Michigan Recycling Coalition

America Recycles - 2008

The national America Recycles (AR) effort promotes recycling and buying recycled through a National holiday called America Recycles Day celebrated on November 15 each year. America Recycles Team Michigan promotes America Recycles as a way to jumpstart local initiatives to improve community or business recycling efforts.

America Recycles - 2008 Team Michigan, organized through the MRC, focuses on training recycling organizers how to plan their own America Recycles activities. AR Team Michigan has gained the attention of the National Recycling Coalition as an outstanding example of efforts to promote America Recycles. In 2001, AR Team Michigan helped more than 75 community-based organizations, local governments, and businesses develop successful events through its America Recycles"Workshop In A Can". These interactive, hands-on workshops provide participants with a complete recipe for a successful America Recycles promotion for their organization. Look for a workshop in the Fall.

Why participate in America Recycles?

America Recycles - 2008 is a great way to educate about the importance of buying recycled products and to get people to recycle more. Buying recycled will help create demand for the materials being collected in community recycling programs. A strong demand for recycled materials means continued support for local programs and businesses. And it ensures that valuable resources are put to good use, and not disposed of in landfills or incinerators. Celebrating this recycling holiday can help make the connection between your organization and your community, recycling and buying recycled - strengthening them all!

What kinds of activities have been done for America Recycles Day?

Midland Volunteers for Recycling
Esther Seaver and her dedicated group of recycling volunteers organized their annual fundraising dinner for America Recycles Day. As part of the event, local artists and creative recyclers were asked to design and create art made from "found objects". Projects were then donated to the organization for a special Recycled Art Auction. Attendees enjoyed the pre-dinner art show then bid on their favorite sculpture at the art auction. Many needed dollars were raised to support the volunteer-driven recycling program in Midland.

Cornerstone AWANA Club
Twenty 3rd and 4th grade girls (The "Guards & Chums") set up a recycling display at their local Home Depot store. The girls split into groups and identified recycled-content merchandise with "shelf talkers" so that customers would be encouraged to purchase these types of products. The girls also collected America Recycles Day pledge cards and handed out recycling schedules to customers. The winning prize monies will be used to sponsor a new AWANA club in a foreign country and help other children learn the lessons of stewardship as well.

Southwest Michigan Solid Waste Consortium
Volunteers and staff of the Southwest Michigan Solid Waste Consortium prepared 100 "goodie-bags" filled with donated recycled-content products. The recycling enthusiasts went door to door and handed out the "goodie-bags" to residents at random. The bags were filled with items such as recycled-content office paper, pencils, water bottles, bathroom tissue and a variety of office supplies and household goods. With lots of press and enthusiasm for recycling, this America Recycles Day event turned out to be fun for all! Prize money will be used to support additional public education ventures.

City of Berkley
The City of Berkley recycling educators held a school wide essay contest for America Recycles Day. Students were asked to write their thoughts on environmental issues and how they can make a difference in their school, home and community. Essays were then judged and a winner named. Prize money will be used to help support other environmental education efforts in the City of Berkley.

Environmental Action Group (EnAct)
University of Michigan students volunteered to teach fellow students about recycling for America Recycles Day. EnAct students set up a display of recycling information, handed out recycling bins to off-campus students, distributed recycled-content drinking mugs and asked passers-by to sign an ARD pledge card. The display was set up at the Diag, the central passing zone where hundreds of students were reached with the recycling message. The prize money will be used to support EnAct's other volunteer environmental activities.

Where can I learn more?

National America Recycles - 2008
Website: www.americarecyclesday.org

©Michigan Recycling Coalition PO Box 10070, Lansing, MI 48901 info@michiganrecycles.org 517-974-3MRC (3672)