America Recycles Day Billboard Contest Announced for Fall 2017

The 8th Annual America Recycles Day Billboard Design Contest is underway. Pictured is the winning design for 2016 designed by Madison Powell, an 8th grader from Valley Point Middle School.

The Dalton-Whitfield Solid Waste Authority is pleased to announce the 8th Annual America Recycles Day Billboard Contest for 6th, 7th, and 8th graders attending public or private schools participating in the Target Recycling at School program in Whitfield County. 

Students are invited to design a billboard in keeping with the spirit of America Recycles Day, which is celebrated yearly on November 15. The top design out of the three grade levels will be displayed during the month of November on two billboards in Whitfield County.

Schools in Whitfield County eligible to participate include Eastbrook Middle, New Hope Middle, North Whitfield Middle, Valley Point Middle, Westside Middle, Dalton Middle, Northstar School, Crossroads Academy, Christian Heritage School, and Learning Tree School.

During the 2016 contest, Valley Point Middle School 8th grader, Madison Powell, won first place overall. Her design, chosen out of 91entries includes the phrase “I want to be recycled” which was one of the themes of the contest. The artwork is eye catching and very colorful showing an aluminum can that is dreaming of being recycled into a rocket ship traveling in outer space.

(See previous winning billboard designs here.)

Themes for this year are, “I recycle! Do you?” and “I recycle with Recycling Ben!” First, second, and third place prizes will be given in each of the three grade levels. The grand prize is chosen from the three first place winners. 

The Contest Guide with two versions of the official entry form can be downloaded at www.DWSWA.org. The deadline for entries is October 16, 2017. There is no entry fee, however, an official entry form needs to be included with the artwork. Only artwork submitted directly from a school representative will be accepted. Winners will be announced on October 23. 

For more information contact Liz Swafford, Recycling and Education Program Coordinator, at 706-278-5001 or e-mail: lswafford@dwswa.org. To learn more about America Recycles Day visit www.americarecyclesday.org.

Litter Enforcement Workshop To Be Held September 6

Litter Enforcement Training Workshop

September 6, 2017 • Dalton, GA

Register Here

“Successful litter prevention requires a three-pronged approach including community education, eradication and enforcement”, said Sarah Visser, Executive Director of the Keep Georgia Beautiful Foundation, “Law enforcement officers and members of the judicial system are crucial partners in keeping our communities litter free and economically vibrant.”

The Keep Georgia Beautiful Foundation awarded a grant to Keep Dalton-Whitfield Beautiful and several other Georgia affiliates to make communities safer by encouraging the enforcement of Georgia’s Comprehensive Litter Prevention and Abatement Act. “These workshops provide them with the tools and information they need to enforce the law successfully” added Visser.

Open to police officers, sheriff’s departments, code enforcement officials, prosecutors, judges and others charged with enforcing the law, the workshops, hosted by local Keep Georgia Beautiful Affiliates, will connect officials with resources and information to support them in reducing litter. Attendees will learn how aggressive litter enforcement has been used as a deterrent to additional crimes and how to work with the Courts and others to successfully deter littering and illegal dumping.

The workshop for the Northwest Georgia area will be presented by DNR Game and Fish Officer Scott Carroll on Wednesday, September 6 from 8:00 am to 12:00 pm at the Dalton Police Department’s training room at 301 Jones Street. 3 hours of POST credit is available for certified law enforcement officers that complete the workshop in the subjects of Environmental Law Enforcement, Tactics, and Solutions.

Keep Dalton-Whitfield Beautiful is hosting the event with special thanks to the Dalton Police Department, and the Dalton-Whitfield Solid Waste Authority. The workshop is available for free to pre-registered attendees, thanks in part to the grant from the Foundation. Pre-registration is available online at https://kdwb.ticketleap.com/litter2017 until September 5.

“Curious George Discovers Recycling” Heading to a Little Free Library Near You

Liz Swafford and Jessica Trivino display several copies of the book “Curious George Discovers Recycling” in front of a Free Little Library box. The Dalton-Whitfield Solid Waste Authority’s Recycling Center donated 24 books to the Little Free Library Program hosted by the United Way of Northwest Georgia in honor of Earth Day.

Dalton, GA – A curious monkey is making his way into 22 Little Free Library locations in Whitfield County just in time for Earth Day thanks to a donation by the Dalton-Whitfield Solid Waste Authority’s Recycling Center. Liz Swafford, Recycling & Education Program Coordinator at the Authority, met with Jessica Trivino, United Way of Northwest Georgia’ Director of Donor Engagement & Strategy, to give 24 copies of the children’s book, “Curious George Discovers Recycling” released just this year.

In the book, George discovers that not everything in his garbage bag is really trash, some of it can be recycled and be transformed into new products. With a recycling contest underway, George is determined to help in ways only a monkey can. The full color story book for lower elementary aged kids also includes tips and crafts they can try at home. 

The purpose of the Little Free Library is to provide a place where all readers in the community can share books throughout the year. Participants can leave books to share with others in the box and take a book they would like to read. Volunteers check each box to make sure there are always books available.

To learn more about the Little Free Library program hosted by the United Way visit: www.ourunitedway.org. And, to learn more about recycling in Dalton, and Whitfield County, visit the Authority’s Recycling 101 page online: www.dwswa.org/recycling-101.

