PLAS going ‘green’
Published 6:33 am Friday, February 17, 2012
One class at Pike Liberal Arts School is seeing green, and they hope to spread the color throughout the school.
The Agriculture Science Class made up of junior and seniors at PLAS received 15 green recycling bins as part of a Southeast Recycling Development Council grant program sponsored by Alcoa, the worlds leading producer of primary aluminum.
Ag Science students will place the bins around campus and maintain them for the school.
The aluminum, plastic, paper, steel and cardboard will be recycled at the City of Troy Recycling Center where materials will be sorted and marketed to recycling processors, such as the local KW Plastics Recycling Division. KW is the world’s largest plastics recycler.
Dalton Harris, 18, a senior at PLAS, said he’s proud to be working with his classmates to spread some positive living ideas to other students.
“We’re seniors and we can lead by example,” Harris said.
“It’s beneficial to us and to the environment to recycle the items we can.”
“Typically, you don’t think about recycling. But I think, if students and teachers see the bins close by garbage cans, it’s a choice they can make,” said 18-year-old senior Tucker Park.
Over the last couple of years, more than 100 recycling bins have been placed in area schools. The final 15 went to PLAS.
“The amount of recycling from schools has been very noticeable,” said Vaughn Daniels, Troy’s Director of Public Works. “Schools are using them in break areas, in teachers’ lounges and at basketball games.”
Stephanie Baker, SERDC Chair and Director of Market Development at KW Plastics, said that recycling isn’t only better for the environment, it’s also beneficial to the city.
“I know it seems like trash to you, but it’s worth money,” Baker explained to students, adding that recycling processors, such as KW, purchase the materials from the city and up Troy’s revenue. “
The City of Troy Recycling Program, Alabama Department of Environmental Management and SERDC presented the bins to PLAS this week.
“Educate your friends, make the bins accessible, and this recycling program will be successful here,” Baker said.