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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Have fun, help environment

`Recycle on the Go

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There’s still plenty of outdoor fun to be had when the weather turns cooler. However, outdoor public events like football games and tailgate parties can generate substantial amounts of waste. Bottles, cans, and other materials from public events are often thrown away, but they present a great opportunity to help the environment through recycling.

Encouraging recycling at public events not only helps maintain a clean public space and protects the environment; it can also cut waste disposal costs and generate extra revenue.

Americans are used to recycling at home and in the workplace: We currently recycle 32.5 percent of our waste, nearly double the rate of 15 years ago. More than 31 percent of plastic soft drink bottles and 45 percent of all aluminum beverage cans are recycled each year. Yet many of the recyclables used at outdoor events, such as glass and plastic bottles, paper cups, aluminum cans, and corrugated cardboard, end up in the trash.

The US Environmental Protection Agency has created the Recycle on the Go initiative to promote recycling at public events. Recycle on the Go provides information and resources to businesses, government agencies, and citizens interested in creating recycling programs in public spaces such as parks, stadiums, transportation hubs, shopping centers, and special events. Tools that can be found on the Recycle on the Go Web site ( www.epa.gov/recycleonthego) include guidance for starting a recycling program, success stories, and tips for including concessionaires and other vendors in the process.

Recycling can yield huge energy savings and climate change benefits. Manufacturing goods from recycled material typically requires less energy than producing an item from virgin material, thus reducing the amount of greenhouse gases that are produced. The energy savings from recycling can be substantial: the 82 million tons that Americans recycled in 2006 saved enough energy to power nearly 7 million U.S. homes for a year.

Recycling not only helps the environment; it can also help offset the costs of staging a public event. Many festival and event coordinators have found that recycling programs reduce waste disposal costs and create revenue through the sale of recyclables. In addition, recycling programs can increase the appeal of an event by reducing litter and promoting an environmentally friendly atmosphere.

Make environmental stewardship a tradition by promoting recycling at your outdoor event.

To learn how you can incorporate recycling into your event, visit www.epa.gov/recycleonthego.