Team mom Kim Ayers

I know the Recycle. Goal. contest recently ended, but I can’t stop looking ahead.

I work with two teams–girls under 8 and girls under 10–that together collected and recycled more than 400 pounds of materials, including nearly 240 pounds of plastics, which we redeemed for cash. That and the gift card we earned will provide much-needed equipment for our teams to use at practices and games.

On behalf of all of the participants from the Diamond Bar Soccer League, we were grateful for the opportunity to collect and recycle materials and be rewarded for our efforts as part of the Recycle. Goal. challenge, which was a competition among various soccer teams in Southern California to see which team could recycle the most material by weight.

We’re glad that organizations like Keep California Beautiful, American Chemistry Council, the LA Galaxy and Dick’s Sporting Goods recognize the opportunity to invest in our kids while investing in our environment.

DBSL players recycling

We may not have won the competition—congratulations to the Anaheim boys who did—but we won something more: encouragement and hope.

In the face of budget cuts for schools and other scary headlines, it’s important that our kids see that there are those who care and they’re willing to help.

We’re looking forward to participating again in 2012. Who’s with us? My soccer girls and I are just getting warmed up.

Kim Ayers is a team-mom from the Diamond Bar Soccer League and participant in the 2011 “Recycle. Goal.” Challenge.

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“Bin It!” is a game that challenges users to recycle by using their touchscreen to “toss” (or rather, flick) plastic bottles into virtual recycling bins.

It’s a lot of fun, and wait until you try it … your competitive side is bound to come out. Try tossing a bottle into the recycling bin from across the kitchen with a monkey screaming overhead or down a fashion runway while bears take flash photos to distract you. Not challenging enough? Throw in a fan to blow your bottles off course.

The game converts your successful tosses into the number of recycled t-shirts, sweaters and sleeping bags that can be made from the plastics that make it into the bin.

“Bin It!” was produced through ACC’s Plastics Make it Possible® campaign. Give the game a try, let us know what you think, and share your high score in the comment section below.

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More on Recycle. Goal. and Plastics. Too Valuable To Waste. Recycle.^SM

• Blog post: Recycle. Goal. 2010
• Blog Post: They Shoot, They Score! Recycle Goal!

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So when I saw the list of 25 Green Gift Ideas created by our partner Keep California Beautiful (KCB) at http://www.keepcabeautiful.org, I was relieved to see a lot of the leg work had been done for me.  The list includes items for children, young adults and a variety of stylish and unique gift ideas for men and women.

There is a plethora of items made from recycled plastic, cardboard, and glass, as well and gifts that reuse existing materials.

As a mom of two boys under age 3, I especially like the earth worm crayons, made of recycled crayons—because it beats the heck out of them bringing real worms into our home this holiday season.  And, I love the Green Toys Chef Set made from recycled plastic milk jugs—as I plan to teach my real men to cook.  For mommy.  Always.  Of course, though, I recognize they might prefer beating on a board than beating eggs, so the Green Toys Tool Set is another fine option, made from recycled plastic.

But there are a whole host of other recycled plastic gifts too, including several items from Sprig Toys, a manufacturer that uses recycled plastic bottles and reclaimed sawdust to form Sprigwood, which is the main component in their toys.

But there are a whole host of other recycled plastic gifts too, including several items from Sprig Toys, a manufacturer that uses recycled plastic bottles and reclaimed sawdust to form Sprigwood, which is the main component in many of their toys.  Sprig Toys has a variety of unique toy sets including the Dolphin Explorer Boat or the Soarin’ Sea Plane as well as a rattle and cone stacker for infants.

My 17 month old is obsessed with stacking things right now so he would be thrilled with the cone stacker.  He’s also obsessed with throwing things in the garbage, too, but that’s fodder for a different kind of blog…

And the Peri Eco Fleece Baby Ponchos made from recycled plastic bottles?  Both cute AND environmentally friendly.  Perfect for your little princess.

For the adults in your life, Keep California Beautiful identified a number of gifts made from recycled materials, like the laptop bag by Bentley made with both recycled inner tubes and plastic bottles.  My favorite might just be the Bionic iPad case by Brenthaven which is made with recycled plastic beverage containers.  It has a sleek look and who wouldn’t want something ‘Bionic’ to unwrap this Christmas?

There are also items for the sporty and stylish gift recipient on your list. For sporty, there’s the New Balance NewSKY sneakers made from a fiber called Eco-fi, which is 95 percent post-consumer recycled plastic bottles.

It takes about 8 plastic bottles to make one pair of sneakers.  And Blue Planet makes these stylish sunglasses from recycled metal and plastics

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So this year, look for recycled plastic content products for everyone on your holiday list.  The legwork is already done for you and you might find that unique item to dazzle your family or friends this holiday season.  You may even find something for yourself.  You know, from Santa.

Happy Holidays!

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We recently learned of an exciting collaboration between Burton Snowboards and Mountain Dew, who have teamed up to create clothes – apparel and outerwear – from fabrics made out of recycled plastic bottles. You can read about it here: http://www.sacbee.com/2011/11/16/4059392/burton-snowboards-mountain-dew.html

Burton is starting with T-shirts and plans to move into outerwear next year.   This innovative partnership is good for both business and the environment.

Currently this clothing is only available at certain Burton stores, but the retailer promises to expand its distribution soon, so next time you shop for athletic wear, keep an eye out for this and other products made with recycled plastics.

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Through the American Chemistry Council (ACC), America’s plastics makers are actively engaged in efforts to reduce marine debris from both consumer and industrial sources. For many years, we’ve been working to create and strengthen a nationwide infrastructure for recycling plastics. Recently, we’ve focused some of those efforts on placing hundreds of recycling bins on California’s beaches and parks and in coastal communities.

Last week, we read about one of the most exciting developments in recycling that we’ve come across in a long time.  Consumer products maker Method and recycler Envision Plastics – which has operations in Southern California – announced a partnership through which they’re making new bottles out of plastic recovered from beaches in Hawaii, which sits on the edge of the North Pacific Gyre.

You can read more by clicking the link, but here are a few excerpts from a September 13 post that Adam Lowry, Chief Greenskeeper and co-founder of Method, contributed to Envision’s blog:

“The idea was born when, after achieving 100% post-consumer material in our packaging, we started asking ourselves a simple question: what is the ultimate post-consumer material?”

“Well, we’ve done it.  Recently, method was able to make bottles out of Ocean PCR.  It is 100% post-consumer HDPE, 25% of which is plastic we have collected from the Gyre.”

“The goal is to raise awareness about the issue of plastic pollution, and to point us toward the solution already in front of us – using the plastic that we already have.”

Method worked with a group of clean-up organizations that collected plastics from the gyre that had washed up on the Hawaiian Islands.  According to Lowry, Envision “donated line time, invented new processes, and busted through barriers to help (Method) engineer Ocean PCR that has similar product performance to virgin HDPE resin.”

We’ve always said that “Plastics don’t belong in the oceans; they belong in recycling bins.”  Congratulations to these two companies for finding a new way for used plastics to get a second chance.

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Part of being cool these days has to do with the ever constant awareness of being socially responsible for our environment.  Recycled products were not readily available back in my day, and ‘being green’ just meant being jealous.  Obviously it means a whole lot more now and school supplies are no exception to the growing trend toward products that maintain their cool factor and give a nod to the environment. In fact, some companies are coming out with entire lines of green products that students can feel good about using – and parents can feel good about buying.

Big names like Pilot, Pentel, and Bic (OK, they’re big names to me – hey, I write a lot!) make several types of pens made of recycled materials. Pilot makes a “Bottle 2 Pen” ink pen that is made with 89 percent post-consumer recycled plastic bottles. Pentel makes several writing products that use recycled plastics.  These include retractable ball point pens with 59 percent recycled plastic, yellow highlighters with 54 percent recycled plastic, and lead pencil refill cases that are 100 percent recycled plastic. Bic also makes a ballpoint pen made from 74 percent recycled materials.

And what about this great calculator? Canon makes it – and a range of others – from recycled copiers. I like to think of those huge machines being pulled apart and being put to better use fueling the angst of a thousand algebra students instead of being dumped in a landfill.

It’s not just high-school students, though, who can benefit from this trend toward more environmentally conscious school supplies. For the younger, craftier set, you can get everything from scissors to Crayola markers made with recycled plastic.

But let’s not forget the one thing as important as all these products put together: the right bag for carrying them.   There are so many great choices from traditional backpacks to tote bags made from recycled materials.  Although my own children are still much too young for schools supplies, I found myself perusing the back to school section of a local retailer recently and came awfully close to purchasing an adorable lunch bag with a reusable plastic ice cube block shaped like a frog.  Never mind my oldest son is 2 ½ years away from entering kindergarten; who doesn’t like a frog that, just like many other recycled school supplies on the market now, is truly cool and green?

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Just look at the companies we’re honoring, and you’ll see why we’re so excited about innovations in plastics recycling.

We just recognized Axion International, Inc., Nepco Industrial Company Ltd., and Trex Company for developing high-performing, popular products or processes using post-consumer recycled plastics.  Between them, they employ some 700 Americans and process about 325 million pounds of post-consumer recycled plastics annually. The winners truly exemplify the philosophy that – plastics are too valuable to waste and should be recycled.

Consider Nepco, which is based in Chino, California.  Nepco makes high-end moldings for picture frames from recycled polystyrene foam (think packing peanuts and coffee cups) at its 36,000-square-foot facility, where it processes 4.2 million pounds of post-consumer polystyrene per year.

Tommy Kim, the director of U.S. operations for Nepco, told us that their machinery can reduce the volume of expanded polystyrene by a factor of 80 to 1, “making it easier for businesses and communities to manage this valuable material, while helping to protect the environment.”

Nepco has grown from four to 35 U.S. employees in just four short years, and demand for their frames is so strong that they’re continuing to expand.

Nepco – along with our other two award winners Axion and Trex – are demonstrating that good for the environment and good economics can work hand in hand.  Like Nepco, Axion and Trex use post-consumer plastics to manufacture high-performing products.  Axion makes extremely strong railroad ties, primarily from recycled polyethylene (think milk jugs and detergent bottles) and Trex makes durable, low-maintenance decking from recycled plastic film (think plastic grocery, newspaper and bread bags).

Together, these companies show that plastics recycling in the United States is a growing industry, and importantly, one that we can all support by remembering to recycle the plastics we use every day.

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But what we don’t talk about often enough is the economic value of plastics recycling. Oddly enough, it was news coming out of South Africa that got me thinking about this today. The South African Plastic Recycling Organization (SAPRO) just released a report that says one of the most significant impacts of plastics recycling on the economy is job creation.

