Ada High revives recycling program

Blue recycling bins have made their debut signifying the return of the recycling program. This year, Ada High has begun to recycle after the demise of the program a few years earlier. The Chickasaw Nation provided both the recycling trailer and the blue tubs that are located in the school.

Ron Anderson, AHS Leadership teacher revealed why he wanted to bring recycling back after so long. “The Chickasaw Nation approached us about participating in the program. They are in a partnership with the City of Ada and the Ada Recycling Coalition. I was also told that the recycling program a few years ago failed because of several reasons:

• Contamination – Students did not follow directions on the tubs by throwing all kind of items in them. This creates a lot more work for those emptying the containers.
• It’s Messy– Students throwing away things other than containers. To make matters worse, they wouldn’t empty the contents before disposing, thus, creating a big mess.
• Participation- Statistically, less than 20% of students participated in the recycling program, and the same held true for the students at Ada High. As a result, the administration determined that it was a useless cause.

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Photo: Jacky Lopez

Recycling buckets located by the Senior Lockers

Anderson would like the public to know about the recycling program. He believes that recycling is how we can create a better world for our future generations. “I believe once you begin recycling at home at your business or school, it becomes addictive. I’m at that point where I actually feel guilty when I don’t recycle or can’t find a recycling bin. I hope everyone feels the same someday.”

Anderson states that all you have to go is Google “Recycling Facts” to learn all you need to know about recycling. You will notice that there have been great strides made in getting people on board, however, there are some students that are not aware of the significance of recycling. “We will keep educating the students and teachers of the importance to recycling through announcements, signs and other measures.” said Anderson

Overall student and faculty reaction to the return of the recycling program have been positive. Ali Lawson, an Ada High counselor, is a former leadership teacher who was involved in recycling projects at AHS in previous years. Lawson said, “Recycling is so important because it’s our Earth and once we run out of these resources you can’t get them back.”

Danielle Noe, a sophomore at Ada, was very impacted by the news that Ada High began to recycle. Noe said, “I think that recycling program coming back is probably the best thing for the high school because it shows our teacher and students how to keep our environment clean and have a healthy lifestyle all together.