Local Schools Place in Nationwide Recycling Competition

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New Hope Middle School Takes 5th at the State Level

(Dalton, GA, March 9, 2012) –  Keep America Beautiful, Inc., the nation’s largest volunteer-based community action and education organization, has announced the winners of “Recycle-Bowl”, the first comprehensive nationwide recycling competition for elementary-, middle- and high-school students.  45 schools in Georgia participated at the state level recycling as much as possible during the weeks of October 17, 2011 to November 12, 2011.   Several local schools placed in the Top 10 in Georgia, including New Hope Middle School, which placed 5th in the state.

Public and private schools in Whitfield County currently participate in Target Recycling at School, a free recycling collection service offered by the Dalton-Whitfield Solid Waste Authority.  With the assistance of the DWSWA’s recycling center, 35 local schools were registered for the inaugural competition.  Each school received a kit to help promote recycling in their school.  At the end of the competition period the weights of the recyclables collected at each school were reported to Recycle-Bowl staff.

Georgia’s Top 10 Recycle-Bowl Competitors:

1. Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School, Rabun Gap, GA

2. Brighten Academy, Douglasville, GA

3. Hollis Hand Elementary, Lagrange, GA

4. Crabapple Crossing Elementary School, Milton, GA

5. New Hope Middle School, Dalton, GA

6. Pleasant Grove Elementary School, Dalton, GA

7. Dug Gap Elementary School, Dalton, GA

8. Learning Tree School, Dalton, GA

9. Whitfield Career Academy / Phoenix High School, Dalton, GA

10. Dawnville Elementary School, Dalton, GA

A full list of statewide winners can be found at www.Recycle-Bowl.org.

The total amount of school only recyclables recovered nationwide during the 2011 competition added up to 2,088,000 pounds, which in turn prevented the release of nearly 990 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (MTCO2E). In real-world terms, this reduction in greenhouse gases is equivalent to the annual emissions from 154 passenger cars; 191,998 gallons of gas; or nearly 7.4 million gallons of water.

“Keep America Beautiful is thrilled with the success of Recycle-Bowl’s inaugural year and our congratulations go to all participating schools for their work in showing how small changes can make a huge impact,” said Matt McKenna, president and CEO of Keep America Beautiful.

Recycle-Bowl By The Numbers:

  • 1,223 schools registered – 1% of all U.S. public and private schools.
  • More than 500,000 students participated in the competition.
  • On average, 5.32 pounds of material was collected per person in the school versus school division during the four weeks of the competition.
  • 67% of schools saw “significant” or “some” increase in the amount of material recycled.
  • If all students in America recycled at the rate of this year’s Recycle-Bowl competitors, approximately 1.8 million tons of material would be diverted annually from landfills. That would be the weight of 156,000 school buses!

About Keep America Beautiful

Keep America Beautiful, Inc., established in 1953, is the nation's largest volunteer-based community action and education organization. This national nonprofit forms public-private partnerships and programs that engage individuals to take greater responsibility for improving their community environments.  For additional information, visit www.kab.org.

 

“I Recycle. Do You?” Artwork Wins Spot On Two Billboards

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Dalton Middle School 7th grader, Joel Paez, is the overall winner of the 2011 America Recycles Day Billboard Design Contest hosted by the Dalton-Whitfield Solid Waste Authority’s program Target Recycling.  

Dalton Middle School 7th grader, Joel Paez, is the overall winner of the 2011 America Recycles Day Billboard Design Contest hosted by the Dalton-Whitfield Solid Waste Authority’s program Target Recycling.  

Winner of the 2011 America Recycles Day Billboard Contest Announced

DALTON, GA – Dalton Middle School 7th grader, Joel Paez, is the overall winner of the 2011 America Recycles Day Billboard Design Contest hosted by the Dalton-Whitfield Solid Waste Authority’s program Target Recycling.  The contest was open to Whitfield County middle school students in 6th, 7th, and 8th grade.  The artwork, chosen from 105 entries, includes the phrase, “I Recycle. Do You?” in green letters and shows a young boy picking up an item to recycle.  The design will be displayed for on two billboards in the Whitfield County area for at least one month.

Besides the overall winner, the contest also had a 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winner from each grade level.  The nine students, listed below, received an America Recycles Day t-shirt that says “I recycle”, items made from recycled products, and a certificate of participation.  (Their entries are shown at the end of this post.)

Liz Swafford, Recycling and Education Program Coordinator at the DWSWA said, “This is the second year for this contest and we were very pleased with the quality of the entries.  Students did a great job in designing a billboard with one of three recycling themes.  America Recycles Day is on November 15 every year so we look forward to hosting this contest again next fall for local middle schoolers.”  To learn how you can recycle too, visitwww.DWSWA.org or call 706-278-5001.

Billboard Design Contest for Middle School Students Underway

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2011 America Recycles Day Billboard Design Contest

DALTON, GA – Recycling Ben, mascot for the Target Recycling Program, and the recycling team at the Dalton-Whitfield Solid Waste Authority are delighted to announce the 2nd Annual America Recycles Day Billboard Design Contest.  The art contest is for students in 6th, 7th, and 8th grade in Whitfield County schools that recycle with Target Recycling.  Middle Schoolers are asked to design artwork for a billboard with a recycling theme in keeping with America Recycles Day that is celebrated on November 15.  The winning design will be displayed for at least four weeks on two billboards in Whitfield County.