Annabe Pretorius, SAPRO’s general manager, said: “Without this industry there would be more than 35,000 employees who would not have work and the industry is growing steadily with more and more manufacturers being created, which is creating more jobs.”

A bit closer to home was a study several years ago prepared for the National Recycling Coalition by R.W. Beck, Inc., funded in part by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. From that report:

“(The) United States hosts 56,061 recycling and reuse establishments that employ approximately 1.1 million people, generate an annual payroll of $37 billion, and gross $236 billion in annual revenues.”

California, as you might imagine, is toward the top of the heap among the states included in these figures. The same report says our plastics recycling and reuse industry here employs more than 84,000 people at nearly 5,400 establishments – for an annual payroll of $2.25 billion.

In our work to promote plastics recycling, we always frame it in terms of the environmental benefits – and rightfully so. But it just might be time to start looking at everything we’re accomplishing when we throw an empty water bottle into the recycling bin instead of the trash can – including keeping our fellow Californians employed.

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1)      All plastics intended for contact with food must meet stringent FDA safety requirements before they’re allowed on the market.

2)      The use of plastic bicycle helmets can reduce the risk of brain injury by as much as 90 percent.

3)      Today’s plastics make up 50 percent of the volume of cars but contribute only ten percent of the weight, which helps make cars lighter,  more fuel efficient and results in fewer CO2 emissions.

4)      A recent study from Europe shows that using plastics instead of alternative materials helps to reduce energy use by 57% and greenhouse gas emissions by 61%.

5)      The use of plastics enables important food preservation methods, such as vacuum packaging, controlled atmosphere packaging and shrink film to protect and extend the freshness of fruits, vegetables, milk and other nutritious foods.  For example, according to the Cucumber Growers’ Association, just 1.5 grams of plastic wrap extends a cucumber’s shelf life from 3 to 14 days.

6)      We really couldn’t have modern medicine without plastic.  Many medical supplies are protected against contamination by sterile plastic packaging; and puncture-resistant gloves help protect doctors and nurses from infections.

7)      Plastics help make prostheses stronger, lighter, more flexible and realistic, helping disabled people live more active lives.

8)      Over 94 percent of Americans have access to a plastics recycling program, be it curbside collection or a community drop-off center.  In 2009, the recycling of plastic bottles, bags and containers all reached record highs as the U.S. recycled over 4.2 billion pounds of plastics, saving enough energy to power 2.1 million homes.

9)      Across the United States, consumers have the opportunity to recycle plastic bags and wraps at 12,000 locations.  Many large grocery and retail chains (including WalMart, Target and Lowes)  now invite shoppers to return their used plastic bags and wraps for recycling.

10)   Recycled plastics are used to make all sorts of innovative products, including fleece jackets, t-shirts, carpeting durable backyard decks, handbags, and new bottles, bags and containers.

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Q: How did you bring the Go H2O challenge into your program?

A: We brought it to the site with great expectations and motivations. Being a very “green” person, I knew that I would bring the challenge to the forefront of what we were doing at LA’s BEST to emphasize the importance of recycling and drinking water. We even showed a demo of why drinking water was good for you and how soda could slow a person down.

Q: What did the kids learn through this challenge?

A: The students grasped the concept of the challenge. They loved the water bottles and the fact that they could personalize them.

Q: How important is it that kids in the LA’s BEST program learn about recycling?

A: That is an important part of what we do at my site. We teach the “4 R’s,” especially the new “R”, Renew. We give the students demos and activities to show how they can “renew” their old items. We also emphasized why it was better for the environment to reuse their water bottles instead of buying new ones all the time.

Q: Has the Go H2O challenge changed the way your site talks about recycling and healthy habits?

A: It sparked an interest in my staff and my students that wasn’t there before. The fact that my staff has embraced the “4 R’s” is a great testament to what the Go H2O Challenge brought to my site.

Q: What does it mean to you as a site coordinator to be involved in the Go H2O challenge?

A: Everything! I believe that we are all connected. Therefore, what we do as a site and as an organization has a huge impact on our community and on others. We can set the example for our students, who take it to their families, who take it to their communities and so on.

Q: This program works to make the kids ambassadors of healthy habits among their friends and families. What are some examples of how the kids have taken what they’ve learned back to their homes?

A: We have continued recycling. Whenever we have events at our site, we drink water or make lemonade instead of buying it and when the students make it themselves, they realize it has less sugar. Parents have become curious and gotten involved because their kids are going crazy with recycling everything and anything at home.

Q: Have the kids started taking the initiative to recycle at your site since the program launched?

A: We do it every single day: plastic bottles, paper and our famous crayon which we make by melting old crayons and molding them into cool shapes for the kids to use again. The kids are the reason that we do all of these things around here. They are our leaders!

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We got a jump start on our Earth Day celebrations with the students of LA’s BEST. At Grape Elementary School in Los Angeles, we hit the playground and marked the day with games that incorporated recyclable “equipment” the students brought in from home. Take a look at the photos to see what I mean!

It was the perfect way to creatively underscore just how easy it is to reduce, reuse and recycle and continue the Go H2O! challenge. It was so much fun, in fact, that some of the students pulled out their drums for an impromptu performance.

A few days later, we gathered with Keep California Beautiful and our other partners to launch our statewide plans for the Great American Cleanup. As always, we’ll be out in full force throughout the year collecting litter and recycling aluminum, glass, plastic, paper and other materials – but the focus for 2011 is on electronic waste (e-waste) collection.

Californians pride themselves on being ahead of the curve with their electronics – and with good reason.  But it’s also important to remember much of our electronic equipment can and should be recycled. You might even be surprised to learn that thirteen McDonald’s restaurants throughout the state are providing receptacles for e-waste.

This year’s kickoff event also provided the opportunity for us to display the winning art pieces from the “Junk and Gunk” art contest.  “Waste Not, Want Not” trophies were awarded to students from Arvin Union School District and Santa Barbara Home Based Partnership, who won their divisions of the Waste Minimization competition during the 2010 California K-12 Schools Recycling Challenge.  See for yourself how impressive the creativity of California high school students has proven to be again this year.

For us here at ACC, every day is Earth Day as our member companies and their employees strive to reduce, reuse and recycle not only the products we manufacture, but the products we use every day.  Join us!

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Most people don’t think about the plastic that’s used to provide healthcare.

For example just to have a baby– from the pregnancy test to the delivery room syringes — many medical supplies we rely on are plastic or are packaged in plastic.  And there’s good reason for it– plastics impart a wide range of characteristics.  Some is needed to make medical supplies and packaging light and flexible; some makes supplies durable and shatter-resistant.  Many medical supplies are protected against contamination by sterile plastic packaging; and puncture-resistant gloves help protect doctors and nurses from infections.  We really couldn’t have modern medicine without it.  That’s why it’s really encouraging to hear that a newly formed group is working to make sure more of all that hospital plastic gets recycled. The Healthcare Plastics Recycling Council (HPRC) is made up of healthcare, recycling, and waste management companies with the shared goal of increasing recycling at the nation’s hospitals.  And wouldn’t you know it, a California Hospital system is already leading the way on this front.

Catholic Healthcare West has been working on sustainability initiatives since the mid 1990’s and they’ve been recognized consistently, for the past several years, for Environmental Excellence by Practice Green Health.  This year they remain listed among the top hospitals in the nation for sustainability efforts.  The systems’ 40 hospitals do a comprehensive sustainability assessment annually looking at everything from food to energy use and look for ways each year to further reduce, reuse and recycle.  They work with Redemtech to recycle their e-waste and in some of the system’s hospitals, they look for opportunities to use reusable and biodegradable materials where they can, and they contract haulers to collect their recyclable plastics.

The hospital system’s sustainability director Sister Mary Ellen Leciejewski says while Catholic Healthcare is always looking for ways to use reusable materials, they know that, in a hospital, there are many plastics that must be single use, which is where the new HPRC could be a valuable new partner for hospitals across the nation.  The council says they’re focused on developing recycling solutions for plastics that don’t come in contact with patients– like the packaging that many medical supplies and devices come in — and also for things like IV bags, wash basins, and bottles.  It would be great to see hospitals everywhere embrace increased opportunities to reduce, reuse and recycle as part of their commitments to sustainability!

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In the summer of 2010 I worked as a paid college intern for the California State Parks educational program, which was co-sponsored by ACC. This program teaches children the importance of reducing, reusing and recycling and how to protect our oceans from marine debris through litter prevention and recycling. I talked about why we recycle which is to reduce waste going into landfills, save animals and their habitats and to conserve raw materials. I also discussed ways to be more sustainable, such as people driving echo friendly cars, changing their light bulbs or turning off the lights, turning down their water heaters or something as simple as reusing or recycling plastic bags. During this experience I learned how much plastic is thrown away rather than recycled. Additionally, I gained valuable skills that I will use when I make the transition from college to the workforce.  I also discovered that many recyclables can have a second life. For example, water bottles can become shoes; tires can become turf for playgrounds; and cans can become insulation.

During some of the Jr. Ranger programs, campfire programs and school visits this past summer, I taught the children sign language. I am fluent in American Sign Language, and I had fun incorporating sign language into the recycling and ecology lessons I taught. This internship also gave me the opportunity to work on my public speaking skills. I am no longer afraid to get up in front of a group of people and talk to them and these skills will benefit me in all future pursuits.

During the beach cleanups I had to be very organized and utilize multitasking skills, because having 10 people come up to you at once can be overwhelming. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to brush up on public speaking, create educational materials and learn how to be more organized. Also, learning to recycle and generally be more sustainable (some people like to call it “going green”) has been a great experience for me, and I now apply these methods in my own home. This internship was an invaluable experience, and I look forward to another summer to build on what I’ve learned.

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I married into a large family. I’m talking Irish-Catholic large. So there’s always an event happening: a wedding, a new baby, Confirmation, baptism and, during this time of year, graduations. And with graduation comes the ever-present cap and gown. Call me a geek, but I still have both of mine from high school and college.

While planning graduation parties may be more at top of mind for students, schools are definitely thinking about making those caps and gowns from more sustainable materials. We’re seeing some big steps in the last couple of years with classic graduation attire being made of recycled plastic bottles.

One academic apparel manufacturer says about 23 plastic bottles go into each gown – a far cry from the heavy polyester monsters we’re all used to and that I still have packed away in a box for my children to eventually take out and laugh about. I’m also hearing these recycled gowns are a little lighter and breathe a little better than the standard issue. Plus, some manufacturers are taking them back to be made into new gowns again; schools are setting up recycling bins right at graduation sites. Of course, for nostalgic fools like me, this is a new way of thinking that I’m sure the younger generation is much more open to.

