Today is Earth Day, a day that we all should step back and think about how we can conserve or recycle to make our planet better. We should all give some thought about helping, not only as individuals, but also as businesses and as a government. With that in mind, here are a few things Missouri, Illinois and Iowa are doing to conserve.  

In Missouri, MoDOT was among the first in the nation to recycle shingles to resurface or build roadways. This saved Missourians some $30-million with 29% of new highways using the recycled shingles as pavement.

In Illinois according to Parade Magazine, the state has spent $1-million to install electric vehicle recharging stations. They are located between Chicago and St. Louis along the historic Route 66.

That same magazine is reporting that Iowa farmers are trying "Strip Planting" where 10% of the cropland is replanted with prairie land plants. This is done to reduce soil and nutrient loss and help prevent water runoff.

This Earth Day marks the 45th anniversary of the event started in 1970.

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