Hearing the call to recognize inspiring recycling efforts, dedicated nominees came out of the woodwork with vibrant examples of stirring and heartwarming recycling activities in their local communities.
Profiles emerged of local heroes including the Recycling Runner, the Eco-dentist, the Recycling Nerd, the Social Maven and theWhole Foods Market Customer Service Educator. But it was a Massachusetts woman who stood out as theultimate local hero. Gayle Gordon’s role as a Gimme 5 program advocate led to the adoption of the program ather local Whole Foods.Not only is Gayle a conscientious recycler but she has been instrumental in making others more aware of the importance of recycling. Her attitude toward recycling truly embodies Preserve’s motto of “Nothing Wasted,Everything Gained.”
She is motivated to work toward a greener, more environmentally-responsible world, through many efforts to grow recycling programs in the community.“We want to thank all the dedicated recyclers and Gimme 5 participants who have taken an active role ininspiring others with their actions and have helped to grow the Gimme 5 program,” says Preserve Founder and CEO, Eric Hudson.
The grand prize winner, Gayle Gordon, will be sent to the Opportunity Green conference November 10-11 to learn about new approaches to sustainability to share with her community and propel her inspiring activitiesfor the Earth. The all-expense paid trip includes airfare, hotel stay and a pass to Opportunity Green inLos Angeles, CA.Preserve launched the Gimme 5 program in 2009 by working with Whole Foods Market to offer a #5 plastic polypropylene (PP) recycling option in their stores providing a much-needed outlet for consumers to recycletheir #5 plastic.
Presently, Preserve Gimme 5 collection bins are located in more than 230 Whole FoodsMarket stores in most regions of the U.S. as well as select independent cooperative markets. Thousands of consumers recycle through the Gimme 5 program nationwide. In 2010, the program collected 158,000 lbs. of recycled yogurt cups, hummus and cottage cheese containers, and countless other tremendously reusable# 5 plastic packages.
According to the EPA, less than two percent of discarded polypropylene or #5 plastic is collected forrecycling in the United States.
The winners of the Local Heroes of Recycling Contest include:
Grand Prize Winner North Atlantic Gayle Gordon, Waltham, MA
Regional Winners
Pacific Northwest – Cynthia Caudill, Hood River, OR
South – Sarah O’Connor, Raleigh, NC
Northern California – Justin Milliun, San Jose, CA
Florida – Allen Barnowich, Fort Lauderdale, FL
Rocky Mountain – Richard DeLillo, Albuquerque, NM
Mid Atlantic – Dr. Mary Trahar, Annapolis, MD
Midwest – Renee Sweany, Indianapolis, IN
Northeast – Christine Jensen, Brookhaven, NY
Southwest – Emily Freeland, Bryan, TX
Preserve Gimme 5 launched the nationwide search to find avid recyclers in March. The contest focused on bringing forward the “Local Heroes” of recycling in ten different regions nationwide including participants in the Gimme 5 recycling program. Now their inspiring recycling efforts are being acknowledged.
Hearing the call to recognize inspiring recycling efforts, dedicated nominees came out of the woodwork with vibrant examples of stirring and heartwarming recycling activities in their local communities. Profiles emerged of local heroes including the Recycling Runner, the Eco-dentist, the Recycling Nerd, the Social Maven and the Whole Foods Market Customer Service Educator. But it was a Massachusetts woman who stood out as the ultimate local hero. Gayle Gordon’s role as a Gimme 5 program advocate led to the adoption of the program at her local Whole Foods. Not only is Gayle a conscientious recycler but she has been instrumental in making others more aware of the importance of recycling. Her attitude toward recycling truly embodies Preserve’s motto of “Nothing Wasted, Everything Gained.”
The grand prize winner, Gayle Gordon, will be sent to the Opportunity Green conference November 10-11 to learn about new approaches to sustainability to share with her community and propel her inspiring activities for the Earth. The all-expense paid trip includes airfare, hotel stay and a pass to Opportunity Green in Los Angeles, CA.
According to the EPA, less than two percent of discarded polypropylene or #5 plastic is collected for recycling in the United States.
