How did you celebrate Earth Day?   

Send your Earth Day stories and pictures to Jenn Cooper for the next CRA newsletter. 

Dart Container Corporation's manufacturing plant in Randleman, NC will host a CRA Lunch, Learn, & Network event on May 22nd from 10am-2pm.  The lunch and learn will include presentations by experts in the field, a networking lunch, and a tour of Dart's foam recycling program.  Speakers include Christine Cassidy from the Dart Corporation, Mike Greene from NC DEACS, and Matt Todd from Resource Recycling Systems.  You'll get to take a close-up look at a "densifier", a machine that removes air from foam packaging and materials so that it can be shipped more efficiently, making it a more viable option for recycling programs.  Information about how to apply for grants towards purchasing densifiers will also be presented.  The event, including lunch, is free but spots are limited and registration is requiried. 

Click here for more info and registration for Lunch, Learn, & Network at Dart

For the 2017 Annual Awards the CRA recognized those working on the cutting edge of recycling to change how materials management works in the Carolinas.

Pitt County celebrated the grand opening of their new construction and demolition (C&D) sorting facility on April 5 with a ribbon cutting ceremony.  With a goal of recycling 75% of all C&D materials, the county could save as much as $290,000 or more each year in disposal costs by diverting materials from disposal and preserving valuable landfill space. "I'm excited that it's going to take Pitt County Solid Waste and Recycling to a new level," John Demary, director of Pitt County Solid Waste and Recycling, said. "We will begin to offer the public and construction companies more ways to recycle their products and their waste."
There is even a video on YouTube about the project:  Click here to watch it now!  

Check out the Daily Reflector for more info on the Pitt County C&D facility 

Harnett County recently opened their new Johnsonville Recycling Convenience Center and celebrated Earth Day with the grand opening of their Campbell Recycling Convenience Center for county residents. The County received grants from the NC Division of Environmental Assistance & Customer Service (DEACS) to assist with the creation of these new and improved recycling convenience centers.  Along with increased environmental education & outreach efforts, these new facilities aim to reduce illegal dumping and littering while providing increased access to efficient recycling services and household trash disposal, encouraging stewardship throughout the county.

Click here for more info on the Harnett County Recycling Program 

Don't Waste Food SC is hosting a stakeholder meeting from 10:00 am - 2:00 pm on May 3, 2017 at the Hyatt Regency Greenville Pergola Room, 220 North Main Street, Greenville, SC. They will kick off the Don't Waste Food SC campaign in the Upstate, have a roundtable discussion with the latest updates on food recovery and are planning on taking a tour of a local business with a food recovery/composting program.  Meeting registration ends April 25.

Click here for more info and registration for the Don't Waste Food SC meeting 

Keep America Beautiful, the nation's leading nonprofit that envisions a country in which every community is a clean, green and beautiful place to live, announced that Helen Lowman, who served as an appointee of President Barack Obama at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Peace Corps, has been named the organization's new president and CEO. She will assume the role on May 1.

"The work of Keep America Beautiful is now more important than ever. I am passionate in my belief that every American has a right to live in a community that is clean, green and beautiful, and I feel a strong responsibility to help fulfill that vision," said Lowman. "Keep America Beautiful's strong grassroots affiliate network reflects the diversity of America, and is engaged in meaningful volunteer work that empowers and enriches the communities we serve. I am deeply humbled and honored to lead this iconic organization into its next phase of innovation, relevance, and strategic growth."

Click here for the full press release at Keep America Beautiful  

Is your community looking for a new way to increase recycling and reduce disposal? How about regulating costs and extending the life of landfills? Register to attend this free webinar to learn how to plan, write, and implement a mandatory recycling ordinance in your community.  The webinar will feature stories that will help you to avoid common pitfalls, best practices to ensure your ordinance is practical and fair, and a free "Roadmap to Mandatory Recycling Planner" to stay organized.

Click here for more info and registration at ReTRAC Connect