Dailytoreador - Citizens of Lubbock have found it difficult to conveniently recycle in the past. 

The City of Lubbock has now revamped its recycling program in hopes of showing the community how easy the process can be.

Morgan Hector said she has only been the City of Lubbock recycling supervisor for six weeks. In that time, she said she has created a new website, which can be found at mylubbock.us/recycling, programs and activities to encourage and inform citizens of Lubbock about their options to recycle.

There are four permanent recycling drop off stations as well as six satellite stations in Lubbock, Hector said. She would like citizens to know where and what to recycle to help Lubbock as a whole.

If one is confused about what and how to recycle items, Hector said the permanent drop-offs have workers stationed to assist citizens and sort materials. At these larger stations, people can recycle car oil, oil filters, antifreeze, as well as larger items such as mattresses and printers.

Regarding items one may have already sorted and would like to drop off quickly, the satellite sites are smaller and open 24/7 for people to drop off their recyclables, Hector said.

However, she said she would like to warn citizens they cannot recycle plastic bags and asks individuals to avoid putting plastic bags in the drop-off containers. Although recycling is not instinctive to a lot of people, she said it is easy.

“We make all these life choices and habits early on, like brushing your hair and teeth every day,” she said. “If you can get in that mentality with recycling, it’s just as simple.”

Paula Gonzalez, a senior social work major from San Antonio, said she does not like recycling as a first option. She would like people to reduce their use of products, reuse and repurpose as many materials as they can and recycle them.

“We already cause enough damage to the planet as it is.,” Gonzalez said. “We shouldn’t add to it.”

Del Rio Mullen, staff liaison and coordinator for Keep Lubbock Beautiful and affiliate of Keep America Beautiful, said the staff wants to help citizens form lasting habits about recycling.

“It is more than separating our plastics and paper,” Mullen said. “It is a habit that needs to be formed requiring a change in how our West Texas culture views trash.”

The agricultural district already deals with a lot of recycling and composting, Mullen said, but there is still a pushback from the urban areas.

Members of Keep Lubbock Beautiful want to help all citizens of Lubbock get in the habit of recycling to better the environment and community, Mullen said. They also want to see the city’s recycling program grow, so people have a convenient way to recycle.

Courtesy : www.dailytoreador.com