BISD recycling effort saves trees, landfill space
Aug. 3—In its first complete year of operation, a new recycling program at the Brownsville Independent School District has saved 660,000 pounds of paper, or the equivalent of 6,650 trees and nearly 3 million cubic yards of landfill space.
Micaela Escobar reported the savings to the BISD Board of Trustees Tuesday afternoon, saying the recycling effort also saved 1.86 million kilowatt hours of energy and 4,919 gallons of water.
BISD has had recycling programs for some time in an effort to save the district money and resources, as well as for the effect such programs have on the environment.
"We know that as a district it's very important to teach our students about conservation," Escobar said. "Our effort continues on, including at Arbor Day on Nov.18 and at BISD's third annual Recycling Rally on April 23, 2023.
Escobar said BISD continues to build relationships with community partners such as the city of Brownsville, Keep Brownsville Beautiful, Gladys Porter Zoo, the Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge and Sea Turtle, Inc.
"I'm happy to say they're reaching out to us to help preserve our planet and share the resources with our kids," she said.
Board Vice President Prisci Roca Tipton said she was happy to hear BISD could do so much.
Board Secretary Daniela Lopez Valdez said it's important for adults to set the example.
"What we teach our children is important for them to have a future and to be able to play in the ocean that we enjoyed and to be able to enjoy the resources that we did," she said.
"It starts with us because we're the ones that can make a change for them," she added.
Board member Drue Brown said the recycling program had been a long time in coming. "Under your leadership we're really starting to see results," she said.
