ASD recycling headlines

Recycling Advisory Group reviews first year

Parents, students and teachers, along with city, business and non-profit representatives shared ASD recycling stories and reviewed the first year of the district's mixed-paper program at the September Recycling Advisory Group meeting. What worked and what can be improved? It was clear from the discussions/interest in how recycling was implemented at the different ASD locations that there is a need to share successful strategies and lessons learned in an easy-to-access location such as the ASD Web site. Discussions included data collection and the outreach campaign to increase participation and decrease contamination.

Goals of ASD's recycling program were revisited. Mixed-paper recycyling continues to be the focus of recycling at the district. More than 56 tons of paper were recycled in the first year of the program.

The advisory group discussed how other items are being recycled at ASD. Items include tin cans recycled by student nutrition, plastic bottles and aluminum cans being collected by volunteer groups, cardboard boxes gathered at the district warehouse and many other items.

Student involvement in the recycling program is one component of the district's recycling program that is making recycling efforts succeed. Having realistic goals, support from the district's executive levels and internal and external informational networks were also cited as helping the district's recycling efforts.

School-wide support, support from principals, faculty and staff, data collection and outreach were areas cited by the advisory group as ones needing improvement.

What's next in recycling at ASD? Click here to read a full report from the advisory group's meeting.