America Recycles Day is November 15
[SAN ANTONIO, TX] – (November 5, 2020) – Joint Base San Antonio (JBSA) will receive the second annual America Recycles Day® (ARD) Recycling Hero Award by Keep Texas Beautiful and Keep America Beautiful®. The ARD Recycling Hero Award recognizes groups or individuals who have made a significant contribution to the promotion or implementation of recycling programs. The award will be presented to JBSA on ARD, a Keep America Beautiful national program and the only nationally recognized day dedicated to celebrating recycling annually on and around November 15.
“Keep America Beautiful is pleased to recognize JBSA for their tireless efforts to recycle and the impressive results they have achieved, especially during these challenging times,” said Helen Lowman, PhD, Keep America Beautiful President and CEO. “JBSA’s service to not only our country, but also to the environment is a perfect demonstration of leadership for other Department of Defense bases to follow.”
Joint Base San Antonio (JBSA) is the largest joint base in the Department of Defense (DOD). The Qualified Recycling Program (QRP) was established in 1998 and has consistently been recognized as one of the best recycling programs in the DOD. Since the recycling program was established, the QRP has increased recycling rates and is now a self-supporting program that does not rely on tax money or outside support. In 2019, JBSA recycling programs diverted 12,058,000 lbs. of recyclables from landfills.
The Qualified Recycling Program is known for its longevity and innovative approach for hard-to-recycle materials, materials reuse, and unique collection and processing ideas. Beyond recycling, JBSA promotes sustainability through energy conservation, green purchasing, and water conservation. The program collaborates with Keep Texas Recycling, a Keep Texas Beautiful program, and supports community education and outreach in the greater San Antonio area with the help of their mascot, “Sheriff R.E. Cycle.”
The program’s success is a credit to the entire Qualified Recycling Program team at Joint Base San Antonio. “As essential workers, our recycling team members are among JBSA’s unsung heroes,” says Alvin Brown, the Environmental Element Chief and JBSA Qualified Recycling Program Manager. “They truly care about our customers and the environment, and are meeting the many challenges and stresses of operating during this challenging and unprecedented time, due to the pandemic, with hard work, perseverance, fortitude, and dedication.” Throughout the pandemic, the staff has ensured that the recycling program continues and meets the needs of the 82,000 active duty, DOD and civilian personnel who work on base, and the 138,000 students who rotate through JBSA annually for training.
Alvin Brown, Environmental Element Chief and JBSA Qualified Recycling Program Manager, is a Keep Texas Beautiful board member.
About Keep Texas Beautiful
Keep Texas Beautiful (KTB) is a non-profit organization dedicated to making Texas the best place to live, work, and play by deploying resources for community improvement projects, clean-ups, and youth engagement efforts across the state. Through our Keep Texas Recycling program, we provide assistance and education to support recycling in rural and underserved communities.
Everything we do is focused on mobilizing volunteers to take action by providing them with tools, resources, and training. Our fieldwork includes research on best practices for litter reduction along with the development of community programs to prevent the flow of litter to the Gulf. Founded in 1967, Keep Texas Beautiful’s work is driven by its network of nearly 300 affiliate member communities, volunteers, and supporters that reach 17 million Texans annually. For more information and to find your closest affiliate, visit www.ktb.org. Follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram.
About Keep America Beautiful
Keep America Beautiful, the nation’s leading community improvement nonprofit organization, inspires and educates people to take action every day to improve and beautify their community environment. Established in 1953, Keep America Beautiful strives to End Littering, Improve Recycling, and Beautify America’s Communities. We believe everyone has a right to live in a clean, green, and beautiful community, and shares a responsibility to contribute to that vision.
The Keep America Beautiful Model for Change – steeped in education, research, and behavioral science – is the cornerstone of Keep America Beautiful. We empower generations of community and environmental stewards with volunteer programs, hands-on experiences, educational curricula, practical advice, and other resources. The organization is driven by the work and passion of more than 650 Keep America Beautiful affiliates, millions of volunteers, and the collaborative support of corporate partners, social and civic service organizations, academia, municipalities, elected officials, and individuals. Join us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. Donate and take action at kab.org.