PTA presidents Sandy Berry, left, from Thrasher Elementary and Beth Baker from Nolan Elementary are teaming up with the Mountain Stewards to host the Nolan vs. Thrasher Recycling Challenge. The school with the greatest number of families who visit the town Recycle Center on Earth Day, Saturday, April 23 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., wins the challenge.
Contributed photoCelebrate Earth Day while supporting Signal Mountain schools by visiting the Signal Mountain Recycle Center during the Thrasher vs. Nolan Recycling Challenge.
Corinne Giagnorio, parent volunteer with the Thrasher Environmental Club, said the classrooms at Thrasher usually compete against one another to see who can gather the most recyclable materials during Earth Week. This year, the club approached the PTA presidents of both Thrasher and Nolan to propose the recycling challenge.
Open to parents, grandparents and faculty at both schools, the challenge’s objective is to see which school can get the most families to visit the Recycle Center Saturday, April 23 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
“We wanted to get the word out to as many families as we could that recycling has become so much easier,” said Giagnorio.
Rock-Tenn, the town’s recycling contractor, has recently installed a machine which automatically sorts recyclable items for single stream access. Now only cardboard needs to be separated, she said.
“You can bring all your recyclable materials in one bin and clump them all together,” said Giagnorio.
“A lot of people think it’s a hassle to separate it, so we wanted to raise awareness,” said Beth Baker, Nolan PTA president.
Giagnorio said the center now takes plastic varieties labeled No. 1-7, adding items like yogurt containers, Starbucks cups and plastic bags to the list of previously accepted materials. Before, the center could only accept items such as soft drink bottles, milk cartons and laundry detergent containers falling under the categories of No. 1 and 2.
RECYCLE RIGHTThe Signal Mountain Recycle Center is on Ridgeway Avenue just north of the Town Hall complex on the west side of the highway. The center now accepts the following items, with no need to sort:Plastics labeled No. 1 – 7 (except styrofoam)Plastic bagsClear and colored glassSteel and aluminum, including cans, pie trays and foilNewspaper and mixed paper
“Not many places accept plastic bags,” said Giagnorio.
They also want to get spread the word that the center is free to use for anyone, resident or non-resident of Signal Mountain, she said.
“The more products we receive, the more money we earn back from Rock-Tenn,” said Town Manager Honna Rogers. “We also save by diverting materials from the landfills. So really, we save in two ways every time someone brings materials to the recycle center.”
The Mountain Stewards will be in charge of the sign-in sheet keeping track of how many families from each school attend. The group will also hand out information about where to take materials not accepted at the center, such as coat hangers and packing peanuts.
The winner of the challenge will receive a trophy made from recyclable materials, said Giagnorio.