Encourage All Tennesseans to Take Part and Reduce Waste
Nashville, TN – Monday is America Recycles Day, November 15th, and Tennessee’s departments of Environment and Conservation and Transportation are joining local county and city agencies across the state, providing several opportunities for citizens to reduce waste and make a difference.
“I Recycle is the 2010 theme of America Recycles Day and millions of Americans have pledged to increase their recycling habits at home and at work over the 13-year history of ARD,” said Environment and Conservation Deputy Commissioner Paul Sloan. “There are more than 100 events registered across the state, and we should be proud of these efforts and I encourage all Tennesseans to join us in our commitment to better protect and preserve our natural resources by reducing our waste stream.”
Here’s just a snapshot of statewide activities, ranging from charitable shoe drives to state employee recycling opportunities:
Statewide Events
Partnering with TDOT and TDEC, Keep Tennessee Beautiful and the Tennessee Recycling Coalition are the co-sponsors for the 2010 America Recycles Day in Tennessee for the second year in a row. Projects throughout Tennessee are designed to encourage the residents of the Volunteer State to both reduce individual waste production and to recycle as much waste as possible. Visit www.americarecyclesday.org to find a listing of events in your area or contact Keep Tennessee Beautiful toll free at 1-888-862-5326 to find out how you can get more involved in this and other projects.
Charitable Opportunities
The Department of Environment and Conservation’s Columbia, Cookeville and Nashville Environmental Field Offices will host a coat, clothes or shoe drive during the first half of the month to benefit various local charities – an opportunity to recycle gently worn items, while helping both the environment and a person in need.
Community members are invited to participate, including local, state and federal government offices, along with local businesses, companies and non-profits. The charity drives will be held through November 19th. Drop off times for all three events will be held during regular office hours – Monday through Friday, from 8:00am to 4:30pm. Additional details are as follows:
- Columbia Environmental Field Office – Located at 1421 Hampshire Pike, TDEC’s Columbia field office will host a coat and shoe collection drive through November 19th. New and/or used coats will be collected and delivered to The People’s Table at Columbia First United Methodist Church. New and/or used shoes will be collected and delivered to Soles4Souls, an organization that distributes shoes to those in need worldwide. For directions to TDEC’s Columbia office, visit http://tn.gov/environment/efo/columbia.shtml.
- Cookeville Environmental Field Office – Located at 1221 South Willow Avenue, TDEC’s Cookeville field office will host a coat drive through November 19th. New and/or used coats will be collected and delivered to Operation Stand Down, the primary non-profit resource for military veterans in Middle Tennessee. For directions to TDEC’s Cookeville office, visit http://tn.gov/environment/efo/cookeville.shtml.
- Nashville Environmental Field Office – Located at 711 R.S. Gass Boulevard, TDEC’s Nashville field office will host a coat, clothing and shoe collection drive through November 19th. New and/or used coats, clothing, shoes and personal items will be collected and delivered to Operation Stand Down. For directions to TDEC’s Nashville office, please visit: http://tn.gov/environment/efo/nashville.shtml.
State Employee Recycling Program
The State Employee Recycling Program, coordinated by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, continues to expand its waste prevention and recycling efforts. With more than 22,000 state employees participating, over 600 tons of mixed office paper was recycled in 2009, generating revenue, which is deposited in the Solid Waste Management Fund used to help assist local communities in their solid waste reduction efforts.
There will be recycling informational booths planned for the week of November 15th at several state buildings in Nashville and at the McCallie Building in Chattanooga, designed to education state employees on the importance of recycling. The program targets mixed office paper, plastic and aluminum recycling, as well as non-traditional items, such as clothing, coat hangers, eyeglasses and greeting cards, for reuse, donation and recycling. For more information about Tennessee’s State Employee Recycling Program, visit the Web site at www.tn.gov/environment/ea/serp.
Since 1997, communities across the country have come together on November 15th to celebrate America Recycles Day. More than a celebration, America Recycles Day is the only nationally recognized day dedicated to the promotion of recycling programs in the United States.
