Metro Recycling Makes Community Outreach a Priority

Sponsoring a Boys and Girls Club “Day for Kids” event at Zao Island last weekend is just one of the many ways Metro Recycling gets involved in the community.‬‬

‪Community support is a priority for the recycling center with locations in Valparaiso, Griffith and Blue Island, Illinois. Recycling education is just one of the ways that they give back to the community, says LaRae Dykstra, marketing director at Metro Recycling.‬‬

‪“We are passionate about educating the community on recycling and the environment,” Dykstra said. “It is important to us to let community members know the importance of recycling and just how much of a difference it makes.”‬‬

‪Dykstra pointed out one of the many benefits of recycling. By recycling just one aluminum can, the energy saved from that could power a television for three hours.‬‬

‪For hands on learning, Metro Recycling offers tours of their three locations. The tours are free, but Metro’s education director must be contacted ahead of time in order to schedule a tour or presentation.‬‬

‪An educational coloring book is given to children that visit. Titled “Recycling Our Past to Save Our Future,” the book provides kids games such as filling in ways they can help take care of the environment, how many words they can make using the letters in “environment,” and a “find the litter” game that encourages children against throwing garbage where it does not belong.‬‬

‪On the inside cover, each child is asked to sign their name to a statement that indicates they pledge to “recycle, save energy, buy recycled products and keep the environment clean.”‬‬

‪Children, whether at Metro’s yard or other community events, are entertained by “Scrappy the Turtle” - Metro’s popular mascot. Scrappy is so popular that not only is Metro’s Twitter handle @scrappy1988, but he was named Mascot of the Year in 2013 by Waste and Recycling News - beating out the mascots in Houston, Texas for the title.‬‬

‪For high school students, Metro Recycling offers a $1,000 scholarship to one senior at Valparaiso and Griffith high schools in Indiana and Blue Island high schools in Illinois. In its third year, the program aims to encourage those wishing to study the environment, but being environmental studies major is not required, Dykstra said. Following a short application process, the student is selected in May before being presented with their award. So far, six students have been awarded the scholarship.‬‬

‪Metro also works closely with the Recycling and Waste Reduction District of Porter County. Metro is involved with the districts Master Recycler program, which is held every spring and fall, annual Earth Day event, and most recently they partnered with the district to put on an America Recycles day video competition.‬‬

Metro is highly involved in all the communities they serve. They support organizations such as Opportunity Enterprises in Valparaiso, Blue Cap in Blue Island, and Habitat for Humanity in Griffith. Metro is also a member of numerous chambers across both Indiana and Illinois. In the Hoosier state, they are part of the Griffith, Valpo, Duneland and Crossroads chambers. In Illinois, they are part of the Blue Island and Southland chambers.

For more information on Metro, their tours or community involvement, please visit Metro’s community outreach page on their website, www.wheredoirecycle.com.