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County schools remain eco-friendly
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| South Rabun Elementary School first-grader Emily Earnest deposits paper into her classroom's recycling box Monday. Discarded plastic bottles, mixed paper and metal cans from all five county schools are recycled at the Boggs Mountain recycling center. |
By Chris McCaa Staff Writer
Just two months into the school year, Rabun County's schools are already making a difference in the county's recycling efforts.
More than 10,000 pounds of trash has made its way to the Boggs Mountain recycling center since August to be sold for profit as part of a recycling project.
Through the program, students are not only generating much-needed revenue for the county but also learning the value of environmental stewardship.
"We recycle so we can use things again," South Rabun Elementary School first-grader Hayley Scott said.
Classmate Keyven Wilburn said he enjoyed taking part in the recycling project because "it keeps the earth healthy."
The program began in January and was spearheaded by former Rabun County Schools nutrition director Linda Marziliano.
As part of the project, discarded plastic bottles, mixed paper and metal cans are deposited by students in boxes at the schools. On Monday mornings, employees from the Boggs Mountain recycling center drive to the schools to pick up the boxes.
Marziliano, who retired this year, said the program was going strong, even though her involvement is now on a volunteer basis. She still keeps in touch with teachers involved in the project at each school via e-mail.
The teachers are part of a committee formed by Marziliano from each of the county's five schools. The committee communicates regularly to keep the program organized and running.
"We are pretty much doing the same as last (school) year," Marziliano said. "At South Rabun Elementary School, they used to have several garbage cans in the hallway, and now there's one because they are recycling more," she said.
Rabun County recycling director Tim Browning said Marziliano's volunteer leadership was invaluable, but the project needed even more assistance.
"Somehow we have got to convince the school board that we need someone currently in the school system who will step up to lead the program," Browning said. "(SRES first-grade teacher) Althea Bleckley is kind of taking up where Linda left off, but just at that school."
Bleckley also said Marziliano's volunteer efforts were vital to the project's success, but she echoed Browning's sentiments.
"(Marziliano) was our glue, and she still is," Bleckley said. "But I would like to see the committee form and maintain some uniform guidelines."
Browning said it was important the program succeed and grow because of the economic benefits for the school system and the county.
Browning said the county allotted the recycling department $500,000 annually from the county's general fund to haul trash to landfills across county lines. Revenue from the sales of recycled materials is given back to the county to be used in areas facing economic shortfalls.
"Money from the (school recycling project) could be used to help purchase fuel for county school buses," Browning said.
In May, county schools recycled 7,680 pounds of trash, and in June more than 11,000 pounds. For the first two months of this school year, recycling amounts averaged about 5,000 pounds each month.
Superintendent Matt Arthur said he hoped to see that all waste produced by the schools made its way to the recycling center in the future.
Bleckley welcomed coverage of the recycling efforts.
"This keeps the project alive, because it will remind people of the necessity for the program," Bleckley said.
Since the start of the program in January, more than 58,000 pounds of trash from the schools has been recycled, generating about $3,770 in county revenue, according to Browning.
More than 10,000 pounds of trash has made its way to the Boggs Mountain recycling center since August to be sold for profit as part of a recycling project.
Through the program, students are not only generating much-needed revenue for the county but also learning the value of environmental stewardship.
"We recycle so we can use things again," South Rabun Elementary School first-grader Hayley Scott said.
Classmate Keyven Wilburn said he enjoyed taking part in the recycling project because "it keeps the earth healthy."
The program began in January and was spearheaded by former Rabun County Schools nutrition director Linda Marziliano.
As part of the project, discarded plastic bottles, mixed paper and metal cans are deposited by students in boxes at the schools. On Monday mornings, employees from the Boggs Mountain recycling center drive to the schools to pick up the boxes.
Marziliano, who retired this year, said the program was going strong, even though her involvement is now on a volunteer basis. She still keeps in touch with teachers involved in the project at each school via e-mail.
The teachers are part of a committee formed by Marziliano from each of the county's five schools. The committee communicates regularly to keep the program organized and running.
"We are pretty much doing the same as last (school) year," Marziliano said. "At South Rabun Elementary School, they used to have several garbage cans in the hallway, and now there's one because they are recycling more," she said.
Rabun County recycling director Tim Browning said Marziliano's volunteer leadership was invaluable, but the project needed even more assistance.
"Somehow we have got to convince the school board that we need someone currently in the school system who will step up to lead the program," Browning said. "(SRES first-grade teacher) Althea Bleckley is kind of taking up where Linda left off, but just at that school."
Bleckley also said Marziliano's volunteer efforts were vital to the project's success, but she echoed Browning's sentiments.
"(Marziliano) was our glue, and she still is," Bleckley said. "But I would like to see the committee form and maintain some uniform guidelines."
Browning said it was important the program succeed and grow because of the economic benefits for the school system and the county.
Browning said the county allotted the recycling department $500,000 annually from the county's general fund to haul trash to landfills across county lines. Revenue from the sales of recycled materials is given back to the county to be used in areas facing economic shortfalls.
"Money from the (school recycling project) could be used to help purchase fuel for county school buses," Browning said.
In May, county schools recycled 7,680 pounds of trash, and in June more than 11,000 pounds. For the first two months of this school year, recycling amounts averaged about 5,000 pounds each month.
Superintendent Matt Arthur said he hoped to see that all waste produced by the schools made its way to the recycling center in the future.
Bleckley welcomed coverage of the recycling efforts.
"This keeps the project alive, because it will remind people of the necessity for the program," Bleckley said.
Since the start of the program in January, more than 58,000 pounds of trash from the schools has been recycled, generating about $3,770 in county revenue, according to Browning.
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