Vehicles lined up throughout the morning Friday for the Salem Community High School’s 12th annual Green Team Recycling Day.
Green Team Co-Sponsor Drew Johnson says by the time it was all over 21 pallets of old printers, computer towers, and flat screen TV’s had been collected.
“The government made a law that you can’t throw it away but they didn’t really give you anywhere else to go with it so we are the source in our community.”
SCHS students Kel Knight (left) and Richard Wagas (right) load a flat-screen TV into one of the boxes used to sort electronic recycling items. Photo by Bruce Kropp.
Co-Sponsor Kari Thackery notes they used to do a lot more recycling, but difficulty in finding markets for cardboard, paper, and plastic products has caused the Green Team in recent years to stick with electronic recycling. Thackery, who is leaving SCHS after 14 years at the end of this year, has fond memories of starting the Green Team with Johnson.
“I always love to see all the old funny stuff that our kids don’t know what they are. So we have had a couple of typewriters brought in today and kids are like what is this? We get pictures of them pretending to type. Or they hold these really big floppy phones saying take my picture. Anytime seeing the kids be silly is really enjoyable.”
Thackery says she will miss Salem High, but elected to take a job at Flora High School starting next year to avoid the 30-minute drive each way from her hometown of Flora.
Students in Johnson’s and Thackery’s morning classes all assisted the Green Team in unloading items from vehicles on Friday morning.
The electronic recycling drive is held on the Friday closest to Earth Day each year.
SCHS students helping with the recycling drive led by Green Team co-sponsors Drew Johnson and Kari Thackery. Photo by Bruce Kropp.
