Sacramento Students Learn Rewards Of Recycling

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Oct 02, 2012, 01:00 ET

SACRAMENTO, Calif., Oct. 2, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Dr. Richard Pan, the American Chemistry Council (ACC), Keep California Beautiful and the Sacramento Regional Conservation Corps today launched Read, Write, Recycle!, a recycling contest for students of San Juan and Natomas Unified School Districts.

Six schools, two from the San Juan Unified School District and four from the Natomas Unified School District, will compete over the next five weeks to collect the most recyclable materials. One winning school in each district will receive $500 for the most recyclables collected. A grand prize of $1,000 will be awarded to the single school in the two districts that recycles the most paper, aluminum, glass, and plastic.

"It's no secret that schools have suffered tremendous cuts over the last few years, and we need to be creative to generate much-needed funds," said Dr. Pan, who chairs the California State Assembly Committee on Health. "This partnership is an excellent example of working together to meet students' needs, while still teaching valuable lessons like recycling."

Each school will receive $150 for participating. These funds can be used for much needed school supplies. In addition, each of the participating schools will receive several recycling bins. Teachers and students also will receive tips to help encourage recycling at school and at home.

"We are inspired by the enthusiasm these young people bring to recycling. Collecting valuable materials like plastic, paper, aluminum and glass and diverting them from the waste stream is a great way to be part of solutions that show commitment to a clean environment," said Steve Russell, vice president of the Plastics Division at ACC. "We're proud to be part of any program that helps create the next generation of recyclers."

SACRAMENTO STUDENTS WILL REAP THE REWARDS OF RECYCLING

A total of 165 elementary school classes from the six schools will participate in this five-week recycling challenge. In total, more than 4,300 students will participate in the program, learning valuable lessons about recycling.

"We are delighted to work with the San Juan and Natomas school districts, Assemblymember Pan, the ACC and Keep California Beautiful to provide an opportunity to recycle in Sacramento-area schools," said Dwight Washabaugh, executive director of the Sacramento Regional Conservation Corps. "Partnerships like these help our kids value the environment and help our corps members learn valuable skills in the workplace."

The Read, Write, Recycle! program launched in February of 2012 in San Gabriel County where 1,500 students recycled more than 11 thousand pounds of materials. Building on the success of this initial program, Dr. Pan and the partners are bringing the competition to Sacramento.

Read, Write, Recycle! is the latest recycling effort supported by ACC under the Plastics. Too Valuable to Waste. Recycle.™ campaign. ACC also works with LA's Best, an after-school enrichment program in Los Angeles, to educate students about recycling, and ACC is a key sponsor of Recycle. Goal., a recycling contest between young soccer players in Southern California and the Central Valley.

"All of these programs have produced impressive results because they tap into the energy, enthusiasm and dedication of these young people," said Christine Flowers, executive director of Keep California Beautiful, which is a partner in all the recycling programs. "When we all work together—public and private groups—we accomplish so much, especially when we involve students."

The contest wraps up in November with an acknowledgement of the winners.

To learn more about Read, Write, Recycle!, please visit 2valuable2waste.com.

The American Chemistry Council (ACC) represents the leading companies engaged in the business of chemistry. ACC members apply the science of chemistry to make innovative products and services that make people's lives better, healthier and safer. ACC is committed to improved environmental, health and safety performance through Responsible Care®, common sense advocacy designed to address major public policy issues, and health and environmental research and product testing. The business of chemistry is a $720 billion enterprise and a key element of the nation's economy. It is one of the nation's largest exporters, accounting for ten cents out of every dollar in U.S. exports. Chemistry companies are among the largest investors in research and development. Safety and security have always been primary concerns of ACC members, and they have intensified their efforts, working closely with government agencies to improve security and to defend against any threat to the nation's critical infrastructure.

SOURCE American Chemistry Council