It's estimated that about 13 million tons of plastic and debris are dumped into the ocean yearly. A 2015 study found that at some point, 52% of the world's sea turtles have consumed plastic. To help combat these disturbing facts, one student in O’Neill, Nebraska, organized a school-wide recycling program and we are helping.
As part of a Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) STAR program (Students Taking Action with Recognition), daughter of Andrew, operations technicians in O’Neill, organized a comprehensive recycling program. STAR projects are competitions that combine elements of service and community that can advance to the national level. FCCLA chapters encourage members to participate in STAR competitions.
She chose to organize a recycling program because of how much plastic waste impacts the environment, particularly the ocean. Winnie, who attended a summer camp focused on sea turtles and conservation efforts, has hopes of becoming a marine biologist.
Around 60 students participate in FCCLA. Twice each week during the school year, students will check and empty 10 50-gallon recycling bins that have been placed throughout the school. We sponsored the recycling bins that will be used to collect paper, plastic and cans at the high school.
After the first week of the recycling bins being available, 3 ½ pounds of aluminum, 5 pounds of plastic and 2 ¾ pounds of paper were collected.
We partner with our communities and customers, providing the kind of energy that fuels those areas and the lives of those we serve. Feel free to share the stories and photos. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube, and Pinterest for more!
Positive Energy
-
On March 4, 18 Black Hills Energy employees in Nebraska laced up their bowling shoes and hit the lanes to raise money for the Kearney, Nebraska, chapter of Junior Achievement. Our three teams raised the most money of any organization taking part in the Junior Achievement Bowl-A-Thon. Our “… -
The safety and wellness committee at the Millsap office in Fayetteville, Arkansas, recently held a chili contest, with employees bringing in their best culinary creations to be sampled and voted on by their co-workers. Six great volunteers entered the event: David Larsen, Adriana Nava, Janice… -
Jonathan is accustomed to thinking about safety in his position as a gas operations manager in Casper, Wyoming, but he didn’t expect to have to use his first-aid training skills to assist another member of his Five Trails Rotary Club last November. While having lunch before the meeting began, a… -
Each year, our Dubuque, Iowa, team spends a morning packing snow to prepare for the Dubuque Museum of Art Winter Arts Snow Sculpting Festival. Earlier in February, the team worked to pack blocks of compact snow eight feet tall and six feet by six feet wide. Teams of artists then sculpted the…