If you recycle paper, you know how much this effort significantly reduces the amount of trash you generate. Thanks to two new programs, you can recycle newspapers and other mixed paper while helping neighborhood schools and other organizations.

The City and Laidlaw Waste Systems created a program called SMART-Students Make a Recycling Team. More than 100 paper recycling bins are at area schools. Marked with the SMART logo, these bins accept newspapers, catalogs, magazines, and advertising inserts.

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This program regards each participating school and its surrounding area as a “mini-community” and hopes to increase recycling efforts throughout the neighborhoods.

Recycling with the SMART program supports Dallas Public Schools since the proceeds are given to the sponsoring school. For information about the program and locations call Sheila Overton at 670-4475.

You may have noticed turquoise recycling bins out in the community. They are part of Champion Recycling’s program called Paper Retrievers. These bins also accept newspapers, catalogs, magazines, and advertising inserts. Champion contracts with the Richardson Independent School District and various businesses for this program. Revenue generated from the recycled paper is given to the sponsoring organization. For information about the program and its locations call Carlos Rovelo at 613-7900.

When you recycle newspaper for curbside pickup or at locations such as Fair Oaks Transfer Station, the proceeds benefit the City. If you would rather support a certain school or organization, take your paper to the bin on its premises.

Remember that the City’s igloo drop-off program also benefits the location’s sponsor. Look for a sign located close to the igloos to determine the sponsor. Items accepted at igloos include aluminum cans and glass (clear, green and brown).

Meanwhile, the City’s curbside program in District 4 is a success. The program’s goal was to reduce the total amount of garbage headed to landfills by a minimum of six percent. Figures for April indicated a 6.53 percent rate. Now that the new city council is in place, we need to let our council members know that we want citywide curbside pickup. The success of District 4’s program would be multiplied if curbside pickup was available to everyone.

Glad Bag-A-Thon is a Success

Keep Dallas Beautiful’s ninth annual spring cleanup was quite an achievement. The kickoff day for this year’s Glad Bag-A-Thon was the largest ever with 3,000 people responding.

More than 48,000 volunteers cleaned up litter from neighborhoods, school yards, parks, roadsides and other public land for what was to be a month-long event. The program was so successful that it was extended for two weekends.