Since 2017, the city’s favorite horse, Sammy Clarita, has galloped into the hearts of residents of all ages. Sammy’s journey began with the city’s 30th birthday celebration, spreading the news about all Santa Clarita has to offer. Throughout the years, Sammy has used his platform to highlight a variety of programs and events, including the beloved Cowboy Festival and services available through the Santa Clarita Public Library. But now, Sammy has traded in his library volunteer vest for a superhero cape and mask to help the city win the fight to “recycle right” through the city’s new Recycle Hero campaign.
As a Recycle Hero, Sammy cares a lot about the environment. Between Santa Clarita’s 35 beautiful parks and pristine open space, it’s no wonder Sammy wants to preserve the city’s beauty for years to come. One of the best and easiest ways residents can get involved is to recycle. This can be done by rescuing empty glass bottles and jars from going to a landfill and placing them in a recycle bin. Items like cardboard, plastic bottles and aluminum cans can be recycled, too. However, beware of non-recyclable items! Garden hoses, plastic bags and batteries are just a few of the items that, if placed in the recycle bin, can damage sorting machines and interrupt Santa Clarita’s recycling efforts. Thanks to the hard work of Santa Clarita’s Recycle Heroes, residents have placed 15% more recyclable material in their recycle containers during the first half of 2020 than during the same period in 2019.
To celebrate this marked increase in recycling, residents can go out and find Sammy Clarita in a fun scavenger hunt. Sammy plush dolls dressed in Recycle Hero capes can be found at various city locations, including local parks and trails. Residents can visit the city’s Instagram account @CityOfSantaClarita for real-time clues about Sammy’s whereabouts, and if you find him, you get to keep him! Be sure to use the hashtag #RecycleHeroSC and post a selfie once you find him. Remember to wear a face covering and maintain social distancing while searching for your next furever friend! In addition, residents can post how they “recycle right” on social media using the hashtag #RecycleHeroSC for a chance to be featured as the city’s next Recycle Hero!
Readers can visit Sammy’s website at SammyClarita.com to read about his wacky adventures as he becomes the city’s next Recycle Hero. His latest book, titled “Sammy Stories: Sammy Gets to Work,” is a fun-filled story that features Sammy trying his hand at various city jobs, including an engineer, graffiti removal worker and a volunteer referee. But after cleaning up his community, Sammy was filled with pride and found his next calling as a Recycle Hero! In addition to a downloadable version of the book, the website also features a video version of the book that is perfect for storytime at home with your family.
To learn more about recycling in Santa Clarita and how to become a Recycle Hero, please visit GreenSantaClarita.com. In addition to recycling locations and tips, you can also find valuable information about upcoming events, including the new Neighborhood Cleanup and Online Environmental Expo, as well as the Household Hazardous Waste events that are held throughout the year. I also encourage you to connect with Green Santa Clarita on social media through Facebook @GreenSantaClarita.
I am happy to see such a positive collaboration between Sammy Clarita and the city’s Recycle Hero campaign, as the importance of preserving our environment cannot be overstated. Have fun searching for Sammy Clarita in our city and take advantage of Santa Clarita’s numerous opportunities to go green!
Marsha McLean is a member of the Santa Clarita City Council and can be reached at [email protected].
