America Recycles Day is Nov. 15. Keep Fayette Beautiful is coordinating a variety local activities between Nov. 14-21 to help Fayette residents learn more about recycling and the availability of products made from recycled materials.

At least 45 states will participate in the second annual America Recycles Day. The campaign, which seeks to increase awareness about recycling and buying recycled, is coordinated nationally by the National Recycling Coalition. This year's theme is "If You're Not Buying Recycled, You're Not Really Recycling.:

Local events coordinated by Keep Fayette Beautiful include an aluminum recycling contest which is currently on-going in all Fayette County Schools. Classes are saving aluminum cans, tabs and pie plates to be turned in to Sweet Returns Recycling Company, local sponsor of the contest, on Nov. 21, Sweet Rewards will pay each participating class two cents above the going market rate (currently about 35 cents per pound) for all aluminum collected during the contest period.

In addition, the three classes collecting the most aluminum will be treated to a pizza party and will win cash prizes of $110, first place; $80, second place; and $60, third place. Local residents are encouraged to sell back aluminum for recycling as well. Sweet Returns is located at 205 Georgia Avenue West in Fayetteville and is open Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. and on Saturday from 8:30 a.m.-2 p.m.

Other activities include partnerships with local retailers who will highlight products made from and/or packaged in recycled materials through in-store displays, shelf talkers and posters. Participating retailers include Home Depot (also a national sponsor of American Recycles Day), Publix at the Fayette Pavilion and Publix at Peachtree East, Office Depot and K-Mart at Braelinn Village in Peachtree City.

Composting (nature's way of recycling) classes will be held at the Fayetteville Home Depot on Nov. 14 at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. A "learn to compost" open house will be held on Nov. 21 at the Compost Demonstration Site located behind Kentucky Fried Chicken in Braelinn Village Shopping Center. The demonstration site includes examples of eight different types of composting bins, and an educational kiosk which illustrates the basics of composting, what materials can be composted and uses for finished compost. These composting activities will be conducted by Master Gardeners and Master Composters from the Fayette County Cooperative Extension Service.

From Nov. 16-20, a display in the Fayette County Extension Service will highlight products made from recycled materials. Information will be available on recycling (including a list of items that can be recycled in Fayette County) and buying recycled.

To develop awareness and encourage the purchase of recycled products, a national contest has been ordered. The grand prize is "The American Green Dream House," a beautiful three-bedroom home built primarily with recycled-content materials and valued at more than $200,000. Organizers challenge all Americans to pledge to increase their purchases of products made from, and packaged in, recycled materials. Pledges can be made on contest entry forms which will be available at Home Depot or in the Fayette County Extension office. The extension office is open Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Pledges and contest entries can also be submitted on-line at http://www.americarecyclesday.org. For more information, call 770-460-5730, ext. 134.

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