Recycling Helps Recycling: How Your Bottles Can Benefit Jenks

Helping start a formal recycling program doesn't cost a cent.

The Chestnut Hill school is taking part in a grant from Recyclebank, an organization that rewards Philadelphia residents, and recyclers across the country, for doing their part.

As part of the Green Schools program Recyclebank offers, Jenks has received a grant that would match points with dollar amounts, and the school could receive up to $5,000 to start a recycling program.

"You can apply and put in a budget for earth-awareness and green programs in the school," said Haviva Goldman, a board member of the Jenks Home and School Association. "We put in for a budget of $2,500, and if we collect the points, Recyclebank will double what we raise."

How Recyclebank Works

Recyclebank is a free program that residents can take part in. You can register online here, receive a sticker in the mail, and affix it to your recycling bins.

Each week, your recycling is weighed to determine how many points you will receive. Aside from recycling, there are a number of other ways to collect points, including a bonus for signing up.

How Point Can Help Jenks

As part of the Green Schools program grant, Jenks is collecting Recyclebank points, which are exchanged for a dollar amount. Points have to be donated to Jenks for them to be able to claim them.

"I talked to someone at Recyclebank, and they said there are literally hundreds of thousands of points available in Chestnut Hill," Goldman said. "People are getting the points and forgetting to redeem them, so if all those people would start donating them to Jenks, we'd hit our mark pretty quickly."

According to Goldman, Jenks needs to collect about 500,000 points to equal the maximum $2,500 that the school requested. Currently, students and families have raised an equivalent of about $200 in points.

"We have a long way to go," Goldman said.

To donate points to Jenks, you have to be enrolled in the Recyclebank program, then click on the Green School program. Find John Story Jenks, or click here, to donate the points.

Points will be collected through March 15.

How Jenks Will Use the Money

Goldman said that there is currently no recycling program at Jenks. With the possible $5,000 that the school could receive through the Recyclebank grant, the school could purchase large recycling bins to place outside of the school and in the playground.

A large number of smaller bins would also be purchased for hallways, classrooms and the cafeteria.

The Jenks Recycle Club, headed by Jenks staff member Amy Watson, would take the lead in the new recycling program which would also include educational efforts.

"We'll actually weigh a designated bin from time to time, so show students how much garbage we're saving from the garbage," Goldman said.