6/23/07 McParland Kids Recycle

The following article was published in the Manteca Bulletin Newspaper on 6/23/07, under YOUR VIEWS [page A4]

McParland School doing its part to help reduce garbage

Editor, Manteca Bulletin,

I have written to you before on the matter of recycling. Not only is it possible for a school to recycle, but we at McParland School have been doing it for the past five years.
For four years the sixth grade classes were responsible for taking the Toters around to empty the classroom boxes. This year the leadership class took over and also did a recycling rally; for both sites (Main and Annex).
Last year we even got the blue tubs from the city for each classroom as well as two can, plastic, glass receptacles.
We have Toters in each office, the staff lounge, and the library. Each Tuesday morning when school is in session the Toters are lined up out on the curb for pick up. The first year we implemented the program the custodians commented on the immediate reduction by at least half of the amount of garbage we were generating.
We have also been a part of the Wal-Mart kids recycling challenge which focuses on the recycling of shopping bags for the past two years. We have won the challenge once, came in second and fourth for the other two sessions competing against schools from Manteca, Tracy, and Stockton.
Thanks for bringing attention to this obvious no-brainer -- but give us credit for already doing our part!

Heller Lipsett
Sixth grade teacher
McParland School
June 22, 2007