Dr. Karen Bell

Keep Liberty Beautiful

Every year, over 1 billion people across the planet observe Earth Day on and around April 22. In Liberty County, we celebrated Earth Day on April 12 with a family festival. Other places worldwide have held trash cleanups, some people have written to their elected officials demanding change, and other communities have held educational events.

For 2025, the 55th anniversary year, the theme “Our Power, Our Planet” focused on supporting the tripling of renewable energy by 2030, which is championing solar, wind, hydroelectric, geothermal, and tidal generated energy. Keep Liberty Beautiful enjoys celebrating the Earth and educating our community on what we can do to improve our environment. One way we all can help is by recycling, which is one of the easiest ways to make a daily difference for a healthy environment! Recycling reduces the amount of waste ending up in the limited amount of landfill space we have. It also minimizes the number of toxins that can leak out of landfills and possibly end up in groundwater sources.

Recycling also makes it possible to conserve natural resources much more effectively. The other essential thing to know about recycling is that once you begin recycling, it is a straightforward process that can easily fit into your daily routine. Recycling is simple if you start with a couple of items to collect. Then add additional items as recycling becomes a habit.

There is a misconception that recycling takes a lot of time. It does not! When recycling is set up wisely, it is as easy as tossing items in the trash can, but you just have to use a different container for them. Recycling is a simple process that can easily fit into your daily routine.

We have a county-operated drop-off system for recycling here in Liberty County. We offer a convenient recycling bag system to make the collection process much more manageable. These bags can hang in a pantry or on cabinet knobs and are ready at a moment’s notice when you head out with your recycling. If you are interested in a set of bags, please contact us at Keep Liberty Beautiful.

The other offering we provide every quarter to make recycling easier is our Recycle It! Fairs for collecting numerous household items that cannot be dropped off at local recycling drop-off centers. This quarter’s fairs are scheduled for Saturday, May 3, from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. at two convenient locations this time: Liberty County Community Complex 9397 East Oglethorpe in Midway

and Walthourville City Hall 222 Busbee Drive in Walthourville Here are the items we will recycle:

• Electronics and electronic accessories

• Cell phones and accessories

• CFLs and fluorescent light bulbs (4 inches or less)

• Used motor oil and antifreeze

• Car batteries.

• Household batteries

• Printer ink and toner cartridges

• Telephone books, large sale catalogs, and books

• Household goods, clothes, and shoes (gently used, please)

• Old prescription medications and over-the-counter medications (no needles or syringes) We will also have a Free Shred Day on May 3 at the Liberty County Community Complex in Midway only. Please make sure that the papers are not wet and are metal- free. In America, the current recycling rate is 32%. While progress is being made, considerable efforts remain necessary to reach the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) National Recycling Goal of 50% by 2030. We all should do our part by collecting items now that can be recycled. Please bring a few things in and see how easy it is to become a recycler! If you have a lot of stuff stored away, you need to visit us! Remember, your participation is essential in achieving our recycling goals. For more information on recycling and shredding needs, contact Keep Liberty Beautiful at (912) 880-4888 or klcb@libertycountyga.gov.