RECYCLE OLD TRASH CANS TODAY!

****Don't have your new cans yet? Can't drop your gently used ones off today? Don't worry another drop off time will be announced later on this month. Check back for more details!****

As Allied Waste looks to kick off its automated trash pickup program in the city, the North Ridgeville Green Team, Girl Scouts and the Lorain County Habitat for Humanity are coordinating efforts to reuse and recycle.

While Green Fest President Tori McConoughey offered a litany of suggestions on what to do with the soon-to-be obsolete cans, she’s working to raise funds for Habitat through recycling efforts.

McConoughey said residents’ old cans will be cleaned, painted and resold at their ReStore, and that the funds would be used to benefit area building projects.

“It’s so much better than it ending up in the landfill,” she said. “We’re hoping to make small changes here.”

She’s not kidding when she says “small changes” — McConoughey would be happy if 100 out of North Ridgeville’s approximately 11,500 homes recycled or reused their old can, but she is orchestrating efforts to boost that number in any way she can.

A trash can recycling drive will take place from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 2 at the All American Sports Center, 37500 Center Ridge Road in North Ridgeville. There will be a Habitat truck parked in the lot.

Nearby Meadow Lakes development residents need not make the short drive and can place their old trash cans on their curb between 9-11 a.m. the same day. A few Green Team volunteers will drive around and collect them then.

McConoughey said there will be additional drives later in the month for residents who cannot participate on April 2.

“It should be super-easy,” she said.

The Green Team is encouraging recycling in the city with their new website, NRGreenTeam.org, which itemizes the city’s recycling policy and provides information about the new automated program.

Mayor David Gillock also lauded local Girl Scouts for their own recycling awareness campaign.

“They’re helping get the word out that recycling is good,” Gillock said.

What to do with those old cans: About 23,000 automated trash pick-up trash and recycling bins will be delivered to North Ridgeville residents by the end of this week. Since the program aims to increase recycling, the North Ridgeville Green team offers suggestions on what to do with all the old ones:

Reuse it: Use it for something else in your home, such as a compost bin.

Pass it on: Give it to someone who needs a can, such as residents of neighboring cities.

Donate it: Gently used cans can be donated to Habitat for Humanity ReStore during the month of April. Residents can also drop them off at The All American Sports Center between 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 2. Volunteers will pick up cans in the Meadow Lakes Development from 9 to 11 a.m. on April 2.

Recycle it: Plastic cans marked #1 or #2 can be cut into small pieces and recycled in the new cart. Garbage cans are too large to go through Allied Waste’s machinery and can not be recycled as they are.

Leave it on the curb: Residents can write ‘take me’ on their trash cans and on trash day, they will be taken to the landfill.

See article: http://blog.cleveland.com/thesun/2011/04/groups_work_to_recycle_north_r.html#cmpid=v2mode_be_smoref_face