If you know of any schools in California that will be using recycled plastic gowns this year, let us know – we’d love to see them in action—and perhaps we can replace my sad old photo with something new!

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The phrase “second life” can refer to the “dream life” that one might have lived, had one’s first life not gotten in the way.  For example, a second life might involve making headlines as a world renowned astronaut instead of blogging for the American Chemistry Council (maybe that’s just me)? But that’s not the point– recently, two California companies, Robert Mann Packaging in Salinas and Direct Pack, a SoCal recycling company that focuses on sustainable packaging,  teamed up and devised a plan (and received an approval)  to make clamshell packaging for strawberries out of recycled water bottles.  The new partnership will create jobs and give the water bottle the second life it’s always dreamed of!  (For those of you insanely jealous that this opportunity is not yet available to humans, you can always try creating a second life virtually).

But what this news also tells us is that California companies are investing in recycling and the manufacturing of recycled products.  In fact, A recent survey of green businesses in California conducted by the Center for Community Innovation found that the green economy is growing about 50 percent faster than the rest of the economy overall.

Recycling currently accounts for 85,000 jobs in California.  For every 1000 tons of waste recycled, 5 jobs are created within the state, versus the 2.5 jobs that are created when 1000 tons of waste is distributed to a landfill.

That makes the public-private partnerships we support in California a helpful and necessary component in diverting these valuable plastics away from landfills and into the recycling stream.  Over the past 3 years we’ve placed nearly 700 recycling bins along California’s coastline, at rest areas and in parks.  In 2010, this effort yielded more than 45 tons of plastic and over 105 tons of other recyclable materials—a steady supply of plastics post-consumer materials helps to spur innovative new products (like strawberry clamshells), which can help boost local jobs and economies – while beautifying the state. 

Plus, recycling plastics and other materials helps conserve energy and resources, cut greenhouse gas emissions and reduce litter.

The fate of recycled water bottles isn’t etched in stone as fruit packaging; recycled bottles are becoming increasingly popular in the creation of other useful products such as fleece, pet beds, and even Nike’s soccer uniforms as seen in the 2010 World Cup. This innovative new clamshell packaging just adds to the growing list of uses for recycled PET.  

Cheers to recycling efforts throughout California for giving the plastic bottle the opportunity to live its second life to the fullest – packed with strawberries!  And cheers to Californians who are committed to recycling at home and on the go!

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Casting nets during the Plankton & Plastic Surveys of U.S. Ocean Waters

Marine debris is a topic that’s been in the news a lot lately, as researchers continue to learn more about the nature and extent of this problem.  Although it’s not currently possible to precisely quantify the amount and exact location of the worst concentrations, we can all agree that litter – including plastics – does not belong in the ocean.   Most researchers do agree that most marine debris starts out as land-based litter.   Human behavior created the problem and human behavior can solve it.  That’s why plastic makers are partnering with governments, academics and NGOs to support plastics recycling and to launch anti-littering education programs.  And, we’re especially looking forward to participating in the upcoming 5^th International Marine Debris Conference (5IMDC) this spring.

5IMDC presents a tremendous opportunity to deepen our understanding, meet with researchers and other experts, talk about best practices, and find new ways to work together on real solutions.  Some of the things we look forward to sharing include successes we’ve had with public-private partnerships in California.  For example, for the past three years we have worked in California (including with Keep California Beautiful, California State Parks, Caltrans and the City of Woodland) to place nearly 700 recycle bins throughout the state.  Those bins diverted over 45 tons of plastic and over 105 tons of other recyclable materials from the waste stream, and importantly, prevented them from entering the marine environment as litter. 

More recently we expanded our efforts  with a Los Angeles area after school program provider (LA’s BEST) to continue a recycling education program that teaches kids the importance of reusing and recycling.  Over the past two years we’ve reached more than 27,000 children in the Los Angeles area.  And, last year, we worked with the Southern California Youth Soccer League, The Los Angeles Galaxy and the Sports Authority on a recycling collection program that engaged 400 young soccer players.  Armed with large plastic bags and a quick lesson on what they could collect for recycling, these amazing kids collected and recycled more than 3,156 pounds of items, including 1,695 pounds of plastics, during a 7 week challenge.  Many of the organization’s coaches and parents now tell us that the education has taken root and the kids have begun integrating recycling into their daily lives.

These successes show us that, when we work together, we can create change. 

All of us can help make a difference by making sure plastic doesn’t get in the ocean in the first place.  With thoughtful programs, more on-the-go recycling options, tough litter abatement laws, well-run municipal recycling and waste management systems, and behavioral changes, we can help keep plastics (and other materials) out of our waste stream, off our beaches and away from our oceans.  Changing behavior – and making it easier to recycle – are the best ways to help preserve our environment for future generations.

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This time last year, we had just wrapped up the inaugural Go H2O! Challenge with 91 of our LA’s BEST sites. Our students, who were thrilled with their reusable plastic water bottles, wrote and performed a song about recycling to sing to Assemblymember Isadore Hall and were buzzing about the importance of the three Rs (reduce, reuse and recycle) at school and at home. This year, nearly 15,000 more students at 89 sites got their chance to participate in the Challenge, and now our whole LA’s BEST community is engaged in the Go H2O! Challenge.

The Challenge has helped make learning about recycling fun and stressed the importance of drinking water to promote health. It has also been great for all of us to see children really think about their own habits, both at school and at home. From drinking more water to reducing waste and recycling plastics, students learned critical life lessons from this program. It makes me happy to see the students toting around their water bottles, and I’m confident that our staff and coaches will continue to encourage the principles behind the Go H2O! Challenge at all of our sites now and in the future. 

Students from South Park Elementary proudly display their certificates of completion from Assemblymember Isadore Hall.

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I’ll be the first to admit: I never thought much about recycling. I mean, I knew it was good to do for the environment and that it helps keep our communities clean, but that was about it. Now, the Diamond Bar Soccer League is inspired. The Recycle.Goal. contest has opened our eyes to many new possibilities.

Recycle.Goal. was a competition for soccer teams throughout Southern California to see which team could recycle the most materials by weight. We had five teams participate from our club, and our boys and girls recycled a little more than 1,100 pounds of aluminum, glass and plastic in 6 weeks. I’m very proud of my teams, but I’m even more proud that they have caught recycling fever.

Each team received a generous gift card from Sports Authority for recycling the minimum amount of materials, and we’re grateful for that, but Recycle.Goal. will continue to pay off long after we’ve used the gift cards.

Because of Recycle.Goal., my entire league has started two new recycling programs: for printer cartridges and for electronic waste. Soon, we’ll start collecting and recycling juice pouches, which are so popular with players on game days and at practices.

We have learned a great deal about the value of recycling, thanks to the program and all of the supporters: Keep California Beautiful, the American Chemistry Council, Sports Authority and the Los Angeles Galaxy.

All of the funds we collect through our new programs will go right back to where they belong—to the kids.

Again, we are grateful that Recycle.Goal. has given us so much, but it’s really only just begun. We have so much left to do and so much more to collect to keep our cities a little cleaner and our fields a little greener.

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Members of the Canyon Panther Soccer Academy

As many parents of youth athletes know, fundraising for our children’s sporting careers is not always easy. We constantly find ourselves pushing candy and calendars and raffle tickets on to our family and friends. We work snack bars at tournaments and during league games to raise funds as well. It’s all a labor of love.

That sort of fundraising goes one direction – to the kids. Really that’s what matters the most. It’s not often, though, that we find a fundraising opportunity that not only benefits the community but also sends a strong, positive message to our children.

When I first learned about Recycle.Goal. I honestly thought it was too good to be true. All the teams had to do was recycle? And by participating they received gift cards to Sports Authority? After speaking with a program representative, I was sold.

Our players started recycling immediately. Motivated by the grand prize of a trip to a LA Galaxy event, they found opportunities to recycle everywhere from their homes and neighborhoods to the field. From a parent’s perspective, it was easy. In the end, our players were so proud to have recycled more than 200 pounds of material and kept their environment a little cleaner.

Thank you to all the partners – American Chemistry Council, Sports Authority, LA Galaxy and Keep California Beautiful. Canyon PSA was proud to be part of the inaugural Recycle.Goal. competition.

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San Diego’s ability to combine  smart policies and public education sets a great example for us all. We commend city officials for broadening the list of plastics that municipal facilities can accept while also making it easier for residents to reduce waste. California’s potential for increasing the statewide waste diversion rate looks bright with San Diego leading the way!

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These numbers show that our work with partners throughout the State is helping to keep plastics out of the natural environment and getting them into recycling bins where they belong. Many everyday plastics can be recycled in California. By placing recycle bins where more people can use them, we and our partners are helping to preserve the environment for future generations.

Together, we’ve partnered with Adopt-A-Beach (AAB), Keep California Beautiful, California State Parks, Caltrans, and the City of Woodland to place nearly 700 recycle bins throughout the state.

Beyond our bin program, we are working to create lasting change by helping to educate California youth about recycling and the environment.  The Go H2O! Challenge, a program that encourages students in the LA’s BEST after school program to use reusable, recyclable plastic water bottles to help them drink more water, and Recycle.Goal., a program that encourages youth soccer teams to recycle are making a difference.  In its pilot season, just completed, Recycle.Goal. teams collected and recycled  1,695 pounds of plastic and 3,156 pounds of material overall, an average of 81 pounds per team. The winning team, comprising girls ten and under from the Alliance FC (San Bernardino), recycled 197 pounds of plastic and 425 pounds of material overall.

America Recycles Day is the only nationally recognized day dedicated to encouraging Americans to recycle. The purpose of America Recycles Day is to promote the social, environmental, and economic benefits of recycling and encourage more people to join the movement to protect the environment for future generations. Tell me how you celebrate the day in the comments section below!

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Despite the cloudy day, the LA's BEST community was out in full force.

Recycling tip magnets and stickers were a hit at our GO H2O! booth.

Two LA's BEST students are ready to "Go H2O!"

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I was recently in San Bernardino with Senator Gloria Negrete McLeod to officially kick off an exciting new program for the Too Valuable to Waste^SM campaign called Recycle.  Goal. We’ve teamed up with the Alliance Futbol Club, Diamond Bar Soccer League, Los Angeles Galaxy, Sports Authority and Keep California Beautiful to develop a new “competition” among youth soccer players aimed at preventing litter through increased recycling. “Recycle. Goal.” is a competition that awards $1,000 Sports Authority gift cards to teams who recycle at least 10 pounds of plastic.  The lucky team that recycles the most plastic will get free tickets to an upcoming Los Angeles Galaxy game.

