Easy pickin’s to sort — clean, organized and compact with just five items per sack. Keep Alliance Beautiful celebrated America Recycles Day this week with its annual scavenger hunt.
The environmental holiday, this past Monday, November 15, is the perfect occasion to reach out to local youth. Students, including many who may have never recycled before, received a checklist from KAB in class last week. The challenge was to collect one: empty plastic bottle, toilet paper or paper towel center, used envelope, empty aluminum can and empty cereal box. Items could be returned to the recycling center before noon November 19 or simply picked up by KAB at schools this past week. There will be a drawing at each school for $25.
As adults, I hope some of the children participating in this year’s hunt will look back on 2021 as the year their family started recycling. America Recycles Day, also known as National Recycling Day, started Nov. 15, 1997. I honestly cannot remember what year I began separating trash to take what I could to the KAB trailers while living in the country near Alliance. Community and school events and education were a factor though.
The youngest generation must embrace recycling to keep the process viable, especially places like here where the service relies on grants and only a couple materials bring in any money. Conversely, this America Recycles Day brings to mind the people who have recycled for years or decades, in some cases.
People who make regular trips to the trailers north of our facility are anonymous for the most part though they may come to the front door if something is full or their load is exceptionally large. At least a couple dozen patrons come to mind as regulars who always stop by the recycling center. I, and my co-workers, often field questions about whether we could take this or that.
One local businessman brings his assortments in boxes, sometimes more than once a day. We can count on large, durable radiator boxes from another resident. Since before I started, the “bucket lady” has been bringing her recycling sorted into 5-gallon buckets. Another woman brings her little pickup with a topper loaded with cardboard. A classic pickup is the preferred cardboard conveyance for one man. It may be a few weeks or more until some of these people fill their pickups or SUVs however we know they will be back. Sorted or not, we know what to expect as each vehicle pulls up front or backs into the building.
Recycling requires time. For me, a bonus is being able to say “hi” and assist our regulars who have taken that time over the years.