Now This Is A Recycling Program!

I am always finding the coolest recycling programs in other parts of the country that can be adopted anywhere. This program is no different. This program gets businesses and non-profits involved with the community and the result? You guessed it - a win-win for everyone!

The program is call Project Re-Directory and it is taking place for the 20th year in Topeka, Kansas. A recycling program in its 20th year? What a great success story!

Beginning August 1, the citizens of Topeka can drop off their obsolete phone books at drop off locations all over town, including McDonald's. The program is sponsored by AT&T Real Yellow Pages and organized by Keep America Beautiful-Topeka/Shawnee County. Since Topeka started the first telephone recycling program in Kansas 20 years ago, other communities around the state have set up similar programs. I love it that other communities copied the program. Great programs set the bar for others to follow.

The program is timed with the distribution of new books and will run through September 21. Several businesses are offering incentives to recycle phone books such as buy one/get one free admission to the Topeka Zoo. The kickoff party for the program is even being held at the zoo this Friday in front of the black bear exhibit. Hmmm. Bears, phone books, recycling. Yes, this is the perfect place for a party. AT&T is offering a Project Re-Directory patch to Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts that collect 10 or more phone books. McDonald's is even offering a free small drink for phone book recycling. There is no reason to not recycle those old phone books!

But what can be done with old phone books? I'm glad you asked. Old phone books can be used to make bathroom tissue, paper towels, pastry containers, and even Pringles cans. How cool is that? Phone book recycling is a little more labor intensive due to the adhesive in the the spine, so that is why there is a special program to recycle them.

A lot of people today don't even use phone books. If you are one of these people, please check my blog post from last September to see how you can stop delivery of phone books to your home. If your local community does not have a phone book recycling program and/or your curbside recycling program will not accept them, consider starting a program like the one in Topeka. Keeping items out of landfills is one piece of the puzzle. Making new items from old ones is another. Closing the loop is the key to recycling and if it can be done in Topeka, it can be done in your community.