By Amber Prinkey
America Recycles Day is November 15th and our town, Coral Springs, has recently begun recycling again which is great news to us here at Sawgrass Nature Center and Wildlife Hospital. We love when we can do something so easy to help our native wildlife! Are you wondering how putting plastic or paper into a bin helps our Florida animals? Read on!
R is for refuse which, if appropriately recycled, doesn’t end up in animal bellies or stuck around their bodies
E is for E-waste which are discarded electronics that leech chemicals into the ground if not properly disposed of (these items must be recycled at stores or a recycling center, not your household bins)
C is for water Contamination which we can avoid if we recycle our automotive oil (which also needs to be taken to an auto shop or recycling center)
(Did you know that frogs are Environmental Indicators? This means they tell us the health of the ecosystem because their skin is porous and very delicate. Unhealthy water means frogs won’t survive there)
Y is for saying YES! to reducing your consumption of single-use plastics. Plastic that ends up in our water can affect many species when it breaks down and they swallow it
C is for Composting which is another way to reduce the amount of waste that goes into our landfills
L is for Leftovers which can be stored in a reusable container you bring with you to a restaurant instead of accepting Styrofoam containers (which are not recyclable and may never biodegrade)
I is for Injuries to wildlife caused by plastic 6 pack rings that are not cut up prior to trashing them (this plastic is not recyclable)
N is for Nature Centers like ours which help you learn easy ways to help our native wildlife ?
G is for Good feelings which we all get when we do something that helps animals
For more information about recycling here in Coral Springs, check out the city’s website at https://www.coralsprings.org/Government/Departments/Public-Works/Garbage-Recycling/Recycling-Programs. Or search “recycling in my area” for more details on correctly recycling in your neighborhood. The animals will thank you!