Local Schools Recycle 411,270 Pounds During Contest
/Target Recycling at School is a recycling collection program and environmental education program the Dalton-Whitfield Solid Waste Authority offers to local schools. During the 2021-22 school year, more than 35 local schools participated in the program which mainly facilitates mixed paper and cardboard recycling on school grounds. Collection containers are painted a light blue with a picture of mascot Recycling Ben.
Due to the pandemic, the annual contest had to be paused so after a two-year pause the contest finally resumed this school year. The target recycling contest is held during an eight-month period to encourage schools to recycle. Schools compete in one of three categories: elementary schools, middle schools and high schools. Each category has a first, second and third place winner. Schools are compared by recycling rate, which is calculated by dividing the number of students by the weight of recyclables collected.
During this last contest, 35 participating schools collected 411,270 pounds of recyclable materials, mostly paper, for an average of 18.68 pounds recycled per student. That’s the weight equivalent of about117 hippos and saves 343 cubic yards of landfill space.
The top schools for 2021-2022 in the elementary school category were Learning Tree School in first place, Dug Gap in second place and Westside for most improved. For middle schools, the winners were Valley Point in first place and Christian Heritage in second place and most improved. For high schools, Northwest High first place, Coahulla Creek was second and most improved.
To encourage recycling efforts within the schools, the Dalton-Whitfield Solid Waste Authority is awarding them with classroom recycling bins, carts to carry the recyclables on and pizza party celebrations.
Throughout the year, teachers and staff are reminded that Target Recycling at School facilitates recycling by providing an outdoor container to collect paper for recycling. About once a week, or as needed, the container is weighed and emptied by the recycling truck. A monthly report is provided to school representatives who are on the email mailing list for the program. You can register for the list at http://eepurl.com/YEEM or call (706) 278-5001.
Even though recycling collection is provided, it’s up to each school to decide how to manage recycling collection inside. To make a recycling program really successful, there has to be a person in the school responsible for running the program during the school year. Usually, this is the teacher or staff person that leads the school’s green team or Earth Club. Schools that have gone above and beyond the minimal recycling requirements have done so because the recycling program is part of the culture of the school.
School recycling programs help establish community norms, teach individual responsibility and environmental stewardship, give participants a hands-on learning experience and make a difference in reducing the amount of waste produced at the school. Recycling is an all-inclusive activity that the whole school can rally around all year long. A free environmental education program provided by Target Recycling at School further supports school recycling programs