America Recycles Day is coming up this Saturday and is the only nationally recognized day dedicated to encouraging Americans to recycle and to buy recycled products.
Began in 1997, the day features millions of Americans pledging to improve their recycling habits. The current recycling rate, according to the Environmental Protection Agency, is 34 percent. So, if you are not recycling yet, America Recycles Day is a great time to join us.
If you already recycle, check out www.americarecyclesday.org for handy recycling ideas for collecting even more. There also is a place at the ARD website to take the pledge electronically.
A number of our schools are participating in America Recycles Day activities this week and this month. Some schools have been creating recycle bins for their classrooms to use. Some of our media specialists have created fun recycling displays in the media centers to encourage kids to recycle and to read about recycling. Many of our classes are hosting Recycling Read and Activity programs this month.
We also have some of our schools participating in a statewide program promoted by the Georgia Recycling Coalition to encourage kids to Read for Recycling this week. Our local elementary schools and a number of local family restaurants are sharing our custom America Recycles Day place mats for kids and their families to enjoy.
In conjunction with America Recycles Day, we will hold our quarterly Recycle it! Fair from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday at these locations:
• Liberty County Health Department, 1113 E. Oglethorpe Highway
• Midway Police Department, 10490 E. Oglethorpe Highway (at light) in Midway
• Walthourville City Hall, 222 Busbee Drive in Walthourville
So, it is time to check your closets, storage rooms and office storage for household items and old electronics that need to be recycled.  
With the help of our local partners, Goodwill Industries, Coastal Auto and Recycling, the Liberty County Solid Waste Authority and local law enforcement, we are able to accept items that are used around the house and the workplace, but cannot be turned in at our local drop-off sites.
Here are the items we can accept:
• Electronics including computers, printers, monitors and any computer accessories; stereo equipment and televisions; cellphones and accessories. All hard drives will be wiped clean for your security by our local Goodwill Industries.
• Household paint as long as the cans are sealed well, not rusted and at least half-full. We turn these cans in to the Habitat for Humanity Store for reuse. Note: If your cans are not in good condition, please use sand or cat litter and let the paint dry out so that you can dispose of the cans in your regular garbage. We cannot accept them for re-use.
• Compact fluorescent lamp and fluorescent light bulbs
• Used motor oil and antifreeze as well as car batteries. At the Midway and Walthourville sites, we will accept the car batteries, but we can only accept the oil and antifreeze in clean, disposable containers. (Remember to always recycle motor oil and antifreeze as soon as possible. Never pour these items down the drain or into a storm drain or just dump them. They really cause severe water-pollution problems.)
• Household batteries
• Printer ink and toner cartridges
• Telephone books and large sale catalogs
• Hardback books, paperbacks and textbooks
• Prescription Take Back at all three locations for any old prescription medications and over the counter medications that you need to dispose of. Please, never flush these items down the toilet. These types of items have a detrimental effect on our waterways and, consequently, aquatic life and humans. The only items that law enforcement cannot accept are hypodermic needles.
• Household goods and clothes (in clean, decent condition, please)
• Shoes
• A number of Terracycle items for some of our local schools recycling/fundraising efforts. Check with your favorite school to see if they are collecting any of these items.
For added America Recycles Day fun, we will have drawings for giveaways and some additional booths with recycling ideas and also recycled products.
Recycling is the one simple action that everyone can do to make a healthy difference for the environment. Please take the America Recycles Day pledge at www.americarecyclesday.com and join the millions of people who make recycling a way of life.
And just think how much more room you will have in your storage areas at home and at work when you collect all of these items for the Recycle It! Fair. For more information, call Keep Liberty Beautiful at 880-4888, email klcb@coastalnow.net or go to www.keeplibertybeautiful.org.