On Thursday, June 10, Robert Schucker, president of Midland Park-based R&S Landscaping, the region's premier environmentally responsible landscaping firm, visited Willard Elementary School to present a lesson on water conservation and the value of a rain barrel -- a system that provides homeowners with a consistent supply of free, fresh water for outdoor use by collecting and storing rainwater that would otherwise be lost to runoff and diverted to storm drains and streams. Willard is ahead of the curve when it comes to teaching environmentally friendly practices. At Willard, students are learning about the importance of the environment, and have taken action through an on-site compost garden, a school-wide recycling initiative, and an ongoing partnership with TerraCycle, a company that reuses juice containers and wrappers.