2014 Downtown Trash Bash a Success

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Above: Trash Bash volunteers at the South Limestone location.

The 2014 Downtown Trash Bash on April 18th was a great success! Bluegrass Greensource partnered with the Downtown Lexington Corporation and the Keep Lexington Beautiful Commission to expand this annual litter cleanup to five downtown locations.

We had a wonderful, mild spring afternoon and over 100 volunteers from downtown neighborhoods and businesses enjoyed the weather while picking up litter. Each of the five starting points brought out a great mix of folks, from the UK Student Sustainability Council, who helped clean the flow-through planters on South Limestone, to the staff from Bullhorn Creative, who worked in the North Limestone corridor.

We had great participation from downtown offices at the Fifth Third Bank Pavilion starting point, where WUKY did a live remote broadcast and also bashed some trash themselves. Also at the pavilion, artist Sarah Heller incorporated some of the more interesting finds of the day into an artwork that was later displayed as part of Gallery Hop at the Breadbox Studio Artists stop.

Jefferson Street was hopping, with volunteers cleaning up from the start point at Short Street all the way up to West Sixth Brewing. Participants at the Thoroughbred Park start point helped clean the East End.

A big thanks to all of our sponsors, including those who provided treats for our participants – West Sixth Brewing, North Lime Coffee and Donuts, A Cup of Common Wealth, and Village Host. We had a great time at this event, and look forward to many more!

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Competition "Can" Increase Recycling

Recycle Bowl photoPublic and private school students in Fayette County collected more than 146,000 aluminum cans for recycling during this year’s Recycle-Bowl. In terms of weight, students collected 4,180 pounds of aluminum beverage cans for the contest.

The competition challenged schools in Fayette County to collect and recycle as many aluminum beverage cans as possible from October 21 – November 15. Students from 19 Fayette County schools competed to see which schools could collect the most cans for recycling. This is the eighth consecutive year Lexington schools have participated in an aluminum can recycling competition.

Wise Recycling, Central Kentucky Fiber, the Keep Lexington Beautiful Commission, and the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government’s Division of Waste Management contributed monetary prizes to reward the schools. Additionally, schools were paid by the pound for the cans they recycled through Wise Recycling and Baker Iron and Metal.

The schools that collected and recycled the highest number of cans per student in their respective size category received $750 each. The six schools that collected the most cans regardless of their student size category received $450 each. Schools were eligible to receive only one monetary prize.

The winning schools and the prizes they earned are:

1st place winners:
Lexington Family Care Center, $750
Russell Cave Elementary, $750
Wellington Elementary, $750

Other winners:
Ashland Elementary, $450
Cardinal Valley Elementary, $450
Christ the King School, $450
Lexington Universal Academy, $450
Montessori Middle School, $450
Sayre School, $450

Schools earning certificates are:
• Bryan Station Middle
• Lexington Day Treatment Center
• Madeline McDowell Breckinridge Elementary
• Mary Todd Elementary
• Meadowthorpe Elementary
• Montessori High School
• Morton Middle
• Paul Laurence Dunbar High School
• Rosa Parks Elementary
• School for Creative and Performing Arts
Participating school were recognized for their efforts by the Mayor and Council during the December 5 Urban County Council meeting.

 

 

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