When it comes to recycling, did you realize that more actually means less?  
The more we recycle, the less trash that is accumulated. That means less trash going into landfills, which means, hopefully, the need for fewer landfills in our world.
More recycling also means less energy needed to produce new goods and services when recycled items are used. More recycling also can mean more jobs created in the recycling field as demand increases. So, more recycling is a good thing for all of us.
If you have not started recycling yet, let me share how easy it is to get started.
In Liberty County, we have a drop-off system for recycling at this point, except with the city of Walthourville, which currently offers curbside recycling for its citizens.  
The Liberty County Solid Waste Authority offers 11 drop-off centers throughout the county: seven recycling centers at Solid Waste Convenience Centers in rural Liberty County, three recycling centers in the city of Hinesville and one in the city of Riceboro.   Here are the addresses for these drop-off points:
• 344 Fort Morris Road (East End convenience center)
• 50 Isle of Wight Road (Midway area, Highway 84 and Isle of Wight Road)
•  619 JV Road (west of Hinesville)
• 64 Left Field Road (Highway 84 at Miller Park)
•836 Limerick Road (old landfill entrance near Lake George)
• 156 Pate Rogers Road (Fleming area)
• 25 S. Dairy Road (Highway 196 West, south of Gum Branch)
• 111 Carter Road (behind Carter’s Funeral Home)
• 129 Sandy Run Road (off Highway 84)
• 941 E.G. Miles Parkway (Highway 196 West at the Training Center)
• 4000 S. Coastal Highway (Highway 17 just north of Riceboro)
Once you determine which site is the most convenient for you and your family, you are ready to decide what you want to recycle.
When you are starting out, I recommend that you choose one or two items to get in the swing of things.
Here is a list of the items that can be dropped off at these sites:
• Newspaper and magazines (even the inserts in the papers can be recycled)  
• Mixed paper, which covers a broad range of paper items, including regular paper, junk mail and paperboard items like cereal boxes and product boxes. Keep in mind, though, that these items are not acceptable for recycling: paper with glitter, crayon or oil-based paint, tissue paper, food contaminated paper, paper towels and napkins, paper plates and cups, waxy paper, plastic coated paper, refrigerator or freezer boxes, and ream wrappers.
• Corrugated cardboard (corrugated means it has a wavy middle layer)
• Aluminum cans
• Steel cans
• Plastic bottles and containers (these will have the little recycle symbol on them with one of these numbers: 1,2,3,7)
• Glass bottles and jars
I recommend rinsing out any bottles and food containers and letting them dry so that you do not invite little critters looking for a snack to join you as you collect these items.
We have a set of three complimentary bags available for any citizen to use for collecting your recycling. They are convenient when you are taking your items to the drop-off centers. The Solid Waste Program is revising the signs at the centers so that recycling will be easier than ever for you.
Once you have gotten started recycling, you will realize soon that you have contracted a strange malady that I call recycling fever. The more you recycle, the more you want to recycle. This disease is common among recycling citizens, so do not be alarmed — just go with it. Consider recycling even more at our Recycle It! Fairs. Each quarter, we offer the fair to collect items like compact fluorescent light bulbs, electronics, batteries, ink toners and cartridges, motor oil, antifreeze, books and household goods so that they will not end up in landfills. We currently hold these fairs in Walthourville, Hinesville and Midway. Our next fair date is from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 13. Email klcb@coastalnow.net to receive recycling event announcements or go to www.keeplibertybeautifulorg.
Now, if you have really gotten the recycling fever, consider checking out the over 80 items that Midway Middle School collects. That information is on the MMS website as well as ours. Recycling these numerous items supports their school’s Green Team projects during the year.
Your business can recycle, too. The Liberty County Solid Waste Recycling Program makes it simple for your business to recycle paper products, plastic bottles and aluminum cans. Collection containers (exterior poly carts) will be provided and emptied weekly as a courtesy for local business customers. The program coordinator will meet with you to determine the collection schedule. Just call us at 884-5034 if your business is interested in recycling.
Setting up a recycling program at your business can save you money by reducing the Dumpster size needed for garbage collection and by reducing the frequency of garbage pick-ups.
The Liberty County Solid Waste Authority will provide your business with an 8-yard Dumpster for the collection of cardboard for a small monthly fee. Cardboard dumpsters are emptied weekly.
For more information on any of these recycling services, call us at 880-4888 or klcb@coastalnow.net. Remember — more means less. Get the fever!