A Reflection On National Recycling Day, Nov 15

On the first day of our amazing walk on The Camino between Porto, Portugal, and Santiago de Compostella, Spain, last May, my husband and I were overwhelmed by the beauty of the Atlantic Ocean and its unspoiled coastline. Wildflowers, ancient chapels, miles of boardwalks, and gorgeous vistas of variant shades of blue between the ocean and sky, were stunning. In one of the several fishing villages we traversed on that first day, I saw a whimsical recycling container that to me was a warm invitation to dispose of your recyclable waste.

There were no signs with instructions, simply a welcoming place to put your recyclables. I remember thinking that if we had such cute containers in the states, maybe more people would comply.  I found the wire-mesh puffer fish with an open mouth and bright black button eyes compelling.

We were impressed by the many efforts that Portugal is taking to make a difference in saving the planet.  Having lagged behind their European neighbors, they are eager to improve and have mounted an aggressive campaign. In every hotel where we rested for the night, there were helpful reminders of ways to limit consumption of electricity and water to get them to their goal. And in many public spaces there was notification about the ambitious goals Portugal set to do their part in healing the planet.

For America’s upcoming 250th birthday, “Keep America Beautiful,” a national nonprofit founded in 1953 “to inspire and educate people to take action every day to improve and beautify their community environment,” is setting an ambitious challenge.  They hope that Americans will rally around a common goal of removing 25 billion pieces of litter and beautifying 25,000 cities by July 4, 2026.

According to a Harris Poll conducted October 9-14, 2025, among 2,070 US adults, for “Americans Recycle Day,” observed on November 15 annually since 1997, Americans overwhelmingly support recycling, with 87% indicating so. And yet, according to the Environmental Protection Agency, only 32% of recyclable waste is being recycled in our nation, a figure that has remained constant for over a decade.

It came as a shock to my husband and I when we learned that as of September 29, 2025, there would no longer be any curbside removal of recyclables from our home in Wakulla County. We immediately asked other neighbors if they were aware of this change and they indicated that they were not.

We learned from a public service announcement on myWakulla.com that we could keep our issued recyclable bins at no cost and take our recyclable materials to the Wakulla County Landfill (Transfer Station) at 159 Landfill Rd., Crawfordville, Florida, where there would be no cost to  deposit them into the specified containers.  We also began a few conversations with neighbors about organizing a schedule for picking up the neighborhood recyclables to deliver to the transfer station. But that has been over a month ago now and, except for two trips to carry our personal recyclables to the landfill, we have taken no further action.

Which I believe is part of the discrepancy between 86% of us saying we support recycling, and only 32% of us making it happen. We mean well and believe in our hearts that we will put our actions where our mouth is, but sometimes convenience or time constraints or other priorities get in the way of our good intentions. And while we have taken our own recyclables out to the transfer station, the neighborhood discussion has waned.

I hope to renew my concern for finding ways to help get all of our neighborhood recyclables to the transfer station as well.  And I admire the ingenuity and devotion of a Wakulla family that has started Reis Recycling to fill the gap. Those living in Wakulla County wishing to sign up for curbside recycling can call 850-694-6266 for Gabriel, 850-694-6297 for Amanda, or email: werrecycling@yahoo.com for details about fees and availability.

The “Keep America Beautiful” website has an America Recycles Day Quiz to test recycling knowledge.

• I learned that plastic bags or “tanglers” in a recycling bin can be responsible for slowing down or damaging heavy equipment in the recycling process and that items smaller than a fist should not be recycled as they can create issues in the automated sorting process.

• I learned that plastic caps on plastic bottles, that at one time were a problem for recycling because of being different grades of plastic, should now be recycled screwed on the bottles, but this is not so for metal caps on glass containers which should be recycled separately and in specified facilities. Recyclable items must be empty, clean, and dry, as food and liquids contaminate the recycling process.

• Even a bit of cheese or grease on a pizza box can spoil the whole load of recyclable materials.

• Clamshell containers, plastic cutlery, and straws cannot be recycled curbside for various reasons.

• I learned a new word – “wish cycling” – when we put something into a recycling bin with the hope that it will be recyclable.

• The experts encourage us, “when in doubt, keep it out” and consult your local recycling service for details.

We want to recycle properly because it is far easier and more affordable to create with recycled materials than by extracting virgin materials. But the best, easiest, and most affordable way to protect our environment is to not produce  waste in the first place. The most recycled item we have in the United States is individual water bottles. Americans purchase about 50 billion water bottles per year, averaging about 13 bottles per month for every person in the U.S. If we all vowed to use a reusable container to drink our water, imagine the impact that we could make on the environment.

Researchers know that it takes both individual lifestyle changes and collective changes to make the impact that is needed to save our planet. What is so important is not to have good intentions and then not act on them at both the personal discipline level and policy change level.

The commissioners in Wakulla County conducted two surveys and the waste management company a third survey and concluded that relatively few people in the county took advantage of the free recycling curb-side pickup (25%) and most when asked if they would pay for the service if offered said they would not. At the August 2025 commission meeting they voted to end the service and made the change on September 29.

It is estimated that 75% of the trash in our landfills could be recycled if we had the will and made the way.

On this “Americans Recycle Day,” I think of that clever recycle bin in Portugal and want to turn my good intentions into action.  I pray that more of us will be disciplined in our individual actions as well as our public policies to care for the earth in this important way.