Sherry Surrette, Ph.D.

Environmental Education - Associate Extension Professor, Central MS Research & Extension Center

1320 Seven Springs Road, Raymond, MS 39154

(Office) 601-857-2284: (Cell) 601-720-8876



Unbeknownst to many Mississippians, an army of public servants work diligently each day to extend knowledge and change lives across our state. This army is formally known as the Mississippi State University – Extension Service. Local Extension Offices exist in all 82 counties of Mississippi. The Extension Service is the statewide, community-based education agency of MSU that has existed for over 100 years. 

As of August 2022, Dr. Sherry Surrette became the statewide Environmental Education - Associate Professor for the Extension Service. Dr. Surrette has been a long-standing collaborative partner with Keep Mississippi Beautiful and its Wildflower Trails of Mississippi campaign. She is hopeful that this program will create additional opportunities for the Extension Service Offices to work collaboratively with KMB and its affiliates across Mississippi.

The Keep America Beautiful America Recycles Day is the only nationally-recognized day dedicated to promoting and celebrating recycling in the United States. Held on and around Nov. 15, America Recycles Day educates and encourages individuals on how to be more mindful of what they consume, where and how to properly recycle, and to pledge to reduce, reuse, and recycle right in their everyday lives.  

The #BeRecycled pledge is a promise to actively choose to live a recycled lifestyle by: 

1. Recycling at home, work, school and on the go when available; 
2. Reusing, repurposing, reducing; and 
3. Educating and encouraging friends, family, and neighbors to take the #BeRecycled pledge

Take the Pledge! #BeRecycledPledge

Recycling in Mississippi: Answering the Call

As we travel the state discussing the many environmental and economic benefits of recycling, we overwhelmingly receive a positive response from audiences of all ages and backgrounds. Mississippians know and understand the reasons for recycling, and they are eager to participate.  However, only half of our residents have access to recycling services.  There are many reasons for this lack of access: funding and staff shortages, the high costs of collection and transportation of materials due to the rural nature of Mississippi, confusion around accepted materials leading to contamination, lack of recycling infrastructure, and fluctuating market values for recyclables. 

Even with these challenges, the fact remains that Mississippians want the opportunity to recycle in their local area.  In addition, recyclables continue to be in high demand by manufacturers all over the country, such as Amazon, Pepsi, Coke, Procter and Gamble, just to name a few.  

Let us all be inspired by and encourage our fellow affliates, our residents and other local, state and national organizations to continue to make their voices heard and work together to move recycling programs, clean-up efforts, beautification projects and other initiatives forward in our communities.  If we all continue to work together, we can bring about significant positive change for the Great State of Mississippi.

Jennifer Milner

State Recycling Coordinator

Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality

milner@mdeq.ms.gov

Keep America Beautiful national trainer Sue Smith with support from Keep Mississippi Beautiful staff certified five new Mississippi affiliates and pre-certified one new community in October, 2022.

Keep Booneville Beautiful, Exec. Director, Lori Tucker

Keep Iuka Beautiful Exec. Director, Emily Bell

Keep Pearl River County Beautiful Exec. Director, Christy Goss

Keep Chickasaw County Beautiful Exec. Director, Patsy Gregory

Keep Stone County Beautiful

Exec. Director, Timothy Barnaba

KAB pre-certification of the

City of Saltillo.

South Mississippi Wildflower Trails of Mississippi Workshop

Dr. Brett Rushing, from the Coastal Plain Branch Experiment Station, led a wildflower workshop in Magee, Miss. Many thanks to Peoples Bank for providing the meeting space and to Evelyn Copeland for assisting in arrangements.