According to the Division of Waste Management FY 18 annual report, Kentuckians recycled 2,744,477 tons of common household recyclables (aluminum, cardboard, steel, plastic, newspaper, glass, and paper) for a recycling rate of 38.2 percent in 2017. But what about that other 61.8% of recyclables that is just thrown away with other household trash?  It ends up in landfills or washed into the ocean.   Crittenden County’s 5^th grade Civic Engagement Club took charge and came up with a plan to help keep some of our plastics out of the landfills.  The idea came about when a local pharmacy contacted Leslea Barnes, Crittenden County CES 4-H Youth Development Agent, and told her about a program called ABC Promise Partnership with Green Tree Plastics.  If the youth would handle the caps, she would take care of the monetary part of the program.  The ABC PROMISE PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM is a cap and lid program specifically designed by school children for school children.   It is to be a tool to learn about caring for the earth and green living.  This partnership takes plastic caps and lids that children have collected, washed and sorted and turns them into an ABC product.  Products range from benches, picnic tables to trash receptacles. 

The elementary school that this 4-H club is based out of has a new playground, but there were no benches for the children or teachers to sit on.  Therefore, the club decided that the playground needed two benches. Another local pharmacy was contacted about donating the money for the other bench and they agreed to help ups in this project.  Each 6 foot bench with a back takes 200 pounds of plastic caps and lids each along with $250.00, $300.00 if you want a color. The 5^th grade Civic Engagement Club did an outstanding job making posters, collection boxes and videos to promote their campaign. However, it was cut short due to COVID19.  They were able to sort a lot of caps before school went to a virtual format, but there were still a lot more to be sorted.  Crittenden County Homemaker’s and other community members stepped in and help sort enough caps to go ahead and proceed with securing two benches for the playground, 400 pounds of plastic caps and lids were recycled.  A big thanks to Glenn’s and KB pharmacies for their financial donations and to everyone that took the time to be good stewards and help recycle. You are never too old to learn about the environment, plastics, building relationships, and becoming good earth stewards.  Once we can get back into the schools, we plan to resume this project and continue to help place recycled benches around our community and help our environment while doing so.

These pictures were taken prior to COVID.