Lipscomb uses America Recycles Day to impact communities far beyond Nashville
Grace Mestad |
Lipscomb Academy and Lipscomb University have joined together again this year to host their annual community e-waste and “hard to recycle” item collection event, in honor of America Recycles Day. Collection days will take place Nov. 12 and 15 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
This event offers the community a chance to drop off items such as electronic waste, over-the-counter and prescription drugs, batteries, fluorescent lamps, clothing, household goods, textiles and other recyclables that standard recycling drop sites normally don’t accept. Projection TV's will incur a $40 fee for disposal and no liquid wastes of any kind as well as no white goods (including refrigerators, freezers, washers, dryers, etc.) will be accepted.
The university will host its collection on Saturday, Nov. 12, on campus at One University Park Drive, located in front of the Burton Health Science Building, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The academy will host their annual collection on Tuesday, Nov. 15, at it’s elementary school campus, located at 4517 Granny White Pike, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Lipscomb will be partnering with ThriftSmart again this year and 100 percent of the proceeds from the ThriftSmart sales that day will benefit local charities. Community members can donate gently-used clothing, household goods, books, media and furniture to ThriftSmart and Safe Haven Family Shelter will receive $1 gift card credit for every 10 pounds of material collected during this event.
ThriftSmart is also offering a free home pickup service for larger items to be donated such as furniture. An online pickup request for is available to fill out prior to the event.
This year, Lipscomb will also be accepting wire coat hangers, and donated items will go to the Warm Coats for Warm Hearts program at Granny White Church of Christ, and Shred-it will be on hand to provide secure shredding of paper.
White goods including refrigerators, freezers, washers and dryers as well as liquid wastes of any kind will not be accepted and are asked to remain at home.
Ginger Reasonover, Lipscomb Academy elementary school science lab coordinator and co-director of its environmental green team, explains that the academy students have been working hard to promote this event while learning important life lessons.
“Students are learning how to positively impact our community while modeling good stewardship practices for a very common problem – What to do with all our stuff?” said Reasonover. “They are also practicing their communication and marketing skills as they make posters, write letters and more.”
Lipscomb Academy students have also been busy making flyers to send home as well as posters to hang in the hallways at school, on church bulletin boards and around the community. Reasonover said students will also present a skit in chapel and are making a video to promote America Recycles Day in hopes that local stations will pick it up to air as a PSA.
Reasonover also explained that through participation in America Recycle’s Day the benefits far exceed creating a greener Nashville, but instead also impact communities around the world.
“For the community, this opportunity provides a way to dispose of items that can’t be easily recycled, but it also provides the opportunity for their recyclables to benefit someone else both locally and internationally,” Reasonover said. “Last year we were able to help dig a well in Kenya, provide water filters for a university mission trip to Honduras, donate books in Creole for a school in Haiti and many other outreach projects.”
Accepted items are listed below:
Electronic waste:
Unused and out-of-date medications, both prescriptive and over-the-counter
Small batteries, alkaline and rechargeable (A, AA, AAA, C, D, 9-volt, button)
Compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs) & fluorescent tubes
Cell phones
Ink cartridges
Plastic bags (grocery store, department store, dry cleaning, etc.)
Empty chip bags, juice pouches, and drink pouches
Empty personal-care containers, such as make-up, mascara, lipstick, and other hair care and skin care containers.
Used markers and ink pens of all kinds: dry erase, permanent, coloring, etc
Aluminum cans
Plastic beverage bottles
Glass containers
Newspaper
Cardboard
Wire coat hangers to be donated to Warm Coats for Warm Hearts
E-waste items accepted include:
- Computers and Peripherals
- Complete and partial systems (working or not), processors (CPUs), optical drives (CDROM, CDRW, DVD, etc), network and communications hardware (modems, routers, hubs, etc), drives (hard drives, floppy), keyboards, laptops, mice, monitors, network hardware (servers), printers, tape drives
Home Electronics:
- TVs (CRT, flat panel, plasma, etc), microwaves, mixers, phones (corded, cordless, and cellular), entertainment goods (VCRs, DVD players, radios and speakers but NO WHITE GOODS (including: refrigerators, freezers, washers, dryers). PROJECTION TVs WILL INCUR A $40 DISPOSAL FEE!
- Office Equipment - copy machines, fax machines, telephone systems (cordless, cellular, desk)
- Security equipment
- Cameras, recorders, alarms, VCR's, key pads
- Metals, electrical wire, cable
For more information on accepted items click here or contact Linda Phipps at linda.phipps [at] lipscomb.edu