High School clubs join efforts to effect local and global change

students with recycling materialsRecycling 8,500 plastic bottles may seem like a humble effort toward solving the planet’s plastic problem. But the reach of Minisink Valley FBLA’s Recycling for Change program aims far beyond reducing the impact of plastic waste.

In collaboration with the new Environmental Club started by special education teacher Anthony Muccari, FBLA students launched Recycling for Change last year. They began by placing recycling bins for bottles/cans in the cafeteria, media center, and select classrooms throughout the high school building.

“The goal of this program was threefold,” said club advisor and business teacher Seth Johnson. “We created another opportunity for FBLA members to volunteer while participating in the district’s ‘Go Green Initiative,’ which helps reduce the costs of waste disposal; and established another means of raising funds for the Backpack Program and Minisink Cares.”

During the 2018-2019 school year, Minisink Valley FBLA used bottle/can return refunds to purchase over $300 worth of food and personal care items for these important outreach programs.

Overall recycling efforts of FBLA and Environmental Club members resulted into more than 6,000 returns of bottles and cans, and the recycling of an additional 2,500 non-redeemable containers.