Recycle-O-Rama casts wide net on what can be reused
Warren-Newport Public Library and the Solid Waste Agency of Lake County celebrated America Recycles Day Saturday by holding a Recycle-O-Rama.
Residents brought everything from broken crayons and used books to worn gym shoes to the Gurnee library.
"This is the first time we've celebrated America Recycles Day in Lake County. I hope this is the beginning of a new tradition," said Merleanne Rampale, public information officer for the solid waste agency.
Hundreds of broken crayons will be recycled in a children's program in January. Kids and parents will transform the crayons into new shapes, said Diane Braun, who heads children's programming.
"Instead of throwing away these old crayons, kids and parents will peel off the labels, sort and place into molds. It should be a fun project," she said.
Wadsworth and Gurnee Lions club members joined forces to staff a table. Members had collected 300 eyeglasses and 100 cell phones midway through the event, said Michele Kaminski, secretary of the Gurnee Lions Club.
Library trustee Laurie Styrcula, a Hospira employee, brought in bags of eyeglasses, batteries, inkjet cartridges, crayons, cell phones and pagers that co-workers had donated.
"We had a collection in our department, and everyone was very generous," she said.
Members of the library's Teen Advisory Group volunteered, helping Lions' club members, as well as organizing a free book and puzzle swap.
"The book swap has been really popular. It's a good thing," said TAG member Hope Litwin, 17, a junior at Challenger School in Niles.
Members of Mother Earth's Concerned Students, an environmental club at Warren High School, pulled metal eyelets from the gym shoes.
"This is just one of the things we do to help the environment," said Andy Boncher, MECS co-advisor.
Retailers Trader Joe's and Ten Thousand Villages exhibited at Recycle-O-Rama.
"The three "R's" of reduce, reuse and recycle are well known, but the fourth "R," buying products made from recycled materials, is equally important," said Kim Vander Yacht, who works at the Ten Thousand Villages store at Prairie Crossing in Grayslake.
From decorative panels made from recycled oil drums to holiday ornaments made from discarded soda cans, Ten Thousand Villages offers items crafted by artisan groups in Africa, Asia and Latin America, Vander Yacht said.
Now in its 11th year, America Recycles Day is the only nationally recognized day dedicated to encouraging Americans to recycle and to buy recycled products.