Many of the plastics collected by these teams will be used to create second-generation products ranging from fleece jackets and detergent containers to carpeting and composite lumber for outdoor decking.  Some of the plastics collected will even be used to make professional soccer jerseys, just like the ones that were designed for the World Cup this summer (you can read Tim’s post about that here. “Recycle. Goal.” will also help prevent litter from ending up on our streets and in our waterways by rewarding teams for recycling.  One of the great things about this program is that it reminds us we all have the same goal:  to keep our environment and our cities clean so future generations—and soccer players—can enjoy them.

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Labor Day weekend always seems to come too quickly – the days are shorter, kids are back in school and we’re all scratching our heads wondering, “Where did the summer go?” As backyard barbeques give way to Trick-or-Treating, we wanted to share a few recycling articles and links that we found particularly interesting.

Have a recycling article that you think is intriguing or informative? Share it with us in the comments section!

 

• We’ve mentioned that recycled plastic can be used to make a lot of different products like decks, blankets, carpet and fleece jackets – see how one company, Tulong, LLC, is doing just that: http://technorati.com/lifestyle/green/article/american-company-launches-eco-friendly-activewear/#ixzz0xRh98JCJ

 

• Ever wonder where your plastic goes after you put it in the recycle bin? Green EnviroTech recently announced the opening of its first recycling plant in Riverbank, Calif. The new facility is expected to open in early 2011: http://www.greenenvirotech.com/newsevents.aspx

 

• And finally, congratulations to Encinitas, Calif. for making plastics recycling even easier: http://thecoastnews.com/view/full_story/9275770/article-Plastic-recycling-expands-?instance=coast_more_news. We love to see more communities improving access to recycling!

Speaking of access to recycling, we have a lot of exciting events coming up this fall so be sure to check back in later this month for updates on our California partnerships and the great work ACC is doing to encourage plastic recycling in communities around the state.

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ACC's bins along Venice Beach in California

The beach is a fundamental part of California’s identity with millions of residents and vacationers enjoying the coastline each year. In addition to sunscreen and beach mats, those visitors bring with them items such as plastic water bottles that if not recycled or properly discarded can end up as litter. To help make sure that more recycling opportunities exist, the plastic industries of the American Chemistry Council (ACC) decided to partner with Adopt-A-Beach to provide on-the-go recycling on several of our state’s beaches.

Through our partnership we have supported efforts to keep our beaches clean by sponsoring 325 bins in three popular Los Angeles area beach locations: Point Dume, Zuma and Venice beaches. Recently, AAB conducted bin measurements on all three beaches, on a single day, to find out just how much plastic material is being diverted from the waste stream.

And, as you can see nearly 1,000 lbs of plastic material once discarded is now being recycled:

• April – 216.50 lbs
• June – 335 lbs
• July – 294 lbs

This program is an extension of the “Plastics. Too Valuable to Waste. Recycle.^SM” campaign, which started in 2007. Working with Keep California Beautiful (KCB) and the California Department of Parks and Recreation (State Parks), ACC has placed—and the partnership continues to maintain – nearly 700 recycling bins and signage on various State Parks beaches in San Luis Obispo, Los Angeles, San Diego, Monterey and Santa Cruz. And the program continues to expand.

The next time you visit the beach, look for these new recycling bins so that we can all do our part for the environment.

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Recently we were talking about how we can all be recycling ambassadors in our own homes and communities. I wanted to share a post by one of our bloggers, Ryan Kenny, whose awareness about and efforts to reduce, reuse and recycle go beyond the office. Other colleagues have talked about collecting recyclable items at kids’ soccer games and taking them home to their own recycling bins or making it easy for party guests to recycle at backyard barbeques. When you think about it, there are lots of creative ways we can make it easy to increase what we recycle. We’d love to hear about your ideas.

How do you make recycling part of your daily life? Please share your tips and observations about recycling by posting them in our comments section!

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I went to Miller Park  in Milwaukee and Nationals Park  in DC on back-to-back days in June. Both teams were out of town but I saw much of each stadium. Milwaukee actively promotes their recycling program with signage and those large recycling bins that look like plastic bottles. DC’s stadium has special bins just for used plastic bottles and cans, some with bottle-sized holes and others designed to be fun, with big batting helmets on them (built by a local Maryland company).

I’m a huge Angels fan, and you can’t miss the bins for collecting plastic water, soda, and beer bottles there, either.

I also saw a game at Seattle’s Safeco Field in early June. There they ask fans to separate their food and recyclables because they not only have recycling bins – they compost!

AT&T Park in San Francisco is a great example too. Late in the game, Manager Bruce Boche appears on the scoreboard and encourages fans to pass their recyclables to the end of their aisles where ushers collect items like plastic bottles for recycling. Here at Raley Field in Sacramento, the Oakland A’s AAA minor league team (the Rivercats) have a similar program.

As America’s pastime, baseball is full of tradition and sometimes slow to change. But even big league teams are quickly recognizing the importance of recycling and adapting accordingly.

It gets easier everyday to recycle when you’re away from home. If you’re at the game, remember to get those plastic bottles to the recycling bin. It’s great for the environment and a great way to teach the next generation about the importance of recycling our valuable resources.

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We’ve all seen litter on the beach. Where does it come from? A recent study by Coastkeeper Orange County tells the frustrating story – most of the trash that ends up on the beach is actually left behind by visitors or dumped there, rather than coming from inland sources.

But here’s the encouraging news from the study: more and more people are getting the message about the importance of recycling and keeping our beaches clean for everyone to enjoy.  And Coastkeeper’s research also shows that the average number of trash pieces found on beaches decreased significantly – from an average of 137 pieces a day to an average of 65 a day – between 2005 and 2008. That’s almost a 50 percent reduction. Great news, but we can do better.

This article shows that increasing access to recycling bins and trash receptacles, like the bins that plastics makers are placing along California’s coast, is helping to keep our beaches clean. ACC and our members who make plastics are proud to help play a role in finding solutions by placing recycling bins throughout the state.

I challenge all of us to do our part and commit to keeping California’s beaches and coastlines clean and spread the word so others do their part too. Maybe we can reduce the number of trash pieces to ZERO (or somewhere close to it) for the next Coastkeeper’s report! Have other ideas about how to clean up our beaches? We’d love to hear from you – leave them in the comments section.

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Caltrans District 5 was very pleased to participate in the recent news conference in San Luis Obispo to promote recycling and encourage the public not to litter when taking to the highway.  Our partnership with Keep California Beautiful and the American Chemistry Council made it a great event.

Placing recycling containers at various rest areas is an important step in reducing litter that ends up on roadways and in landfills.

Caltrans takes pride in these multi-agency partnerships while continuing our own effort to prevent litter on the state highway system.  The Caltrans Adopt-A-Highway Program provides an avenue for individuals, organizations and businesses to help maintain sections of roadside in California. Groups have the option to participate as volunteers or to hire a maintenance service provider to perform the work on their behalf.  The Adopt-A-Highway Program, which began in 1989, has involved more than 120,000 Californians who have cleaned and enhanced more than 15,000 shoulder-miles of highway roadside. 

Caltrans maintenance workers have the task of making sure that our state highways are free from litter.  The Caltrans Division of Maintenance has spent about $50 million on litter removal.  Our highway workers on a daily basis see the effects of litter, roads covered in cigarette butts, fast food wrappers, soda and coffee cups. Many of these items are harmful to our waterways such as lakes, rivers and beaches.

Caltrans is also very proud of its Don’t Trash California Campaign which uses a comprehensive, multicultural approach to target primary offenders of highway littering, as well as the general public to create a social mindset that California does not tolerate polluting of our freeways and highways.  This campaign includes proven strategies, including media advocacy, special events, partnerships, paid media and community outreach to raise the level of awareness of the effects of littering and encourage the public to avoid littering.

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You can also head over to the Plastics Make it Possible^SM World Cup Soccer Sweepstakes to own a piece of the action. There, you can read more how plastics are making a difference on the field: from the soccer balls to the goal nets to those noisy vuvuzela horns. Swing by and tell us who you’re cheering for!

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Keith Christman (Managing Director, Plastic Markets, American Chemistry Council), Christine Flowers-Ewing (Executive Director, Keep California Beautiful) and Colin Jones (Public & Legislative Affairs Manager, Caltrans, District 5) at the Caltrans, ACC, and Keep California Beautiful partnership press event in San Luis Obispo, CA

It was a pleasure to help announce the recent expansion of our recycling partnership with Caltrans, held at the Caltrans District headquarters in San Luis Obispo. In addition to the partner representatives, Colonel Barbara Nuisemer, the Commander of the National Guard Headquarters at Camp Roberts (the name sake of the Camp Roberts Rest Area), and staff from two San Luis Obispo County supervisors all joined us to show their support.  It was great for me to be able to hear, first-hand, from the representatives of the state agencies that we partner with, about how important these types of alliances are, especially in these tough economic times. These days, when it’s hard for the State to pull together the necessary resources to fully implement a recycling program on California’s highways, we’re glad to know that our involvement as an industry makes a difference at the local and regional levels. This event made it clear that all of us—both in the public and private sectors—are in this together to promote recycling and prevent litter in California.

This expansion brings more on-the-go recycling receptacles at highway rest stops in California through a partnership between ACC, Caltrans and Keep California Beautiful (KCB). We began with nine recycling bins along with educational signage at Caltrans’ H. Dana Bowers Rest Area and Vista Point, north of the Golden Gate Bridge, and now more bins and signage have homes at the Gaviota, Camp Roberts and Shandon rest areas in Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo and Monterey Counties.

We’re happy to work alongside our partners to raise awareness about recycling, make recycling more accessible to all Californians, and educate our friends and colleagues in the state about the importance of recycling. We look forward to expanding this recycling partnership even further and bringing more bins to more locations throughout the state.

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Do you have tips for recycling-friendly travel? Leave them in the comments section.

Which airports have the best recycling practices? See for yourself in this USA Today column from early May. My personal favorite: Portland, Oregon has a pouring station at security where you can empty your water bottle instead of throwing it away so you can reuse it on the other side!

Before you head out for a long weekend, take a look around the house and see if there are any items that could make packing and traveling easier – and cheaper – than buying travel supplies at the store. For a few creative ideas about what to do with old towels, yogurt containers and pillowcases, check out the Independent Traveler’s Top 10 Travel Essentials You Can Find in the Trash

Finally, if you’re headed to sunny California beaches or California State Parks this summer, keep an eye out for the Plastics. Too Valuable to Waste. Recycle.^SM bins – and use them! You can also check out the map on our homepage (www.2valuable2waste.com) to find out where our bins are located.

