plastics. Too Valuable to Waste. Recycle(SM). The campaign launched in 2008 when representatives from the California Department of Parks and Recreation, ACC and Keep California Beautiful initiated a beach recycling program at State Parks sites in the Los Angeles and Central Coast areas. The program soon spread to State Parks beaches in San Diego, Monterey, Santa Cruz, the City of Brentwood and the City of Woodland. For more information, see www.2valuable2waste.com.

http://www.americanchemistry.com

LA's BEST – Better Educated Students for Tomorrow – is a nationally recognized after school education, enrichment and recreation program serving more than 28,000 children with the greatest needs and fewest resources throughout the City of Los Angeles. LA's BEST After School Enrichment Program provides a safe haven for children, ages 5 to 12, at 180 elementary school sites each day during the critical hours after school – at no cost to parents. Established in 1988, LA's BEST is a partnership including the City of Los Angeles, the Los Angeles Unified School District and the private sector.

The American Chemistry Council (ACC) represents the leading companies engaged in the business of chemistry. ACC members apply the science of chemistry to make innovative products and services that make people's lives better, healthier and safer. ACC is committed to improved environmental, health and safety performance through Responsible Care®, common sense advocacy designed to address major public policy issues, and health and environmental research and product testing. The business of chemistry is a $674 billion enterprise and a key element of the nation's economy. It is one of the nation's largest exporters, accounting for ten cents out of every dollar in U.S. exports. Chemistry companies are among the largest investors in research and development. Safety and security have always been primary concerns of ACC members, and they have intensified their efforts, working closely with government agencies to improve security and to defend against any threat to the nation's critical infrastructure.

SOURCE American Chemistry Council