Hometown Rankin - June & July 2017

her neighbors to recycle as much as they can. For example, she awards
restaurant gift cards or similar items to the family who puts out the most
recyclables that week. Also, Becca is working with her friends to plan
a neighborhood recycling fair. The fair will include a cookout as well as
games and activities designed to educate and encourage recycling and
waste reduction. These incentives encourage her neighbors and motivate
Becca to honor her commitment. “They are expecting me to come by, and
I can’t let them down,” says Becca of her weekly recycling pick-up. Every
Monday, rain or shine, Becca hops in the back of her grandfather’s truck
and picks up the potato sacks full of recyclables, records the weight, and
takes the materials to the drop off center. Since starting the project, Becca
has collected over 3,000 lbs. of recyclables from her neighbors!
In addition, to helping her neighbors recycle, Becca conducts and
participates in several activities to promote and educate the residents
of Rankin County on the many benefits of recycling and other waste
reduction practices. She speaks to groups of all ages including preschool
classes, high school green clubs, and homeowners’ associations; and
manages Instagram and YouTube pages to share what she has learned
and encourage others to recycle in their local area.
Also, Becca has participated for the past two years in the “Project
Rezway” fashion show, an event sponsored by Keep the Reservoir
Beautiful, modeling her homemade fashions made from recycled materials.
This year’s entry, designed with the help of Becca’s grandmother, Kathy,
consisted of a “Steampunk” style outfit made from the fabric of a broken
trampoline, playing cards, coffee filters and other recycled items. The
ensemble was a big hit with the fashion show audience and contest
judges, snagging the Project Rezway first-place prize.
Given these efforts, it’s no wonder local, state, and national organizations
are taking notice of Becca. Recently, she was recognized nationally by Keep
America Beautiful with their 2016 Individual Youth Award. In addition, she
has won awards on the state level from Keep Mississippi Beautiful and was
named “Recycling Star” by the Mississippi Recycling Coalition (MRC).
The “Recycling Star” award was presented on March 2, 2017, at
the state capitol as part of MRC’s annual Recycling Awareness
Day co-sponsored this year by Keep Mississippi Beautiful.
Becca’s efforts have also shined a light on the important issue of
recycling and the desire of residents in Rankin County and across the
state to have better access to recycling services. In addition to the many
environmental benefits, recycling has a significant economic impact in
Mississippi. Recent studies conducted by the Southeastern Recycling
Development Council (SERDC) identified 11 manufacturing facilities
in the state reliant upon recycled material. These factories generate
$2 billion annually and employ nearly 2,000 people. As Becca read in
the article that inspired her efforts, many of the materials these industries
need to develop new consumer goods are being thrown away. Recovered
materials are supporting our local economy, yet Mississippians annually
spend an estimated $70 million to dispose of recyclables worth approximately
$200 million.
For example, KW Plastics, the largest HDPE plastics (milk jugs and
detergent bottles) recovery plant in the world, is just across the state line
in Troy, Alabama. The amount of HDPE plastics currently collected and
delivered from the states of Alabama and Mississippi combined to the
plant for recycling only supply the plant for approximately 2 days. This
means that the plant must go outside of the Southeastern U.S. for its
recovered plastics supply. Despite the value of these recovered materials
to companies like KW Plastics, many residents of our state don’t have the
option of recycling; or as is the case in Rankin County, have very limited
options, making recycling difficult for busy families.
An estimated 60% of Mississippians have access to recycling services
(including both drop-off and curbside recycling programs). Comparing
this percentage with the national average of 96%, it shows that our
state has tremendous potential for growth in the recycling industry
through increased collection of materials. Recycling just 1% of the
4 million tons of residential solid waste disposed of each year in the
state can create 100 new jobs for Mississippians!
Sadly, many of us see the issue of recycling and the lack of access in
Mississippi and the Southeast as a problem too big for the average citizen
to solve. Perhaps we should look at the example set by Miss Becca
Blair and heed her advice: “Even though you’re small, you can
make a difference.” n
Hometown Rankin • 91