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The study, recently released by Moore Recycling Associates, Inc.,  shows a remarkable 39 percent growth in the curbside recycling of plastic bags and film in Los Angeles County between 2007 and 2009. While bags and film can include clings and product wraps, plastic bag recycling alone grew by 62 percent during this time period, suggesting that Los Angeles County Residents, in increasing numbers, are taking advantage of being able to put their plastic bags and film into curbside recycling bins.

Plastic bags and film comprise a broad category of materials that can be recycled together, including plastic grocery and retail bags, newspaper bags, dry cleaning bags, commercial pallet wrap, and product wraps from bread, beverage cases, diapers, baby wipes and bulk snack foods.

In addition to the curbside collection of plastic bags and film, there is a growing infastructure of approximately 400 large grocery and retail stores in Los Angeles County and over 15,000 nationwide that take back plastic bags and film for recycling.  Plastic bags and film can go on to live second lives as durable composite decking, home building products, and even new plastic bags!

No matter where you live in California, large grocers and pharmacies will take back your plastic bags and film for recycling.  Ironically, bag bans have the potential to eliminate these programs.  

And now that we’re seeing evidence of just how well bag recycling is catching on with Los Angeles families, it’s better timing than ever to maintain and expand programs to recycle bags.  It doesn’t matter if recycling happens curbside or at the store; recycling works, and this study suggests that when education meets opportunity, we’re all empowered to recycle more and make a difference.

For more information on where to recycle your bags or additional information on innovative plastic bag recycling programs, visit http://www.plasticbagfacts.org.

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Recently, I came across an article about Tess, a young girl from Minnesota, who started a recycling project called “Gimme 5” to collect rigid (#5) plastics.  #5 plastics are typically used to make “rigid containers,” such as yogurt cups and cottage cheese and margarine tubs.

Tess started this project because her local recycling program did not accept these types of containers.  She decided to take it upon herself (with the help of her mom) to collect rigid plastics and then take it to a nearby recycling center that held a “special” collection day for #5 plastics.

While Tess’ idea is highly commendable, not everyone takes this kind of initiative.  That’s why the American Chemistry Council is working with the Association of Postconsumer Plastics Recyclers and local governments to help encourage local curbside programs to include rigid plastic containers.  The good news is more and more cities are taking steps to provide this service.  In fact, legislation that ACC supports would bring rigids recycling to New York City, and rigids were just added to the recycling program in 64 communities in Connecticut. 

In 2008, a study by Moore Recycling Associates Inc. found that 63 percent of California households could recycle rigid plastics curbside and 28 of the 100 largest U.S cities in the US collected rigid plastics through curbside programs. While these numbers are encouraging, we believe even more can be done and welcome the opportunity to work with all stakeholders to expand recycling opportunities for a variety of different plastic packaging.  To learn more, go to www.americanchemistry.com/plastics.

And to stay up to date on plastics recycling follow our recycling twitter handle @Recycle_Plastic at http://twitter.com/recycle_plastic.

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Later that week, an Earth Day inspired mixer at the South Shore Lake Tahoe Chamber of Commerce at Embassy Suites presented yet another opportunity to talk about local recycling options, including the innovative new curbside plastic bag and film recycling program ‘Blue Bag.’ program.

 Why all the fanfare? The South Lake Tahoe Sustainability Commission recently voted to launch a recycling and public education program to help keep plastic bags out of local waterways. They are currently working with several stakeholders, including ACC, to get the message out. Commissioner Wendell focused on highlighting opportunities to recycle plastics, both at home and at grocery stores.

Residents of South Lake Tahoe, CA, enjoy some of the finest scenery the world has to offer, and it’s important that we work to keep it that way.   ACC looks forward to working with stakeholders in designing a program that educates residents and tourists about recycling plastic bags and wraps.

For information on where you can recycle bags in California or anywhere in the United States, visit www.plasticbagrecycling.org

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Every year, I really look forward to Carlsbad’s annual Beach Fest. As the North Coast Superintendent for State Parks’ San Diego Coast District, I participate in a variety of activities to preserve California’s beauty – but nobody throws a party quite like Carlsbad. Their Beach Fest is a great example of how to raise awareness and generate support for coastal preservation and stewardship.

In addition to an organized beach cleanup, the Beach Fest features live music, professional sand sculpting, art demonstrations, lifeguard rescue demonstration, a beach soccer demo, beach volleyball clinic and educational booths with hands-on activities for children. Residents come out and come together for a shared goal – to keep their waterways clean.

Litter affects the beauty of our state and can end up in our waterways. This is a shame, because some of it isn’t even trash. Recyclable materials like plastics shouldn’t end up as litter OR in landfills. That’s why we work with organizations like ACC to remind Californians of the importance of recycling, and how items like plastic bottles can have valuable second lives.

ACC, a two time event sponsor, has a long history of supporting litter abatement and recycling programs. They’ve also helped us to develop an environmental education program for young people in the San Diego area. Their efforts have gone a long way to help Californians understand their role in keeping our beautiful landscapes free of debris.

The Carlsbad Beach Fest is sponsored by California State Parks with support from the Friends of Cardiff, Carlsbad State Beaches, ACC and others. 

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We’re pleased to announce that 11 more recycling bins have been added to Pioneer Park, Woodside Park, Freeman Park, Crawford Park, Ferns Park, Camarena Field, Pedroia Field and the Community & Senior Center parks in the city of Woodland. These new bins, together with the 13 bins our partnership with the City of Woodland, Keep California Beautiful, PG&E and the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation installed last fall, brings us more than halfway to our goal of installing 40 permanent bins across the city. 

 The effort of our partnership  to increase access to recycling in city parks in Woodland is open to other businesses that are interested in the opportunity to participate by sponsoring bins to place in additional parks. If your business is interested, let us know in the comments below and we’ll contact you.

So next time you step out for a stroll or take your kids to the local park in Woodland, look for the new recycle bins and remember to be an example for the next generation by recycling.

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As I mentioned a few posts ago , we put together “Go H20!” Recycling Festivals at 91 LA’s BEST sites for students to test their recycling knowledge and have some fun celebrating Earth Day. It was a huge hit with over 15,000 students in the Los Angeles area and the kids had a great time practicing their bowling and juggling skills. Take a look at the pictures to see for yourself—the smiles on the faces of the kids is a great testament to the fact that learning combined with fun can make for positive results. If you’re looking for engaging and educational ways to teach your kids about recycling, feel free to try some of the games in this toolkit and host your own Recycling Festivals. Be sure to let us know how they go in the comments section!

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Ryan Kenny celebrating Planet Party Day with the Manteca School District

I had the pleasure of attending the recent “Planet Party Day” with MANY students from the Manteca Unified School District. What a party it was!

Nearly 2,000 sixth grade students enjoyed displays, demonstrations and interactive exhibits about clean air, energy, water, recycling, conservation and green innovations.

As always, it was a treat to speak with young people about their role in recycling and encouraging family and friends to do the same. At our table, the students saw an example of a plastic bag and wrap recycling bin often found at any large grocery store or pharmacy. They also received rulers made from recycled plastic bottles, recycling fun facts, trivia questions to quiz friends and family, and refrigerator magnets reminding them what types of plastic bags and wraps can be recycled. Of course, the plastic bag holders made of recycled plastic bottles were a hit too.

Most students were surprised to learn that the rulers could be made of recycled plastics, which really helped drive home our main point – showing them how plastics can have a second life and it’s up to us to give them that second life by recycling.

Overall, it was a reminder that it is important for the next generation of Californians to understand their role in California’s environmental future and I was thrilled to have so many positive discussions about recycling.

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Earth Day began on April 22, 1970. In the decades since, this event has spread across the globe with thousands of events in almost 200 countries.

Meanwhile, my organization, Keep California Beautiful, continues to do its part every day by working with a variety of partners to support a wide range of efforts to reduce, reuse, recycle and clean up our communities.

Our strong partnerships are the key to what we do. For example, almost three years ago, KCB teamed up with California State Parks and the American Chemistry Council (ACC) to begin a partnership that placed and continues to maintain more than 500 seasonal and permanent recycling bins at more than 20 key beaches along California’s coast. And the partnerships keep growing. KCB is currently working with Caltrans and ACC to place and maintain recycling bins at some of California’s busiest rest stops. The first batch of recycling bins was installed at the H. Dana Bowers Rest Area/Vista Point near San Francisco.

KCB, Caltrans and ACC are teaming up again today—this time to launch the Great American Cleanup™ in California. While the announcement is taking place in Sacramento, the “Clean Up” is actually a series of beautification projects and other activities taking place throughout California. This is the 40th birthday of Earth Day, and we plan to celebrate it big.

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 These festivals are an extension of The “Go H20!” challenge, which aims to educate LA’s BEST students and their families about the importance of recycling plastics and reducing waste while emphasizing how drinking more water can promote a healthy lifestyle. Last fall, ACC supplied the LA’s BEST program with 15,000 reusable plastic water bottles made out of recyclable material and students participating in the challenge learned why water is a healthy choice and how choosing a re-usable, recyclable container benefits the earth. You can read more about the challenge here.

We’ll be sure to post pictures of the festivals so you can learn how to juggle plastic bags and practice your own water bottle bowling skills. In the meantime, let us know how you plan to commemorate Earth Day this year in the comments below.

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Progressive Grocer: Plastic Bag Recycling Hits Record High: Report

Good news for plastic bag recycling and our work to educate consumers about recycling plastics.   

http://www.progressivegrocer.com/progressivegrocer/content_display/features/corporate-social-responsibility/e3i121152486b7856cd76b41b21a721e867

Los Angeles Times, The Recyclist: Hey, Can I Recycle This?

The Recyclist blog for the L.A. Times has a new series of posts on what can and can’t be recycled – very useful!

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/home_blog/2010/03/hey-can-i-recycle-this–i-know-all-the-obvious-things-that-can-go-into-the-recycling-bin—-junk-mail-cans-bottles-and-t.html

KCBA.com (posted from Earth911): Why people don’t recycle?

A fascinating and candid look at why people choose not to recycle – there is obviously a lot we still need to do to make recycling convenient and accessible to everyone!

http://www.kcba.com/Global/story.asp?S=12171510

CNN.com: Trash parties eco-friendly fun

As part of their Earth Day coverage, CNN is featuring environmentally friendly organizations and “green solutions” videos. See how one organization is turning trash into fun. You can also watch more videos and learn about RePlayGround! Here (LINK: http://www.replayground.com/)

http://cnn.com/video/?/video/tech/2010/04/09/gsif.trash.party.cnn

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Eating, like recycling, is a learned skill!

