Mayor reaches out to children to lead way in recycling
Franklin Mayor Ken Moore visited Liberty Elementary School Nov. 15, 2013, to kick off continued efforts by the Franklin “Blue Bag Curbside Recycling Program,” which will encourage Franklin residents to recycle. November 15 is widely recognized as “National Recycling Day.”
The initiative instituted by the City of Franklin, is now looking toward the city’s youngest recyclers – elementary school children – to help expand the program’s success.
“Children today are more educated than ever about the benefits of recycling to our environment and our city,” said Mayor Moore. “As many parents out there know, children are also one of the biggest drivers of behavioral change. We want recycling to be a Franklin family tradition, and most traditions are born with children.”
Students, parents and teachers at Liberty Elementary School will be featured in a local advertising and marketing campaign promoting the use of blue trash bags to recycle approved materials. Mayor Moore, Aldermen Brandy Blanton, Michael Skinner and Margaret Martin were at the school today to thank the participants and encourage students to share their passion for recycling with their families. They also helped load vehicles with “Blue Bag starter kits,” which are being delivered to Franklin residents this week. The kits include blue bags and informational materials about recycling.
In three years, the “blue bag” curbside recycling program has achieved a participation rate of 46 percent of Franklin households. The diversion rate is 15 percent (percentage of total items that would have gone to the landfill if not recycled).
For more information on what can and can’t be recycled in Franklin, and to learn more about the campaign, visit www.franklintn.gov/bluebag. This marketing effort is funded by the TDOT special litter reduction grant.