Change habits: Go green for Recycled Glass Week
By Jim Roth | Phillips Murrah P.C. |
The Journal Record
[ SEPTEMBER 21, 2009 - OKLAHOMA CITY, OK ] - Changing our habits and our use of natural resources is not for the weak, but is truly for the strong at heart. Change is never easy, but we have a chance to begin making America’s environment and economy stronger, even if you just participate one week a year, for now. Many people routinely recycle cans and a growing number are also recycling glass. There are many environmental benefits. Recycling glass saves raw materials, uses less energy and reduces CO2 emissions. One recycled beer bottle saves enough energy to run your computer for 30 minutes.
Therefore, an event we should take notice of is Recycled Glass Week, which starts Monday.
The host of the event, the Alexandria, Va.-based Glass Packing Institute, is asking consumers to recycle their glass bottles and jars to help reduce the amount of recyclable materials entering landfills and help create a greener future.
Collection events and competitions will be held to encourage glass recycling across the United States and two are scheduled in Oklahoma. Employees at the Anchor Glass plant in Henryetta will offer a glass container collection event at the plant site and will also place collection bins at six other locations throughout the community.
The city of Muskogee is teaming up with Owens-Illinois Inc., the largest manufacturer of glass containers in the world, to place a city glass drop at the local recycling center. Consumers who bring glass containers to be recycled will have a chance to win prizes.
Through creating more awareness about the environmental benefits of glass container recycling, GPI members hope to help the industry reach a nationwide goal of 50-percent recycled content in the manufacturing of new glass bottles and jars by 2013. Using the Environmental Protection Agency’s benefits calculator, GPI estimates energy savings from using 50-percent recycled content in all glass packages manufactured in the U.S. could save enough energy to power more than 45,000 households for a year.
Also, mark your calendars for the 11th annual America Recycles Day Nov. 15. Sponsored by the National Recycling Coalition, it is the only nationally recognized day dedicated to encouraging Americans to recycle and buy recycled products.
For this event, the Oklahoma Recycling Association is hosting a statewide contest in which Oklahoma high school students will compete to produce the best public service announcement about recycling. Cash prizes will be given to the top three contenders and the winning entry will be broadcast on local television stations. Winners will be announced Nov. 15.
Jim Roth, a former Oklahoma corporation commissioner, is an attorney with Phillips Murrah P.C. in Oklahoma City, where his practice focuses on clean, green energy for Oklahoma.