Bill Clinton designated November 15th as America Recycles Day by Presidential Proclamation in 1999. Almost every president since then has issued a similar proclamation and encouraged Americans to commit to recycling. 

In 2009, this effort became a part of the Make America Beautiful Campaign to raise awareness about recycling correctly all year long. The EPA estimates that recycling has increased from 7% in 1960 to the current rate of 32%. This environment saving habit has also contributed to American prosperity accounting for 681,000 jobs and $37.8 billion in wages in the US. 

You should check with Montgomery County to know what they will accept in your recycling bin. Items like cardboard, paper, glass and metal cans, are commonly accepted by local curbside programs, and items like plastic bags, electronics and batteries do NOT go in the curbside recycling bin. 

During a recent Poolesville Seniors event with Larissa Johnson, MoCo Residential Energy Program Manager, we learned to NEVER dispose of Compact Fluorescent Bulbs in the trash or your residential recycling. These twisty shaped, energy-efficient light bulbs contain MERCURY which can be released into the atmosphere ultimately contaminating the food chain. As a result of that event Poolesville Seniors worked with MoCo Energy and John Speelman of Poolesville Hardware to have a CFL recycling container placed at the store. Watch for the bin. Be sure to pad the bulbs individually by wrapping them in a buffer like paper towel then place in a plastic bag to avoid breaking the glass.