As we move forward into this strange time, we are all looking for creative ways to help each other and stay busy during the coronavirus pandemic. We’ve seen numerous residents and organizations step up in amazing ways. Whether it was donating essential supplies to our local hospitals, participating in our “Hearts For Heroes” social media campaign or even simply staying home to protect our families and others, we can all make an important difference.
If you are looking to go the extra mile because you love this amazing city you live in, there are endless opportunities to help protect our environment! You’re probably familiar with our Recycle Hero campaign, which shows that recycling right can be done by anyone. With everyone staying indoors, there has never been a better time to show the city how you recycle right by posting on social media using the hashtag #RecyleHeroSC, and you can be featured as our next Recycle Hero!
Our community has a solid foundation of environmental awareness dating back to the city’s formation in 1987. We have continued to offer green programming for residents to enjoy, including the River Rally Clean-Up and Earth Arbor Day festival, which have attracted thousands of visitors annually. We even partner with Los Angeles County to host household hazardous waste (HHW) and e-waste roundups where residents can dispose of uncommon waste like car batteries, paint thinner and cleaning products. Make sure to check the calendar at GreenSantaClarita.com to see what recycling opportunities are currently available.
While some of these events have been canceled or postponed this year, and we’re spending more time indoors these days, that does not mean we can’t recycle from home! That’s why I would like to invite you to join the city in our efforts to stay green by showing us how you recycle right on social media!
How it works
Here’s how it works: Start by collecting any recyclable items in your household. This includes different types of waste like cardboard, paper, tin and aluminum cans, glass and plastic containers. Then log into your Facebook, Instagram or Twitter social media account and create a social media post that shows us how you recycle right. You can post in any type of format, whether it’s an awesome photo of all the bottles and cans in your recycle bin, or even a video of you scoring a triple-pointer in your recycle bin. I also know we have some talented artists in our community as we have received many creative artwork submissions for our Hearts For Heroes campaign. Or work with your child to create their very own superhero costumes out of recyclable materials. Being a huge hip-hop fan, I would love to see someone submit their own Recycle Hero rap! Once you have created your social media post, please use the hashtag #RecycleHeroSC and share.
Once submitted, we will go through and select the most creative submission and invite them to be our next Recycle Hero! They will have a chance to be featured on the city’s social media and get to wear the coveted green cape, which can be seen throughout our advertisements and maybe even be featured on the cover of Seasons magazine!
Of course, once you have submitted your social media post, be sure to finish the task by placing the items in your recycle bin. The items will then get picked up and taken to a materials recovery facility, or MRF, where high-powered machines and diligent workers sort through the items, which are then baled and repurposed by paper mills and manufacturers. Be sure to visit GreenSantaClarita.com to see a complete list of recyclable materials if you are ever unsure which items do not belong in the recycle bin.
We can all step up and make the commitment to recycle right. GreenSantaClartia.com is the best place to start, where you can find helpful tips that will make your social media submissions out of this world!
I want to thank you for your continued commitment to keeping Santa Clarita beautiful and green, even through this pandemic. I hope to see your creative submissions on social media, and who knows — maybe YOU will be the next Santa Clarita Recycle Hero!
Cameron Smyth is the mayor of Santa Clarita and can be reached at [email protected].
