By JESSA PEASE / Staff Writer

PELHAM— Oak Mountain State Park Naturalist Emily Cook frequently hosts classes geared toward homeschooled children, and her next class, Clean or Trashed: What’s Your Legacy?, focuses on recycling.

“There’s a lot of stuff that’s thrown away,” Cook said. “I just want to make everyone aware of what we throw away every day so we can be conscious of helping all the time.”

Cook said she’ll teach the students about the small changes they can make everyday that will make an impact on the environment. By recycling just 50 aluminum cans, Cook said you could save enough energy to power a window air-conditioning unit for eight hours.

She also wants to touch on landfills and the amount of space certain items can take up, according to Cook. She used a bag filled with leaves as an example, stating that leaves wouldn’t take up any space if they were composted.

The students will learn about how much is thrown away, what can be recycled and how much energy can be saved by recycling.

“What we throw away does impact the environment,” Cook said.

The class allows homeschooled students the opportunity to have a science experience in an environment that is different from their everyday. Cook said her favorite part is allowing them the opportunity to come out to the park.

She said her goal is to get the students thinking about the small changes they can make to the environment that will make an impact.

Usually about eight to 10 students attend the classes, and Cook said she thinks the students do take a lot away from them.

The class will take place March 24 at 10 a.m. All classes meet at the park office on Terrace Drive. The class is free with park admission, which is $5 for adults, $2 for children ages 4 to 11 and free for those under 3.

For more information, call Cook at 620-2520 or email at oakmountain.naturalist@dcnr.alabama.gov.