Keep Iredell Clean (KIC), a nonprofit environmental group, is doing its best to make sure every elementary age child in Iredell County understands the importance of and contributes to preserving the ecosystem.
The organization donated 42 recycling bins to Lakeshore Elementary Wednesday, enough for each classroom in the school to have one. Cloverleaf Elementary received 45 bins Monday and Central Elementary is slated to obtain bins Friday. They are planning to distribute bins to all elementary schools in I-SS.
A curriculum guide, titled “Waste in Place,” is also a gift from KIC to the schools. “Waste in Place” teaches the fundamentals of litter prevention, preserving resources, responsible solid waste management and how to reduce, reuse and recycle.
“The teachers are so excited about the curriculum,” said Angela Regrut, Lakeshore Elementary assistant principal. “It helps the (students) to get ready for the world they’re about to take over. It also teaches them responsibility and respect.”
KIC is the Iredell County affiliate of the national organization Keep America Beautiful. It has been working in the county since 1987. KIC hosts Earth Day events, Hazardous Waste Day, does educational outreach and cleans up Highway 21 among other activities.
“We’re a big labor force for the county on some of those projects,” said KIC Chairman Dan Pope. “Our hope is what our habits are and what we believe in becomes part of everyday habit.”
KIC attained the bins through a grant worth $1,000 and by holding a music festival that netted around $3,000. To ensure every I-SS elementary classroom gets a bin, Pope said KIC needs about 500 bins.
The group is close to that number now, but Pope said it could use donations and the support of the community to take its program further. The hope is to start distributing bins to students in the Mooresville Graded School District after I-SS.
“Our goal is to get them out there,” Pope said. “Our objective is promoting recycling, beautification, litter reduction and cleaner streams.”
Pope said the organization will be doing an electronics drive soon where people can bring old appliances to recycle rather than throwing them in the trash.
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