By JOHN E. WEARE
KAB
Halloween and All Saints Day are just around the corner. Blink and The Holidays – Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s, in my definition – will be here and gone. Find a reason to slow down and possibly adopt new habits next month on America Recycles Day, Nov. 15.
Keep America Beautiful not only promotes a day to celebrate, but in November the national nonprofit “brings people across the country together for America Recycles Month – a national campaign dedicated to educating and inspiring individuals, communities, and organizations to recycle more and recycle right,” the organization’s 2025 Wrap Report for America Recycles Day says.
Though most affiliates are involved in recycling to some extent, this form of waste management is Keep Alliance Beautiful’s primary focus. We encourage people to reduce and reuse first, then, whenever possible, recycle as much as they can of what’s left. America Recycles Day and Month bring an opportunity to educate. Our greatest challenge is to convince everyone on the fence to recycle willingly. The government should not have to mandate recycling. The practice is not perfect, yet it is a clear advantage over stuffing our landfills faster and gobbling up more raw materials.
Keep Alliance Beautiful usually conducts a scavenger hunt for local students in observance of America Recycles Day with the general public part of the fun on occasion. Collecting easy to find items often introduces the youth and their family to recycling and may entice them to adopt the practice.
Plans are still being discussed concerning how KAB will celebrate this year. Watch our Facebook page and local media for details. One feature will be a daily tip or suggestion from the Keep America Beautiful America Recycles Calendar throughout November. You’ll need to visit their website on some days such as “download the Litter Study” on Nov. 2.
Although tweaking and amplifying our message for a month may sway a handful of non-recyclers, we also desire to reach old hands at sorting and saving everything from dusty Coke bottles to a stack of old junk mail. Here are tips to “Improve Your Recycling Habits” from Keep America Beautiful:
>Take a moment to learn about your community’s recycling programs. – For KAB we pick up recycling on regular curbside routes and if somebody calls. The recycling center is open 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday-Friday. We also offer businesses free containers for recycling and have trailers available 24/7 to serve residents in Alliance and Hemingford. Accepted materials include: mixed paper (office paper/newspaper/magazines), cardboard/paperboard/brown packing paper, tin and steel cans, aluminum cans, milk jugs (undyed No. 2 plastic), glass containers, Hefty energy bag (pliable plastics, small plastic – no containers, and styrofoam), batteries, vapes, electronics, No. 1-7 plastics and fluorescent bulbs and CFLs.
>Give materials a quick rinse. – Before tossing items into the recycling bin, make sure they’re free of food and drink leftovers – it helps keep the whole batch clean.
>Don’t “Wishcycle” – It’s tempting to recycle items you’re unsure about “just in case”. However, placing non-recyclables in the bin does more harm than good by contaminating the entire batch. When in doubt, leave it out – or check your local guidelines.
>Bring Your Own Reusables – Want to reduce waste in the first place? Bring your own reusable bags, bottles, and containers. It’s a simple habit that makes a big difference – and saves money over time!