I recently began allowing my 14-month old son to feed himself with his own spoon.  The mess he makes goes completely against my normal type-A personality, but I know that he needs to learn how to do this and it’s going to take time.  So I’ve stocked up on plenty of rags to clean up after him.   As I watched him eat last night, I realized the “practice makes perfect” mantra for allowing my little guy to learn to feed himself can also be applied to consumers learning to change their behavior and bring their plastic bags back to participating stores for recycling.  They need to learn how to do it, and it’s going to take time.  And that’s okay. 

Right now in California, the infrastructure exists that allows consumers to bring back grocery bags and plastic wraps to large grocery and retail outlets (to find your nearest participating store, go here ).  And consumers are beginning to get the hang of it.  It’s not a perfect system yet, but plastic bag and film recycling is INCREASING.  In fact, according to EPA’s data, the rate of plastic bag and film recycling has fully DOUBLED since 2005.  We’re all learning. 

In addition to recycling plastic bags, many consumers are changing their behavior to bring reusable bags to the store, whether they’re plastic, canvas or some other material that provides re-use opportunity.  This honors both the “reduce” and the “reuse” elements of the three R’s: Reduce. Reuse. Recycle.  It is important, though, that we also honor the third R: “recycle” by bringing any leftover bags and wraps  (such as dry-cleaning bags, newspaper bags and plastic wraps from bread, paper towels, cases of soda and more) back as well. 

Any mom can tell you that changing behavior takes time—more than we would like sometimes, but the payoff is worth it.  Right now, my floor, walls, table, and highchair are proof that the learning experience doesn’t start off pristine, but I know that by keeping the faith and practicing until the skill becomes second nature, we’ll all be in a better place.

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 At Aquarium of the Pacific, we have one major goal: to empower our visitors with the knowledge to make a difference on the most pressing issues affecting our ocean planet. As Southern California’s largest aquarium and the fourth largest aquarium in the nation, we take our goal very seriously.

In fact, our mission is to instill a sense of wonder, respect and stewardship for the Pacific Ocean, its inhabitants and ecosystems. We can’t do it alone, especially in this economy, when resources are limited.

Another key part of our mission is to create the first aquarium—and perhaps the first institution in the world—dedicated to conserving and building natural capital (nature and nature’s services) by building social capital (the interactions between and among peoples), which is why it’s so important for us to build and maintain partnerships.

For example, we recently expanded our partnership with the American Chemistry Council (ACC) to provide recycling bins for our visitors. This is an extension of an alliance that began in November, 2008, with the opening of Our Watersheds: Pathway to the Pacific. ACC is a sponsor of this exhibit, which gives aquarium-goers the opportunity to learn more about our local watersheds and what we each can do to protect them.

Recycling is an integral part of protecting these “pathways” because too often readily recyclable materials end up as litter, and these items – plastic, cans, glass, etc.—belong in a recycling bin. The eight new containers are brightly decorated and feature messages and reminders to our visitors about the value of recycling and its effect on conservation.

With 1.5 million annual visitors, including 170,000 school children, we are confident that these receptacles will have a positive and long-lasting effect on our patrons, to not only recycle at the aquarium, but to recycle at home, at school and on the go.

Our partners and sponsors come from all walks of life because, ultimately, we’re all committed to the same thing: protecting the Pacific Ocean and its marine life through a variety of means, including recycling.

The Aquarium and our various partners understand that we must all work together to protect the earth and our oceans, when funds, friends and assistance are tough to come by. We encourage all Californians to do the same. Make sure you’re part of the solution, and help us meet our goal of protecting our oceans and waterways.

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talking with attendees at Green CA Summit

On March 16 and 17, I (along with my collegue and fellow-blogger Sherri McCarthy) represented ACC at the Green California Summit and Exhibition at the Sacramento Convention Center. Dozens of exhibitors shared with attendees and government officials their environmental stories.

Lots of people stopped by our booth to learn about plastics recycling and pick up a plastic bag storage sleeve.  Many were amazed to find they could use these at home to store plastic grocery bags and wraps (like for bread, newspapers, dry cleaning, etc.) and then deposit them all at once into the recycling bins of any large pharmacy or grocery store.  People were more excited when they learned these were made from 100% recycled plastic bottles!

We also handed out other materials (including refrigerator magnets!) conveying the importance of plastic bag and wrap recycling and the efforts of the “Too Valuable to Waste” campaign.

We also had the privilege of meeting people who shared our passion for recycling. Spencer Brown, founder of Rent-a-Green-Box, stopped by to commend our efforts  to increase recycling in California. Spencer’s company creates reusable, collapsible moving boxes – and they’re made out of recycled plastics! You can learn more at the Rent-a-Green-Box Web site: http://earthfriendlymoving.com/greenbox/

Bradford Peery works out of Carmel, CA creating rainwater control systems. As you may have guessed, the system is made of 100% recycled HDPE. Needless to say, this company truly embodies the “Too Valuable to Waste” spirit. You can learn more at: http://www.raintechnologies.com/

I was most excited with the number of teachers and students in attendance. So many schools are starting robust recycling programs, and it’s just fantastic to see that level of enthusiasm shared in academia.

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Myth: Plastic bags can’t be recycled.

Fact:   Nothing could be further from the truth.  More than 832 million pounds of plastic bags and product wraps were recycled in 2008, a 28 percent increase in just three years.  In fact, the rate of recycling plastic bags and wraps has doubled since 2005 to reach 13% nationally, and it continues to climb.  Recycled plastic bags and wraps are used to make durable backyard decking materials, other home building products, shopping carts and new bags.

Myth: Paper bags are better for the environment.

Fact: Many people don’t realize that plastic bags require 70 percent less energy to manufacture, produce 50 percent less greenhouse gas emissions and create five times less waste than paper bags.

Myth: Yogurt cups, butter tubs and cottage cheese containers aren’t recyclable.

Fact: Depends on where you live.  More and more California communities are recycling these types of containers. Currently 62% of California’s communities recycle plastic containers in addition to bottles. Check to see if your community recycles them.

Instead of getting caught up in these common myths, Californians across the state are taking a basic approach: reduce, reuse, recycle.

How? Nearly every major retailer sells inexpensive reusable bags, so consumers can easily pick up a reusable bag on any shopping trip, and then they can bring their own. 90% of consumers already reuse plastic grocery bags at home to pack their kids’ lunches, to line their trash cans and to clean up after their dogs. And with innovative new recycling programs spanning the state, consumers can return any leftover plastic bags to larger grocery stores for recycling.

Visit http://www.plasticbagfacts.org/default.aspx to learn more.

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Bruce Saito, Executive Director of the Los Angeles Conservation Corps, and Xzibit celebrate with the LA Conservation Corps Scholars at the recent event in Los Angeles.

The following is a guest post by Bruce Saito, Executive Director of the Los Angeles Conservation Corps.  

As the director of the Los Angeles Conservation Corps, I am constantly amazed by the work our members do and the organizations that come forward to support them. Recently, I had the honor of celebrating both of these groups: our Corps graduates and our partners.

It was truly an occasion to celebrate – we were awarding 150 scholarships to our most deserving participants in the presence of community leaders and our partners including the American Chemistry Council. In January, we received a $100,000 grant from ACC to help us fund our important program, the LA River Keepers.

In times like these, when headlines remind us daily about bad news for city budgets and public programs, we look to our partners for help. With ACC’s donation and this newly established partnership, we will be able to extend our impact through the LA River Keepers program. Through this program, we work to keep the LA River beautiful by removing litter and debris and promoting environmental education, as well as providing job skills training for area youth. During the past 24 years, the Corps has planted more than 100,000 trees, removed 13 million square feet of graffiti, restored 2,300 acres of natural habitat and recycled 10,000 tons of bottles and cans.

While the River Keepers program does a great job keeping the physical area clean and free of litter, we also work to make a difference beyond the river’s edge. Through our job skills training, we work to instill confidence in our Corps members and inspire them to promote positive change in their lives. We heard from some of our Corps graduates at the event and I was so proud of them and their dedication. I am also very proud of this program for impacting their lives in such a meaningful way. I know that our program, through partnerships with organizations like ACC, will continue to make an impact on our city and our city’s youth for years to come.

For more information about LA Conservation Corps programs, visit www.lacorps.org.

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When consumers take part in recycling programs for plastics bottles, tubs, trays, and bags, it helps the whole recycling system work better by providing the material to make second-generation products like soccer jerseys, carpeting and composite lumber for outdoor decking.  ACC is working to expand the plastic collection infrastructure so consumers can even more easily recycle their plastic bottles.  So whether you are a world-class soccer professional, an amateur athlete or just a sports fan, you can do your part by remembering to recycle at home or on the playing field!

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Jason Mraz Dons Recycled Plastic Bottles for the Grammy Awards
http://www.ecorazzi.com/2010/02/15/jason-mraz-breaks-down-the-details-of-his-grammy-eco-attire/

The 2010 Olympics: Green Enough?
http://www.popsci.com/science/article/2010-02/carbon-offsets-and-recycling-bins-green-olympics-do-not-make

From Recycling to Zoo Trips: Raising Environmentally Conscious Kids
http://www.greendaily.com/2010/02/15/5-ways-to-raise-environmental-superheroes/

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Check out the five-step plastic bag recycling process from the Hilex Poly web site.

Notice step one: it all starts by bringing your plastic bags back to a designated drop-off location – oftentimes your local grocery store – so they can be entered into the recycling stream. Without that crucial access point, we cannot give plastic bags the second life they deserve.

Once the bags enter the recycling stream they are bailed and shipped to recyclers such as Hilex Poly. There they are cleaned, processed and turned back into a pellet form. Using these pellets, new bags are manufactured and distributed. 

So remember, it’s up to all of us to recycle our plastic bags to make sure they take this journey to end up where they belong – as something new and useful and not in the trash.

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• Make a bigger and more durable tote bag:  Using different colored plastic bags, crochet them into a more durable and stylish bag using these easy directions.
• Braid a jump-rope.  All you need is nine plastic bags, scissors, a ruler and tape to make a jump-rope that can entertain kids for hours. Get started by following these easy directions and they’ll be braiding and jumping in no time.
• Jazz up your closet by re-vamping your hangers with colorful plastic bags.  Follow these directions to learn how to keep your clothes from slipping and sliding off hangers. Your organized closet will thank you.
• Create décor for your house. Looking for a rainy day activity? Crochet plastic bags. Check out the simple step-by-step directions here.
• Construct a storage basket.  A lot of storage containers we already use are made out of plastic – why not reuse your plastic bags to make a new container?  Find simple instructions here and turn those bags into a pretty and functional receptacle for recycling. 

These are just a few creative ways to get crafty while reusing your plastic bags.   Remember, all of the leftover plastic from these crafts can be recycled–just keep them all in one plastic bag, tie it up when you’re done and return it to a participating grocery store’s plastic bag recycling bin. 

