Press Release: Gwinnett Clean & Beautiful Looks to America Recycles Day as an Opportunity to Motivate and Educate

Environmentally-Focused Nonprofit Organization Identifies Unsung Recycling “Superheroes”; Encourages Local Students and Residents to Participate in “Sidekick Story” Essay Contest

Recycle binDuluth, Georgia, October 22, 2015 – Inspired by the upcoming America Recycles Day (ARD) November 15, Gwinnett Clean & Beautiful has issued a call to local students and residents to take park in its new “Sidekick Story” essay contest. First established by the National Recycling Coalition in 1997 and now a nationwide initiative of Keep America Beautiful, ARD represents the only nationally recognized day dedicated to encouraging Americans to recycle and buy recycled products. At the local level, Gwinnett Clean & Beautiful has opted to host the contest as a means to increase awareness in place of a one-day event – as it has for the last 17 years. To that end, the environmentally-focused nonprofit has identified four unsung superheroes of the recycling bin, and is looking for willing participants to play the role of sidekick to tell the all-important tale of their favorite hero.

“By issuing a call for submissions now, we will have people talking and thinking about recycling for several weeks – rather than just on the day of the ARD event,” explained Connie Wiggins, Executive Director for Gwinnett Clean & Beautiful. “We are looking for creativity, as well as valid arguments as to WHY recycling is good for our community. This contest is the perfect offshoot to our recently launched ME Campaign. We really want to get people thinking about ME – which stands for My Environment – as well as ways to take care of ME. Recycling is a vital component in keeping ME clean – so submissions that infuse ‘ME’ into their story will get extra points.”

Gwinnett Clean & Beautiful has identified the following as “unsung superheroes” of the recycling bin, as they are frequently overlooked and all too often wind up in landfills – but when recycled can go on to do and be great things:

  • Paper
  • Cardboard
  • Plastic Beverage and Detergent Bottles
  • Aluminum Cans

Individual environmental stewards and entire classrooms throughout Gwinnett are encouraged to play the role of sidekick to one or more of these recycling bin superheroes, then submit a one-page essay detailing their adventures and answering the following questions:

  • How do these superheroes help me?
  • How does recycling these superheroes help our community and environment?

The Gwinnett Clean & Beautiful team will review essays and prizes will be awarded for most outstanding essays that identify these recycling superheroes and reasons to recycle them. Each entry represents a chance to win one of three prizes:

  • $100 Prize for Best 1-page essay written by a Gwinnett County Elementary or Middle School Student
  • $100 Prize for Best 1-page essay written by a Gwinnett County High School Student
  • $250 Prize for Best Overall 1-page essay – No Age Limit

Gwinnett Clean & Beautiful reserves the right to publish any and all essays the organization receives. By submitting an essay for consideration, entrants automatically agree to those terms. To be considered for a prize, essays must be sent in digital format (either Word document or PDF) to SGann@GwinnettCB.org by 11:59 p.m. Sunday, November 15. Winners will be announced by November 30, 2015. Entrants are requested to include Name, Grade/School (if school-age student), Category they Wish to Enter and Contact Information (phone, mailing address and email address) on their essay submission. All participants must be Gwinnett County residents. Only one submission per person will be considered.

About Gwinnett Clean & Beautiful:  Gwinnett Clean & Beautiful Services, Inc. (GCB) is a Keep America Beautiful affiliate and award-winning 501(c)(3) charitable organization. It boasts an expansive community-based network dedicated to finding long-term solutions to environmental and quality of life issues through individual action. The organization is guided by a 55-member Citizens Advisory Board that represents all sectors of the Gwinnett County community. A nationally recognized leader in creating cleaner, greener and more livable communities throughout Gwinnett, GCB involves more than 100,000 volunteers annually to clean and restore public places, recycle more, protect watersheds and develop the next generation of environmental stewards.

Image Source: Geoffrey Whiteway/Stockvault (with modifications)

 

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