IF BLACKPOOL Zoo can -- you can! That's the green message this week from Blackpool Borough Council's animal park as Mayor Sue Wright joined Keep Britain Tidy boss and keen pupils from two Blackpool schools to officially launch Environment Week.

The zoo is offering free admission for anyone who brings a big carrier bag of aluminium cans for re-cycling until October 24.

Zoo spokesman Tony Williams said: "Our re-cycling Christmas tree event last year was a huge success. We hope that by providing disposal facilities for empty cans during September and October we can encourage people to think about the environment while offering free entrance to the zoo as a thank you."

Countryside-mad children from Beacon and Palatine schools joined in the fun as finalists of the Key stage 3 park ecology project supported by the council, Lancashire Wildlife Trust and Blackpool's Environmental Action Team -- a pilot initiative to use green spaces as a classroom.

Both schools have made presentations to a panel of judges and will go head to head in October to determine the outright winner as the most aware of local ecology.

The children at Palatine school have also been invited to assist in the development of a pond project at the school to capture water that runs off the school building.

Keep Blackpool Tidy's Environment Week is in its third year and has involved more than 1500 children taking part in environmental activities and clean-up campaigns.

This year's central theme is re-cycling and on Monday chief executive of the Tidy Britain Group, Alan Woods, also launched the "Are you doing your bit?" road show vehicle.

Coun Kath Rowson, chairwoman of Keep Blackpool Tidy, said: "The activities launched on Monday will hopefully encourage re-cycling and re-use of waste products and with the support of the Tidy Britain Group complement and reinforce the message."