Here's My Great Green Idea!

The Students for Recycling Program is an initiative of Keep America Beautiful that each community can then take on if it so chooses. Students at Midway Middle School, Liberty Elementary, Bradwell Institute and Liberty County High School have all started and maintained a plastic bottle (PET) recycling program. In year one the students at Midway Middle and Liberty Elementary collected some 3.2 tons of plastic bottles that were then sent to Keep America Beautiful, recycled and sent back to the students in the form of 2,000 fleece pullovers that were then gifted to local students in need of warm winter clothing. Because of the hard work and dedication of the students the two schools placed 7th and 8th respectively in this national competition among schools.

This past school year we were able to add two more schools thanks to the generosity of our local Solid Waste Department. Between the four schools they collected over 6 tons of plastic bottles (that is 6 tractor trailers full). While they did not place nationally this year, the students are still excited to begin this project again, as are other schools in the district that have seen the benefits to both students and faculty. One administrator reports, "We have always encouraged recycling at our school, but until this project where the students actually see and touch something made of recycled goods they never really understood the purpose behind it."

This year the project has seven schools participating and we are hoping to collect even more PET plastic to be recycled. Not only do our local children start recycling at home and making their parents recycle, they also stop on roadsides, dig in trash bins and encourage businesses to recycle in their efforts to save our community from being overrun by garbage and filling landfills.

For the majority of students this becomes a family initiative that continues year round with parents reporting a noted change in attitude about littering and children who have a great deal more respect for the community in which they live and are tasked with caring for. Our project uses existing resources by memorandums of understanding with our local solid waste department to transport and collect all recycled bottles to the appropriate recycling facility. Local businesses are encouraged to contribute to this effort, in the past The Heritage Bank, GA Power Company and Target Corporation have all contributed by placing recycling containers in their break rooms for employees to use. School children get their parents involved, which in turn get even more businesses involved.

Our long term goals include: (1) reducing the amount of waste in landfill, (2) increasing awareness about recycling at home, (3) giving youth positive leadership and responsibilities, (4) encourage families to recycle on an on-going basis, as well as to utilize the project as a family together activity and (5) teach youth positive leadership skills to better serve them in the future.