America Recycles Day provides opportunity to renew environmental dedication

  • Published
  • By Russ Grossley
  • 36th Civil Engineer Squadron
ANDERSEN AIR FORCE BASE, Guam --  November 15 is America Recycles Day, a special day set aside to encourage Americans to recycle and buy recycled products.  It recognizes the benefits of recycling while providing an educational platform that helps raise awareness about the value of reducing, reusing and recycling - every day - throughout the year. 

This year's theme, "I Want To Be Recycled," helps to educate people about the importance of recycling to our economy and environmental well-being and helps to motivate occasional recyclers to become everyday recyclers.

Here at Team Andersen we are committed to preserving the environment through, in part, offering comprehensive recycling services.  We currently recycle cardboard, aluminum cans, glass, and plastics.  We've also established partnering efforts with our Navy counterparts.  This will help increase our volume and provide a more viable market for our recycling commodities.

Recycling has been around for many years and has proven to be an easy and effective way to manage waste. First celebrated in 1997, the number of participants has grown each year as communities and individuals renew their commitment to preserving our planet's resources. 

According to www.americarecyclesday.org, the average American generates about seven and a half pounds of waste each day - nearly 3,500 lbs. a year. Recycling plastic, metal, glass, and paper not only significantly reduces the amount of material sent to incinerators and landfills, it also goes into making many new products.  Most of us are used to seeing paper and cardboard made from recycled paper, but did you know that the soda bottle you recycled a couple of months ago may be in that new park bench down by the Commissary?  The more people recycle, the more material is available for products we all use every day.  So how does this help the environment?  In addition to not going into landfills, using recycled material means that manufacturers have to take fewer raw materials from the environment.  This saves a lot of energy and helps preserve natural habitats.  

The Air Force is dedicated to protecting and respecting the natural resources of our country and our world.  As part of our continued environmental stewardship, an initiative to reduce solid waste, we encourage all our active duty members, civilian employees, and their family members to support us on November 15 by renewing your commitment to recycling.

For more information, contact Russ Grossley at 366-2557.

Here are some tips!

1)  Commit to recycle and buy recycled products both at home and at work or school.

2)  Learn what materials you can recycle in your community and do your best to recycle all you can.

3)  When shopping, purchase products that are packaged in materials you can recycle locally.

4)   Read product labels. At your local grocery, department store or home improvement center, look for products with recycled content, and buy some. Look for "safe bets" that always have recycled content: steel, aluminum, glass or molded paper pulp containers (like egg cartons).

5)  Ask your local retailer to stock more products with recycled content, or write the manufacturer of your favorite products asking them to use recycled materials.

6)  Organize an event such as a display of recycled content products at your school, office, store or church, or a tour of a facility that manufactures recycled-content products.

7)  Learn more about how recycling helps preserve resources, protects the environment and benefits the economy, then teach some kids about the importance of recycling and buying recycled.

8)  Don't forget waste reduction is important too. Look for ways to avoid making garbage -- try composting.