R E S O L U T I O N 1-1 WHEREAS, Odessa's Ireland Magnet Elementary School has been 1-2 selected as a finalist for the 1997 Governor's Awards for 1-3 Environmental Excellence; and 1-4 WHEREAS, Since 1992, the Texas Natural Resource Conservation 1-5 Commission has coordinated "CLEAN TEXAS 2000," an innovative 1-6 voluntary statewide pollution prevention program developed to 1-7 educate Texans about the measures we can take to preserve and 1-8 protect the environment; and 1-9 WHEREAS, CLEAN TEXAS 2000 and the Office of the Governor 1-10 cosponsor the annual Governor's Awards for Environmental Excellence 1-11 to reward and recognize outstanding environmental projects and 1-12 accomplishments; and 1-13 WHEREAS, Since its establishment seven years ago, the Ireland 1-14 Elementary Recycling Project has become a highly successful venture 1-15 that involves not only the school's students and faculty, but 1-16 parents and other members of the community as well; the project 1-17 seeks to empower students and to change their previously held 1-18 attitudes and habits toward the environment; and 1-19 WHEREAS, Students earn "recycle bucks" for their 1-20 participation in the recycling of plastics, aluminum, and paper 1-21 products; at the end of the school year, kids can redeem their 1-22 bucks for items donated by local businesses or for other 1-23 merchandise purchased with funds from the school's environmental 1-24 account; and 2-1 WHEREAS, The students, faculty, and staff of Ireland Magnet 2-2 Elementary School have set a positive example for Odessa's citizens 2-3 by voluntarily protecting our state's environmental and economic 2-4 future, and their efforts will undoubtedly encourage others to 2-5 participate in pollution-prevention programs that will help to 2-6 ensure a clean Texas for future generations; now, therefore, be it 2-7 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 75th Texas 2-8 Legislature hereby congratulate the students, faculty, and staff of 2-9 Ireland Magnet Elementary School on being named a finalist for the 2-10 1997 Governor's Awards for Environmental Excellence and extend 2-11 sincere best wishes to them for continued success with their 2-12 outstanding recycling program; and, be it further 2-13 RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be 2-14 prepared for prominent display at Ireland Magnet Elementary School 2-15 as an expression of high regard by the Texas House of 2-16 Representatives. West _______________________________ Speaker of the House I certify that H.R. No. 1003 was adopted by the House on May 23, 1997, by a non-record vote. _______________________________ Chief Clerk of the House