I’d love to hear your ideas for reusing plastic bags around the house.  Please post them in the comments section.

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1. Think Before You Print: It sounds obvious but sometimes we forget to ask ourselves if we really need a hard copy of a document or if we can edit it on the screen first and then print a final. The fewer sheets of paper that come off the printer and end up stashed in a folder, never to be seen again, the better!

2. Reusable Water Bottles – Not Just for The Gym Anymore: Keep a reusable water bottle on your desk and not only will you find yourself closer to drinking eight glasses of water every day, you’ll also get the added benefit of several trips back to the water cooler to visit colleagues along the way.

3. Turn it All Off: At the end of the day, shut down. Completely. Your computer worked hard for you so let it take a break too and shut everything off at night so it doesn’t suck energy until the next morning.

4. Coffee Mugs Make Great Conversation Starters: Ever wondered what you were going to do with that kitschy tourist mug that your great aunt brought back from Florida? Now you know – bring it to the office and reuse it for coffee, tea, hot chocolate, etc. and trade stories with your colleagues about where they got their favorite mugs. 

5. Be a Squeaky Wheel: If your company doesn’t buy recycled office supplies, ask why not. If the faucet in the restroom is leaky, see if building maintenance can fix it. If there is leftover lunch from a meeting, send out an email to co-workers to help themselves to leftovers so it doesn’t go to waste. Sometimes, it just takes one person to notice that there’s a better way and everyone can reap the benefits.

If we all make the effort to individually reduce, reuse and recycle at the office every day, we’ll make great strides toward reducing our businesses’ carbon footprints. And – even better – we’ll save money and add to the bottom line.

Have more ideas that you want to share about how you reduce, reuse and recycle at work? Post comments here and share your thoughts!

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Sherri McCarthy (Manager, Western Region, American Chemistry Council) and Bruce Saito (Executive Director, LA Conservation Corps) look on as Councilman Ed P. Reyes speaks at the 1/28 River Keepers event in LA

It was an honor to stand with Los Angeles City Councilmember Ed Reyes, LA Conservation Corps executive director, Bruce Saito, and the Corps’ River Keepers Program members to announce a grant from the plastics manufacturers represented by ACC.

The contribution by the plastics industries of ACC will help to ensure that the vital LA River Keepers program will be able to continue their work of promoting recycling and keeping the LA River clean, while providing job skills, training, and work experience to an incredible group of young people you would be impressed to meet.

The LA River is challenged, as all urban waterways are, but it is an important and potentially beautiful resource for the city and its residents. I was pleased to be part of an event and a group of individuals dedicated to increasing recycling and keeping this important waterway clean.

LA River Keeper Volunteers hold the check at the 1/28 press event

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Read more about it here.

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1.  Get smart. Find out which plastics are accepted for recycling in your community. Today, more than 80 percent of U.S. households have access to a recycling program, and the vast majority of the collect plastic bottles. A bottle is any container with a neck or opening that’s smaller than its base. Include the following wherever plastic bottles are recycled:

• Milk jugs
• Beverage bottles (e.g., water, soft drinks, juice and beer)
• Bottles from shampoo, toiletries, laundry detergent and other
  household cleaners
• Salad dressing, cooking oil and condiment bottles
• Food jars, such as peanut butter and mayonnaise

2.  Remove and rinse. Before tossing bottles in the recycle bin, remove the caps. Be sure to rinse bottles that previously contained food.  (Empty beverage bottles can go straight into the bin.) Unless your community specifically asks for them, bottle caps should be placed in the garbage, not the recycle bin. Similarly, bags should be clean and empty. Do not include plastic food wrap or bags that have food residue.
   
3.  Reuse, reuse, reuse! From wrapping to ribbons, boxes to packing peanuts, gather and save gift wrap and packing materials for next year! And don’t forget bags — there are many helpful ways to reuse plastic bags,

• Wet umbrella cover – keep other items in your bag dry when your umbrella is wet
• Suitcase savers – wrap shoes before packing them with clean clothes
• Hand protectors – place them over your hands to handle messes  indoors and out
• Kitchen clean-up – place them under the cutting board for quick scrap removal
• Trash can liners – use them in bathrooms and other household waste baskets
• Doggie duty – bring them on dog walks to collect and dispose of pet waste

4.  Bring bags back. Most large grocery stores and some retailers (e.g., Wal-Mart) offer plastic bag drop-off programs that allow consumers to return their used bags and product wraps to be recycled. These bins are usually located at the front entrance or near checkout areas.  Almost all kinds of clean plastic bags are accepted for recycling in these programs, including:

• Grocery bags
• Retail bags (remove hard plastic or string handles)
• Plastic newspaper bags
• Dry cleaning bags (remove paper and hangers)
• Bread bags (with crumbs shaken out)

You can also include plastic wraps from products such as paper towels, bathroom tissue, napkins, diapers and cases of soda wherever plastic bags are collected for recycling.
   
5.  Pitch in beyond the kitchen.  While many recyclable bottles come from the kitchen, don’t forget to check the bathrooms and laundry room for shampoo and detergent bottles.
   
6.  Practice patience. On the road this holiday season and can’t find a recycle bin? Don’t throw your empty bottles in the trash–temporarily store them in a purse or briefcase, or simply leave them in the car until arriving home to place in a recycle bin. And don’t forget to temporarily put the cap back on your bottle to prevent leakage until you can properly recycle it.
   
7.  Don’t throw out the leftovers. Saving your lidded plastic food containers and plastic to-go containers from take-out could provide a free and easy way for holiday party guests to carry home leftovers. Plus, they can keep these items and reuse them again.
   
8.  Check for containers. In addition to bottles, roughly one-third of communities are collecting and recycling plastic containers, such as yogurt cups, tubs, trays and lids. If you’re only recycling bottles, check to see if your community is one of the many areas that has recently added food containers to its list of collectibles.
   
9.  When in doubt, leave it out.  Keep in mind that mixing the wrong types of materials (even other plastics) can lower the quality of the recycled material. So unless your community specifically asks for plastics other than bottles, please put only bottles into the recycling bin. Keep these items out of the recycle bin unless you community specifically accepts them:

•  No plastic bags or wraps (take them to your grocery store, if
  accepted)
• No automotive, pesticide or solvent bottles
• No lids or spray pumps
• No toys
• No trays, tubs or containers (unless your community accepts them;
  more and more communities are recycling these types of containers
  in addition to bottles, so it’s worth checking.)  

10. Adopt a second life mindset.  Do you ever wonder where your recyclables go? Keep in mind that today’s water bottle could be tomorrow’s little black dress or carpeting or backyard deck.
For more information, check out http://www.plasticsmakeitpossible.com/

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Far left, American Chemistry Council’s Sherri McCarthy, Manager, Western Region State Affairs, and Long Beach City Councilwoman Gerrie Schipske look on as State Senator Alan Lowenthal delivers remarks during a press event announcing the expanded partnership between Aquarium of the Pacific and the American Chemistry Council.

Two years ago, ACC partnered with the Aquarium of the Pacific (AOP) in creating a Watershed Exhibit to show aquarium-goers how seemingly harmless litter makes its way from the land to the sea and the damage it can do. Sadly, much of that litter is recyclable and should be in a recycling bin, not on the ground or in our oceans.

This fall, we’re expanding the partnership by providing AOP with recycling bins to be placed at key areas around the facility, providing folks more places to recycle their plastic bottles. We’re proud of our work with the AOP, and we look forward to additional opportunities to work with them in the future.

Do you have a story about recycling in your community and what you did to improve upon what was in place before?  We’re always looking for new ideas to make plastics recycling more convenient and effective.

Visitors to AOP will now get to use these bins to recycle their waste.

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Can You Recycle in Your Community?
Recycling varies by community so check to see if plastic recycling is available in your area.  See my previous blog post or visit Earth 911 and enter your zip code to learn more.

Interested in Getting Involved?
Take the pledge and find out what’s going on in your state and in your community.

• Quick facts about plastic recycling and how it benefits your community:
  In 2008, the recycling of plastic bottles reached a record high of 2.4 billion pounds nationwide.
• In 2007, the recycling of plastic bags and product wraps grew to 830 million pounds across the U.S., marking an increase of 27% in just two years.
• A growing number of communities are recycling other types of plastic containers, such as tubs, trays and lids. Currently, about two-thirds of California’s communities and one-third of the nations’ largest cities recycle rigid plastic containers in addition to bottles, and that number continues to rise.  More than 325 million pounds of these materials were recycled in 2007.

What will my Recycled Plastic Become?
Recycled plastics go on to become a number of second generation products. For example, recycled plastic bottles can become: carpeting, fleece jackets, detergent bottles and lumber for outdoor decking. Plastic bags can be made into loads of products, including new bags, backyard decks, fencing, railing, park benches, picnic tables, and shopping carts.

For even more interesting end use recycled products follow this link:

We all want to make the Earth a little greener.  America’s plastic makers are committed to recycling. Please take a moment to tell us about what is working in your community.

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He’s too young now to grasp the concept and prefers to play with plastic bottles rather than put them in a bin for recycling, but we’re working on it (we’re also working on learning to call me “mama” instead of “Bob” but that’s a story for a different kind of blog). There are several ways to help engage your own children in recycling. Here are a few ideas:

• Together, look up your city or county’s public works department Website and determine what items you can place in your recycling bin for collection.
• Take turns making one child the recycling coordinator for a week and allow them to determine what items can be placed in the recycling bin.
• Have a contest to determine which child collects more recyclables during his/her week.
• Put your child in charge of locating the plastic bag recycling bin at the grocery store (CA law mandates all large grocery outlets have recycling bins) and then bring back your plastic bags for recycling. You can even recycle the plastic wraps that cover bathroom tissue, paper towel rolls, etc.
• While on the road, play a “spotting” game by having your kids look for recycling bins in public locations.

Small, easy to implement activities can help create healthy recycling habits that benefit all of us in the end. And who knows, you may even find yourself more apt to recycle when you know there are little eyes scrutinizing your bins.

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As the mom of a 10 month old little boy, I strive to model behavior I want him to emulate, including trying to drink enough water throughout the day. That’s why I’m pleased with the beginning of an exciting new partnership between ACC and LA’s BEST. Celebrating with about 5,000 children and families at the LA’s BEST Annual Family Health Fair in Carson, CA, we recently launched the Go H20! Challenge. The program will challenge students to make a habit of using reusable plastic bottles and drinking more water instead of sugary drinks. Kids at 91 LA’s BEST sites will receive a reusable water bottle that they can use throughout the day. Each day, the LA’s BEST coaches will talk to them about the health benefits of choosing water or the environmental benefits of reducing, reusing and recycling more plastics.

