By John Weare, Keep Alliance Beautiful
ALLIANCE, Neb. - America’s capitalist marketing machine is missing out. There is a “holiday” they could make a boatload of cash on between scary, sweet Halloween and a time to be thankful for our blessings on November 27. Why not fill store aisles and website pages with everything environmentally friendly and have a Green Friday Sale the day before in honor of America Recycles Day on November 15?
Keep America Beautiful captures the spirit of the observance well on their website: Small Actions can lead to big impact! Each year on November 15, millions of Americans come together for America Recycles Day – a day all about spreading the word on how recycling helps us reduce waste, save energy, and conserve precious resources.
The national organization, of which Keep Alliance Beautiful is an affiliate, suggests using America Recycles Day as a catalyst to start lifelong habits while making a difference in the local community through events such as the Greatest American Cleanup.
On a Saturday this year, the day began when I was in high school in the Lonestar State as “Texas Recycles Day”. The National Recycling Coalition hosted the first America Recycles Day on November 15, 1997. Individual states currently embrace the concept to varying degrees. Colorado, for example, celebrates Colorado Recycles Week.
Here are a few suggestions to mark the occasion:
-Visit the local recycling center/materials recovery facility to recycle, volunteer or take a tour. The KAB Recycling Center is open 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday at 107 ½ Cheyenne Ave. in Alliance. Call 308-762-1729 for information or to schedule a time to visit. Walk ins are always welcome.
-Audit your trash and find a new item/material to recycle.
-Start a compost pile. Autumn leaves, fruit and vegetable leftovers and more can become valuable inputs for spring planting.
-Take family and/or friends on a litter walk with separate bags for recyclables.
-Check the basement, attic and garage for potential donations of items others can reuse. The Mission Store turns second-hand stuff into mini-grants benefitting the community.
-Take a load of whatever could not be recycled or reused to the Alliance Municipal Landfill and notice the tons of plastic bottles, tin cans, etc. that could have been recycled.
Have a great America Recycles Day!