Teachers, students, school employees and others who are helping to reduce waste, save resources and improve the environment are eligible to receive recognition from King County through the Earth Heroes at School program.

King County is now taking nominations for the Earth Heroes at School program to recognizes students, teachers, staff, school volunteers, programs and even entire schools that are doing the important work of protecting the environment and teaching others to do the same.

Nominations for the 2018 Earth Heroes at School are due March 1, and winners will be honored at an event this spring. Earth Heroes can be nominated by colleagues, classmates and the public. Self-nominations are also encouraged.

Nomination forms are available online at kingcounty.gov/earth-heroes.

Nominations can be made in any of the following categories:Waste reduction, reuse, or recycling; Food waste prevention or food waste collection for composting; Household hazardous waste prevention or management; Sustainable gardening, landscaping, or building; and Climate change education or greenhouse gas emissions reduction.

The Earth Heroes at School program is a way for King County to express its gratitude for the contributions environmental leaders in schools make toward a more sustainable future. By acknowledging their work, the county hopes to inspire others to adopt similar actions to protect the environment.

The program is offered through the King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks, and awards are given every other year.

The Snoqualmie Valley has had several winners in past years, including Valley teen Annapurni Sriram and Carnation Elementary School teacher Elizabeth Wing in 2011.