This Earth Day #LiveLitterFree

Dalton, GA – Keep Dalton-Whitfield Beautiful invites you to celebrate Earth Day weekend by helping to make our community a more vibrant, beautiful, and healthier place to live. Visit a Keep Dalton-Whitfield Beautiful booth during two different events to learn more about litter prevention, and pickup free cleanup supplies, like trash bags and litter bags for vehicles, to conduct your own neighborhood or park cleanup for Earth Day.

After picking up cleanup supplies and removing litter participants are encouraged to post a photo to our Facebook page (www.facebook.com/keepdalton-whitfieldbeautiful) or on their favorite social media site with the hashtag #LiveLitterFree by end of day Sunday, April 30. Participants who post a photo with the hashtag may be chosen to receive a prize from Keep Dalton-Whitfield Beautiful.

The first booth will be open on Saturday, April 22 from 10 am to 12 pm during the Dixie Highway Celebration Festival’s Family Fun Zone at Peacock Alley in Downtown Dalton. The second booth will be available on Sunday, April 23 from 1 pm to 3 pm during Ecumenical Earth Day at Christ the King Lutheran Church on 623 S. Thornton Ave. in Dalton. For more information call 706-226-6211, or visit www.keepdaltonwhitfieldbeautiful.org.

CANCELLED - Christmas Tree and Electronics Recycling Event Set for Saturday, January 7

Event Cancelled Due To Inclement Weather - Sorry guys! The Christmas Tree and Electronics Recycling Event scheduled for Saturday, January 7 at The Home Depot has been cancelled due to the expected snow and extremely cold temperatures. Please stay home, safe, and warm this weekend!  (Please note: This event is NOT being rescheduled.) 

 

The Home Depot does have a collection area for live natural undecorated Christmas trees set up in the parking lot in front of the garden center. You can still stop by and drop off your tree thru Sunday, January 8. (Monday morning Whitfield County Public Works will be there to collect and chip the trees so they will be recycled into mulch!!)  

 

Electronics can be dropped off year round at the Old Dixie Hwy. Landfill & Convenience Center at 4189 Old Dixie Hwy. in Dalton. There is a $10 fee to recycle television sets and computer monitors with large bulbs or CRTs. Other electronic devices like laptops, video game consoles, and smartphones can be dropped off for free.  The Old Dixie Hwy. location is open Monday to Friday from 7 am to 6 pm, and Saturday from 7 am to 3 pm. For direction to Old Dixie call 706-277-2545 or 706-278-5001. 

 

Natural, live, undecorated Christmas trees can be dropped off at one of four convenience centers in Whitfield County that have an area to collect yard trimmings or leaf and limb debris. For a convenience center location near you visit www.DWSWA.org. If you have garbage pickup at home from the city of Dalton you may qualify for brush collection at the curb. To find out when the next collection day is in your neighborhood call the Dalton-Public Works Department at 706-278-7077. 

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Whitfield County residents are invited drop off live, natural Christmas trees and used electronic devices for recycling at the community’s annual Christmas Tree and Electronics Recycling event.

On Saturday, January 7, 2017 Keep Dalton-Whitfield Beautiful volunteers will be collecting live, natural, undecorated Christmas trees, and electronic devices from 8:00 am to 12:00 pm at The Home Depot parking lot located at 875 Shugart Road in Dalton. Participants may receive a tree seedling to plant at home, or a promo item from the #LiveLitterFree education campaign that was launched over the summer.  

There is no charge for dropping off live, natural Christmas trees. Trees must be free of ornaments, nails, hooks, wire, tinsel, lights, and other decorations. Only natural, live, real trees will be accepted – no artificial trees please. Trees will be recycled on site into mulch that will be used for beautification projects throughout Whitfield County. 

Please note that there is a $10.00 fee for CRT (cathode ray tube) television sets and computer monitors. Cash only please. However, other electronics can be dropped off for free. These devices include computer consoles, digital cameras, video cameras, cell phones, gaming systems and components, mp3 players, scanners, flat screens, eBook readers, tablets, and laptops.

Before going to the event secure your load for cleaner and safer roads. Tie down and put a tarp on items placed in the back of a pick-up truck, trailer, or on the roof of a vehicle.

If you are unable to attend there are several options available year-round for recycling Christmas trees and electronic devices. 

Whitfield County Public Works staff unload a live Christmas tree during Keep Dalton-Whitfield Beautiful’s annual “treecycling” event. The next event will be on Saturday, January 7 from 8 am to 12 pm.

1.) The City of Dalton Public Works Department will collect Christmas trees from the curb for city residents that have garbage collection service through the city. City residents should call 706-278-7077 to request pick-up. Yard debris is regularly picked up throughout the year every other week.

2.) The four Convenience Centers managed by the Dalton-Whitfield Solid Waste Authority have drop-off areas for yard debris that is recycled year-round. These include the McGaughey Chapel, M.L.King Blvd., Westside, and the Old Dixie Hwy. Landfill & Convenience Centers. 

3.) Electronics are collected for recycling year-round only at the Old Dixie Hwy. Landfill & Convenience Center. For hours of operation and directions to any of the four Convenience Centers visit www.DWSWA.org or call 706-277-2545.

Keep Dalton-Whitfield Beautiful would like to thank the following organizations for making this event possible: Dalton-Whitfield Solid Waste Authority, Whitfield County Public Works Department, and The Home Depot in Dalton. 

For more details about the event visit www.KeepDaltonWhitfieldBeautiful.org, join the event on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/events/832947280180731, or call 706-278-5001.  Click here to download the event flyer.