Posts Tagged ‘Plastic Waste’

A Chance to Educate about Healthy Habits

Monday, October 26th, 2009

Promoting the launch of the Go H2O! Challenge at the LA's BEST Health Fair

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 students enjoying the Health Fair activities

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.

ACC and the League of California Cities

Friday, September 18th, 2009

I had the pleasure of visiting the League of California Cities Conference this week in San Jose. We had a booth in the exhibition hall where we talked to countless city representatives about their desire to improve upon and expand their recycling programs. We were joined by Christine-Flowers Ewing of Keep California Beautiful, who was there to help promote the “Got Your Bags?” awareness campaign. “Got Your Bags?” is a public outreach and educational program aimed at increasing recycling of plastic bags in California as well as shoppers’ use of reusable bags. You can learn more about “Got Your Bags?” here: http://keepcaliforniabeautiful.com/pdf/GotYourBags.pdf.

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).

Launching This Blog

Saturday, July 25th, 2009

Today, we’re launching a blog that will bring you news and insights from representatives of the plastics industry and others who care about how we use, recycle and otherwise handle plastics we use every day. Why now?  Our goal is to encourage a constructive conversation about plastics, California, and recycling – about how, working together, we can keep recyclable plastics out of landfills, and from littering our oceans, waterways, and landscape.

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.