APRIL 9, 2009 ISSUE
Recycle in the Parks!
New Recycling Bins in Watauga County Parks
Recycling bins, such as the one pictured here, are now available at several Watauga County Parks, including the Tot Lot, Brookshire Park, Optimist Fields, Industrial Fields and Anne Marie Park.
Now when you visit one of several Watauga County Parks, you have the option of recycling your beverage container instead of throwing it in the trash. The Watauga County Recreation, Maintenance and Sanitation departments are working together to offer residents this recycling opportunity.
The recycling bins are made from recycled plastic and are located at the Tot Lot, Brookshire Park, Optimist Fields, Industrial Fields and Anne Marie Park. The recycling bins were purchased with grant funds from the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources (NCDENR) and some county funds.
“Watauga County Parks and Recreation is very excited to add recycling opportunities to our facilities,” said Parks and Recreation Director Stephen Poulos. “We thank NCDENR for providing the grant to purchase these bins for the Tot Lot and the baseball/softball fields and encourage everyone to utilize the recycling bins!”
Until recently, there only were trash receptacles at county recreational facilities. A waste assessment of the trash collected at these sites showed that and more than half of the trash collected consists of plastic bottles and aluminum cans. There are more than 3,000 participants in recreational programs and at least twice this number of spectators that come to the facilities to watch games and practices throughout the year. Beverage vending is available at most of the recreational facilities and people also bring bottled water and soft drinks. Placing recycling bins in these locations provides an opportunity to recycle these beverage containers instead of throwing them in the trashcan.
“By providing recycling containers in public parks, we are teaching youth that taking care of our environment is important,” said Watauga County Recycling Coordinator Lisa Doty. “Providing opportunities for the public to recycle away from home also keeps people in the habit.”
The bins are placed in permanent structures and recyclables will be collected on a regular basis by the county maintenance staff. Ongoing efforts to educate recreation staff and participants about recycling opportunities will be made as well as assessments of the program.
For more information on recycling opportunities in Watauga County, contact Lisa Doty at 828-265-4852.
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