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Sunday is ‘America Recycles Day’
Published November 14, 2009
Before starting in her position as coordinator of Albertville-Boaz Recycling Center, Jeannie Courington admits recycling never seemed that important to her.
“I mean, I knew it was the right thing to do, but did I do it? No,” Courington said.
“Now I’m a firm believer in doing it and trying to educate the community on the importance of doing it. If we don’t take hold off this and do our part, then the kids being born now are going to face major challenges when they get to be adults.”
The 12th annual “America Recycles Day” is Sunday.
An initiative of Keep America Beautiful and the National Recycling Coalition, America Recycles Day is the only nationally recognized day dedicated to encouraging Americans to recycle and to buy recycled products.
Sand Mountain residents have responded to recent efforts to start a recycling program in the area.
The Albertville-Boaz Recycling Center, located at 311 Sand Mountain Drive in Albertville, opened March 1, and has processed 130 tons of recyclables since opening, Courington said.
On Nov. 9, Boaz opened three red recycling trailers at the corner of East Mann Avenue and McVille Road, across from Duke’s Cleaners, for the public to use.
In eight months, the recycling effort has grown tremendously, Courington said.
“While the center is bringing in some money, the real savings is to the cities,” Courington said. “That’s 130 tons they don’t have to put in a landfill or pay to take to the transfer stations.
“And we’re only just touching the surface of community participation.”
The center started simply by accepting newspapers but, thanks to state grant funds, it is a well-equipped headquarters that now accepts magazines, plastic, glass, office paper, aluminum and metal food cans, cardboard, telephone books and hardback books.
“The only recyclable I haven’t found a buyer for is Styrofoam,” Courington said.
After a short time as the center’s recycling coordinator, Courington is sold on the benefits of recycling.
“Your natural conscience says you need to care of the environment and make it a better place for the future,” she said. “That’s kind of always in the back of your head, but now that I’m down here and see the amount of material ... it’s unbelievable.
“It’s hard to visualize the things you put in your garbage can amount to all that. When you’re down here and see the magnitude of materials that are brought in, then you think, ‘Oh my gosh, it would take a big hole to bury that in,’ and then you realize a lot of it would be there for 75 years or more.
“In my household, my daughter had a plastic bag the other day that was dirty and needed to be thrown away, and she said, ‘You throw it away. I feel guilty. I can’t do it.’
“I think a lot of people have a concept in their heads that you bury it and it’s going to go away. But you bury it and it’s there to stay for years and years. Now when I go to the grocery store, I’m conscious about buying things that are recyclable.”
So, at least for this Sunday, Courington’s hope is everyone who doesn’t recycle gives it a try.
“I’d like to put a challenge out to those people,” Courington said. “If you don’t recycle, then just that one day try to be conscious of what can be recycled. Put it in a bag and separate it from your garbage and bring it to the center. You’ll be amazed at what can be recycled.”
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