Earth Month, the White House garden planting, aging oil pipelines in Arkansas, watering the desert in Peru, and late-coming cherry blossoms in the nation’s capital are all featured in this week’s environmental news.

Earth Month is in Full Swing!

Earth Day is April 22nd, and this month will bring a host of environmentally focused activities around the world!

In honor of Earth Day, the Environmental Protection Agency is encouraging people to “Pick 5” for the environment, which entails pledging 5 environmentally focused actions. For example, you might pledge to “help keep water clean by using biodegradable and environmentally friendly cleaning products” or “learn about composting, try it out! ” Check out their interactive map to see what people have pledged so far!

Sowing the Seeds of Healthy Eating in DC

First Lady Michelle Obama continued the tradition of planting the White House Garden this week. She had help from school children from around the nation. All of the schools that joined the First Lady have made significant improvements to their school lunch programs under the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act. The garden will feed the First Family, White House Guests, and local charities.

Aging Pipeline System May be to Blame for Spill in Arkansas

Updates on the ExxonMobil Oil Spill in Arkansas continue and while the exact cause is still unknown, the spill is calling attention to potential risks of aging pipeline systems. The Pegasus pipeline, where this spill occurred near Little Rock, is 65 years old.

The Andes create a rain-shadow effect as moist air rises on one side of the mountains (orographic precipitation) leaving no moisture when the air passes over. (Chile and Argentina as seen from Space December 24, 2001 courtesy of NASA Goddard Photo and Video via Flickr. Photo Credit Jacques Descloitres, MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA/GSFC)

Watering the Desert in Peru

In a massive engineering project, plans are in place to divert water from the Huancabamba river on the water-rich side of the Andes in Peru to the drier Olmos Valley over the next several years in order to expand opportunities for irrigated agriculture. The coastal side of the Andes currently lies in the “rain shadow” of the mountain, receiving less than 2% of the country’s fresh water.

Shy Cherry Blossoms in DC This Year

Peak bloom time for Washington, DC’s cherry blossoms is now estimated to occur from April 6th – 8th. This is the second time the date has been pushed back. According to the National Park Service, recent colder temperatures in Washington, DC will delay the peak bloom, but 70% of the blossoms should be in bloom during the new peak estimate.