During the inaugural competition in 2010, Dalton Middle School 7th grader, Esmeralda Perez won first place overall.  Her billboard design simply stated “I Will Recycle” and included the America Recycles Day slogan, “I Recycle”.  The suggested billboard themes for the 2011 contest are, “Let’s Target Recycling Together”, “I Recycle. Do You?” and “Recycle, it’s the natural thing to do.”  Click the image above to download the guide.

 

B.S.A. Troop 65 Prepares Outdoor Classroom

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Pictured is Eagle Scout candidate Drew Kite (center) with his parents, Kelly Kite and B.J. Kite, Scout Master for Troop 65, Frank Fetzer, and Norman Barashick, Executive Director at the DWSWA who presented them with Certificates of Appreciation for …

Pictured is Eagle Scout candidate Drew Kite (center) with his parents, Kelly Kite and B.J. Kite, Scout Master for Troop 65, Frank Fetzer, and Norman Barashick, Executive Director at the DWSWA who presented them with Certificates of Appreciation for their work on the Outdoor Classroom.

The Outdoor Classroom at the Recycling Center is an extension of the current Environmental Education program available at the facility.  B.S.A. Troop 65 updated the area over the summer converting it into a useable outdoor space for learning. …

The Outdoor Classroom at the Recycling Center is an extension of the current Environmental Education program available at the facility.  B.S.A. Troop 65 updated the area over the summer converting it into a useable outdoor space for learning.

DALTON, GA – Eagle Scout candidate Drew Kite and members of Boy Scouts of America Troop 65 prepared an outdoor classroom area at the Recycling Center managed by the Dalton-Whitfield Solid Waste Authority during the summer.  With the direction of Drew Kite participants transformed a neglected barn structure into a useable educational space outdoors complete with a butterfly garden.  While some scouts put together a composter and rain barrel, others cleaned out the barn even removing trash and debris.  Planters were painted and planted with potatoes vines and petunias, tree stumps were converted into stools, and a container garden with herbs was established.

Drew Kite and B.S.A. Troop 65 were recognized for their efforts in making the outdoor classroom a reality during the July board meeting of the DWSWA.  They received certificates of appreciation and saw the plaque that was later placed on the barn structure recognizing their contribution through the Eagle Scout Project organized by Kite.

The Outdoor Classroom is an extension of the current Environmental Education program provided by the Solid Waste Authority and Keep Dalton-Whitfield Beautiful.   Schools that visit the facility for the recycling and landfill tour will be able to add outdoor activities with themes like water conservation, composting, and the human impact on the environment.  For more information about the program call the Recycling Center at 706-278-5001.

 

Dalton-Whitfield Solid Waste Authority Featured in Dalton Magazine’s first Green Issue

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The Dalton-Whitfield Solid Waste Authority is featured in the September - October 2011 edition of Dalton Magazine as part of the first ever Green Issue.  An article titled "A dump? Not even close." written by Jane Harrell, has an overview of all of the DWSWA’s green programs including the Recycling Center.  “It is a top notch recycling service with a materials recovery facility, or recycling center, at its primary facility off South Dixie Highway,” wrote Harrell. “The recycling center enables recyclables collected in the area to be sorted, processed and then sent out to manufacturers that use the recyclable to make new products.”

Recycling and Education Program Coordinator, Liz Swafford, is on the cover of the magazine holding an office recycling bin full of recyclables.  The background in the photo is a large pile of mixed paper waiting to be processed for recycling.  An article titled "It's not that hard being green: At home and at work, residents do their part to benefit the planet" by Connie Hall-Scott includes an interview with Swafford and several residents. This article includes several recycling facts from the DWSWA website like, “A used aluminum can is recycled and back on the shelf as a new can in as little as 60 days.”

A photo of carpet separated at the DWSWA for recycling on page 32 and 33 serves as the beginning of an article about the green initiatives in the floor covering industry.  Also mentioned in Dalton Magazine are more green programs managed by the DWSWA including Landfill Gas to Energy, the Household Hazardous Waste Facility, and the Conasauga River Mitigation Bank.

The magazine is available online as an e-edition at www.daltonmagazine.com and in newsstands throughout Dalton.  For more information about recycling in Whitfield County visit www.DWSWA.org or call the Dalton-Whitfield Recycling Center at 706-278-5001.

Here's a list of highlights from this issue:

• Recycling and Education Program Coordinator, Liz Swafford, is on the cover of the magazine holding an office recycling bin full of recyclables.  The background in the photo is the pile of mixed paper at the recycling center.   On the Cover credits are on page 5. 

• Page 8 and 9, Jane's Report, is an article titled "A dump? Not even close." written by Jane Harrell. It includes some historical background information and a review of all the DWSWA programs like Convenience Centers, Recycling Center, and the Landfill Gas to Energy Project. There are also two pictures from the Recycling Center.

• Page 10 to 17 is an article titled "It's not that hard being green: At home and at work, residents do their part to benefit the planet" by Connie Hall-Scott.  Liz S. and several residents were interviewed for the article that includes recycling facts from the DWSWA, green living tips, and extra photos.

• Page 32 and 33 are the beginning of the article about the green initiatives in the floor covering industry.  The photo is carpet being separated at the DWSWA for recycling.

• Page 39 is a half page ad encouraging readers to recycle in Dalton-Whitfield.