Fairbanks, Alaska (AK) – Explore Fairbanks’ Golden Heart Giving program has partnered with locally-owned Golden Heart Waste Management (GHWM) to provide recycling outreach programs focused on school-aged children throughout the Fairbanks community. The financial support from Explore Fairbanks (EF) of $7,500 largely came through board-approved funds remaining from the 2014 Arctic Winter Games recycling program that was restricted to recycling purposes only.
The flagship program funded through this partnership is working with West Valley High School’s Climate Defense League to develop a pilot recycling program at the school. This program will provide data that shows the amount of recycling that is produced and currently going to the landfill, what the logistics of recycling in local schools would be and the associated costs. Recently, a new recycling collection bin was delivered to West Valley as part of this program.
"It is really inspiring to see how West Valley students are leading the way with their focus on responsible stewardship of our shared resources and land. Our district has always wanted to have a bigger involvement with recycling in our community, and these new partnerships may be the first step in establishing a sustainable way for schools to recycle. The students were vital in making this happen; they were ready and willing. Now we just have to see if we adults can keep up!" said Mark Winford, West Valley High School Principal.
Additional ways GHWM will expand its local outreach with support from EF include:
- Developing a Board of Education approved curriculum on recycling for schools.
- Supporting the GHWM second annual Recycling Symposium in January 2025.
- Outreach efforts to local businesses about recycling in the Interior.
GHWM has a growing, regularly scheduled recycling route within the borough which picks up the most common recyclables and is committed to educating the next generation about the benefits and numerous ways of recycling. Buddy Lane, GHWM Environmental Manager, shared, “Alaska ranks last in the nation with a 16% diversion rate of recyclable material from our landfill—the Fairbanks North Star Borough’s rate is less than 2%. In the first six months of operation, GHWM was able to divert 50 tons of recyclables from the landfill. As more GHWM customers in the business community take part in our recycling program week after week, it is Golden Heart Waste Management’s goal in the next year to divert 200 tons from the landfill.”
Photo caption: Juanita Webb, Explore Fairbanks’ Community Engagement Manager, presents Golden Heart Waste Management’s Buddy Lane with a check for $7,500 in support of expanding community recycling programs. Members of West Valley High School’s Climate Defense League Club and West Valley teacher and Climate Defense League advisor Austin Anderson join them next to a recycling collection bin recently placed at the school through this partnership. Photo courtesy of Fairbanks North Star Borough School District/Joshua DuVall.