Volunteers to Recycle at Mardi Gras and Win a Stay at the Battle House Hotel

Feb 7th, 2014

The Mardi Gras Eco-Team is approaching its second year of recycling for Carnival season and interested volunteers are encouraged to register. The volunteer effort will be focused on the dates of Saturday, March 1st through Tuesday, March 4th with a variety of shift options available. Join in the effort to reduce the amount of waste ending up in waterways and landfills by increasing the reuse of materials. Interested volunteers ages 18 and up can sign up online with the Alabama Coastal Foundation at www.joinACF.org.

This effort is an initiative of the Cleaner, Greener Events Committee led by the Downtown Mobile Alliance (DMA) and key partners include: Alabama Coastal Foundation, City of Mobile, Green Solutions, Keep Mobile Beautiful, Mobile Baykeeper, Mobile County Health Department, and The Mobile Bay National Estuary Program. This year, volunteers will be recycling along the parade routes with large recycle carts sponsored by the Create a Clean Water Future campaign. While the vendors are selling merchandise before the parade begins, volunteers will collect recycling along the parade route. Rather than throwing recyclables in trash cans or on the ground, parade-goers are encouraged to drop their aluminum cans and plastic bottles into the carts while the Eco-Team passes by near the barricades.

"We are excited about recycling along the parade routes because it will raise awareness about recycling and the value in taking pride in your home city, even in the midst of celebration," said Valerie Longa, Project Coordinator of the DMA. "Any trash that isn't picked up by the city street cleaners can flow into storm drains and end up in local waters so our efforts are centered on reducing stormwater pollution and promoting environmental stewardship."

In addition to the Eco-Team's efforts, the Mobile Area Mardi Gras Association (MAMGA) will host a recycle drive on Saturday, March 1st at their headquarters on 305 North Washington Avenue. Cecile Green is coordinating the recycling drive and a trailer provided by the Alabama Department of Environmental Management will be on site to collect aluminum and plastics.

Volunteers will be accepted through Sunday, February 23rd. Registration information and further details can be found online at the Alabama Coastal Foundation's website www.joinACF.org or at (251) 990-6002. In addition to receiving an Eco-Team t-shirt, all volunteers will be entered into a drawing to win a night's stay at The Battle House Hotel!



Media Contact:
Valerie Longa, Project Coordinator
251-434-8498 vlonga@downtownmobile.org