Spring / Summer 2001- America Recycles Day will once again be celebrated on November 15. For the past three years, we have been engaged in promoting the America Recycles Day as a means of calling attention to the importance of recycling . . . of purchasing recycled . . . and in general helping promote the preservation of our valuable resources through this means.

Last year, we promoted a contest to find the top 10 recyclers in Kentucky in the private sector and in the schools. Six of our top recyclers in the private sector were recognized and given plaques by the administration. We had such a good response that we will be repeating this contest again this year. This is an outstanding way for us to get to tell the story of the private businesses in Kentucky and what they are doing in recycling. In general, the people of Kentucky don't realize what business is doing to reduce…reuse, and recycle. This gives us an opportunity to tell that story.

This is nothing new to BIRP. After all, we were founded in l980 with that purpose in mind, and we gave impetus to recycling in Kentucky when there was no one else really involved. Our bottlers and distributors developed programs to make recycling an everyday practice. We have continued to promote this concept over the years. BIRP has been in the forefront of coordinating the activities of collection centers . . . finding end buyers for recycled products . . . promoting curbside collection as the best means of gathering the greatest amount of recyclable materials in the most efficient way. Our Soft Drink Bottlers have all joined in the Adopt a Highway Program and are working to do their part to clean up litter on the highways.

In addition, BIRP has supported other organizations as they have worked to clean up litter and find recyclables. We have supported the efforts of the Area Development Districts . . . of the Southern Appalachian Recycling program . . . the East Kentucky Recycling Authority . . . Operation PRIDE, and many more. We have brought experts in to meet with local city/county officials to assist them in planning curbside collection programs. This industry supported program has shown the good faith efforts of soft drink bottlers, grocers, beer wholesalers, corporate home offices . . . national associations and others who make up the membership of this organization.

BIRP continues its efforts, and continues to educate and promote through its many contacts the effort to make Kentucky one of the top recycling states in the nation. It's the right thing to do.