LA’s BEST is an impressive nonprofit organization that has been providing after school enrichment programs to thousands of students in the city of Los Angeles since 1988. We decided to partner with LA’s BEST so we could work together to positively impact the health of kids by teaching them about smart habits and the importance of recycling. Learning to reduce, reuse and recycle is a way that all of us, regardless of age, can make a difference for the environment.

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Two LA's BEST Participants show off their new water bottles.

Every afternoon at LA’s BEST, we give thousands of kids a safe and supervised place to learn and play. Like all educators, we hope that during their time with us we’ll be able to teach them lessons that will stay with them for life. That’s why we are so excited about our new partnership with ACC and the Go H20! Challenge, which asks our kids to choose water (out of a reusable, recyclable bottle) over sugary drinks like soda. A large part of our efforts revolve around teaching kids how to be healthy in all aspects of their lives. Working with ACC gives us an opportunity to emphasize the importance of healthy habits for people and the earth, like drinking more water and recycling more plastics. We want them to know that the choices they make—both big and small— can all add up to a healthier self and community.

The “Three Rs” (Reduce, Reuse and Recycle) are an important and effective concept for kids to learn. The Go H20! challenge not only helps teach our kids about recycling, reducing, and reusing but also gives them a chance to take ownership of their recycling habits and promote the importance of the environment among family and friends.

As a nonprofit organization in today’s economy, we have to be vigilant with our resources. At times, this can make providing engaging programs a challenge, which is why we’re grateful to bring the Go H20! Challenge into our classrooms. We’re excited to teach our kids how to have fun, stay healthy and recycle!  

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Laura Ohman, California State Parks educator, prepares for the Coastal Clean Up Event in San Diego.

I’m a college student studying for my BA in Outdoor Recreation, a children’s outdoor educator for California State Parks, and a former nature interpreter for the federal government, and yet none of those experiences warmed my heart in comparison to what I witnessed at Carlsbad State Beach last weekend. Nearly 200 Sempra Energy employees, from the mailroom clerk to the VPs of the company, combed the shores of South Carlsbad State Beach in search of litter. This beach cleanup effort occurred during San Diego County’s “Coastal Clean Up Day.”

During our clean up on San Diego area State Beaches, more than 1,000 lbs of trash was removed.  A large percentage of the rubbish collected was recyclable material that included plastic bags, bottles and containers.  All of the recyclable plastics and other recyclable materials retrieved that day have been removed from the litter stream and are now on their way to becoming useful new products. 

Coastal Clean Up Day – like many other similar types of beach clean-ups, educational programs, and festivals – is part of our California State Parks Anti-Litter Youth Education Program. This program is funded by Keep California Beautiful (KCB) and the American Chemistry Council, which has kindly provided hundreds of recycling bins and educational signage on State Park beaches all over Central and Southern California. This program, funded and supported by the plastics industry, teaches kids in San Diego-area schools about the value of recycling and protecting the environment. This important educational curriculum reached more than 6,000 children and adults in 2009 and begins its 2nd year with hopes of bigger numbers in 2010.

In addition to educational programs that will hopefully prevent litter, placing recycling bins on our beaches and organizing cleanups, we are always open to new ideas of how to keep our coastline clean.  We encourage you to follow in our footsteps and attempt to make a difference. What measures are you taking in your local area to promote recycling, cleaner communities, and a brighter future for the next generation?

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Today was spent passing out educational materials, talking recycling, and anticipating a great game.  It was simple and rewarding.  The smiles on the children’s faces were priceless.

Anaheim YMCA raffled off a bike and we all had a great time encouraging people to recycle.  Today was more than just a day at the ballpark; it was the beginning of a standing commitment in Anaheim to recycle and keep California clean and beautiful.

ACC is always looking for ideas to increase awareness and to make it easier for communities to recycle.  What do you think would work best in your community?

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Senator Correa joins ACC to increase recycling

Yesterday, I took part in an event with Latino Health Access, the Anaheim YMCA, California State Senator Lou Correa and many others to help promote recycling in Orange County. In exchange for a 33-gallon bag of recyclables, families received four tickets to an Angels game.  Since many of these families did not have the means to regularly attend baseball games, it was heartening to see the excited faces of those who were about to go. In fact, two women gave their collective eight tickets to a family because none of the children had ever been to an Angels game.

Working together, we collected hundreds of pounds of recyclable materials, increased understanding about recycling in the community, and provided children and families with tickets to an Angels game.
 

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Dianna Poggetto, American River Parkway Foundation; Salim Bana, Hilex Poly; Margo Reid Brown, CIWMB, Christine Flowers-Ewing, Keep California Beautiful; Council Member Steve Cohn, City of Sacramento; Darrell Costello, Roplast; Alta Tura, Sacramento Area Creeks Foundation; Tim Shestek, American Chemistry Council

Yesterday at a Savemart Supermarket in Sacramento, ACC kicked off the second of four launch events as a partner in the “Got Your Bags?” campaign. As a part of our second launch event, partners gathered to celebrate the Sacramento leg of the event with Sacramento City Councilmember Steve Cohn.

At this event we distributed nearly 200 plastic bag holders to supermarket shoppers, making it easier for consumers to store all of their plastic bags in one place for reuse or until they can bring them back to the store for recycling.

In addition to our other campaign partners, we were also joined by Salim Bana of HilexPoly, one of the largest closed-loop plastic bag recycling companies in the United States. Located in North Vernon, Indiana, HilexPoly takes plastic bags, melts them down and turns them into new recycled bags!

We are looking forward to kicking off the campaign in Los Angeles and San Diego with our Southern California partner, Albertsons grocery stores, in late 2009.

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After a busy few days in San Jose, one thing was abundantly clear: people want to recycle more.  One easy way to recycle more of the plastics you use is to make sure you know all of the plastics that can be recycled in your area. It’s always best to check with your municipality to see what they recycle. Most municipalities post a list of recyclable items on their websites.

Virtually all curbside programs recycle plastic bottles, and grocery stores throughout the State collect plastic bags and wraps. Here is a quick list of all of the things that you can recycle with your plastic bottles and plastic bags (http://www.plasticsinfo.org/s_plasticsinfo/sec_level4_wrap.asp?CID=524&DID=8809).

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The partnership has placed 13 permanent recycle bins in parks like the Community & Senior Center Park and Ferns Park. Eleven more will be added to city parks in the coming months. To reach the goal of 40 permanent bins across the city, the partnership is offering Woodland businesses the opportunity to participate by purchasing and sponsoring bins in other parks such as Crawford Park, Freeman Park and Woodside Park.

Our efforts in Woodland highlight a particularly effective public-private partnership involving my organization, American Chemistry Council (ACC). Together with Keep California Beautiful and California State Parks, we recognized a need for more opportunities to recycle at locations away from home. Through this initiative ACC has placed more than 500 recycling bins on California’s beaches and parks and we’ve conducted educational advertising to increase recycling awareness among consumers.

Our partnership promotes the recycling of plastics and helps educate Californians about the importance of recycling through the “Plastics. Too Valuable To Waste. Recycle^SM” campaign.

In this tough economic climate, where our state’s social and environmental priorities have to compete with economic challenges, this partnership model works. We need to continue to figure out how to do more with less and how to use creative solutions to provide our citizens the services they need and expect. We encourage more government, business and non-profit entities to try the public-private partnership approach.

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Businesses in the recycling industry rely on each of us to make sure our used plastic bottles, bags and other containers make it into the recycling bin. By doing our part, each of us helps to give these valuable materials a second life as carpeting, fleece jackets, durable backyard decks, home building products, and new bottles and bags. 

What types of plastic can be recycled?  Well, the types of plastics that are collected curbside can vary by community, so it’s always a good idea to check with your local municipality.  Here are some tips to keep in mind:

Almost ALL curbside programs collect plastic bottles, a category that includes:

• Milk jugs
• Water, soft drink, juice, and beer bottles
• Bottles from shampoo, toiletries, laundry detergent and other household cleaners
• Salad dressing, cooking oil, and condiment bottles
• Food jars, such as peanut butter and mayonnaise

In addition, 66% of California’s communities collect other plastic containers, such as:

• Food containers for yogurt, butter, cottage cheese, deli purchases or washed salad greens

And a few cities, such as Los Angeles, collect plastic foodservice items such as:

• Takeout containers, disposable plates and cups, meat trays, and egg cartons

Perhaps one of the fastest growing areas of plastics recycling is plastic bags and product wraps. 

• Plastic bags and product wraps – a category that includes plastic shopping bags, dry cleaning bags, news paper bags and wraps from bread, paper towels, bathroom tissue, diapers, and cases of beverages – can be recycled at major grocery stores and pharmacies throughout the State of California. Read more here.

So that covers what you can recycle at home and at the grocery store.  To help increase away-from-home recycling in California, ACC has forged a number of great partnerships throughout the State that have resulted in the placement and maintenance of hundreds of seasonal and permanent recycling bins at rest stops, beaches and parks around the state. 

Look for our recycling bins throughout California and, if you send us a photo of your local bins, we’ll post it here!

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“Got Your Bags?” partners include: Chris Peck, CIWMB; Council Member Ash Kalra, City of San Jose; Christine Flowers-Ewing, Keep California Beautiful; Kansen Chu, City of San Jose; Alicia Rockwell, Savemart Supermarkets; Tim Shestek, American Chemistry Council.

California state law (AB 2449) requires grocery stores and pharmacies with more than 10,000 square feet of retail space to provide bins for the collection and recycling of plastic shopping bags.  Yet research shows that consumer awareness remains low, and shoppers often forget to bring their bags back to the store.  The same holds true for reusable bags.  Creating and implementing public education campaigns like this will help reduce waste, litter and marine debris.

Next time you visit the grocery store, don’t forget to bring back your plastic bags for recycling.  In the meantime, you can  reuse them around the house as to carry lunches or store small items . Remember, plastics are too valuable to waste!

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California is one of the most beautiful and ecologically diverse states.  It’s also one of the largest, with a GDP larger than most of the world’s countries.  So keeping California clean and beautiful is a big job that requires everyone to do their part.  That’s why ACC and our partners are working together to increase opportunities for “away from home” recycling – on beaches, in parks and campgrounds, and at rest areas across the state.

We’re very proud of the public-private partnerships we’ve launched to date and of the growing volume of recyclable plastics that are being directed into the recycling stream, and away from our highways and waterways. We’re committed to achieving even more, and we believe the best way to make that happen is to engage the state’s best minds. This is where you come in…we look forward to your ideas.

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