The local organization Keep Brownwood Beautiful (KBB) has been recognized along with the City of Brownwood in a national recycling campaign. Every year, cities compete in the month-long Cans for Cash: City Recycling Challenge to see which cities collect the most aluminum cans. During the competition held last October, 36 cities collected more than 107 million cans.
Brownwood and KBB won third place in the creative partnership category where cities and participating organizations partner together for the challenge. The award comes along with a cash prize as well. Brownwood will receive $5000 as part of the prize and KBB will get $2500.
Novelis, the global leader in aluminum rolled products and aluminum can recycling, along with the U.S. Conference of Mayors and national nonprofit Keep America Beautiful, are committed to increasing the nation’s recycling rate with the.
The winners of the seventh annual challenge were announced Thursday and will be presented with their awards during the U.S. Conference of Mayors 79th Winter Meeting in Washington, D.C.
“This interactive campaign unites communities, heightens awareness of the importance of recycling, and offers citizens an avenue to recycle,” said Jean-Marc Germain, Senior Vice President of Novelis and President, Novelis North America. “We hope to remind participants there is great value in recycling aluminum cans as each can that avoids the trash bin saves energy and natural resources. Recycling just one can saves enough energy to operate a television for two hours.”
Leading the way toward a greener and more sustainable future, Cans for Cash: City Recycling Challenge has collected and recycled more than 793 million aluminum cans since the challenge started in 2004.
Awards are handed out in three categories: Most Cans Collected, Most Innovative Campaign and Most Creative Partnership with KAB.
The Cans for Cash challenge is designed to ensure opportunities for smaller-size cities. The Most Cans Collected category is determined by the ratio of the city population to the total pounds of cans recycled. Cities recognized for Most Cans Collected each will receive $5,000, and are:
- First Place Fontana, Calif. (Mayor Acquanetta Warren)
- Second Place Milwaukee, Wis. (Mayor Tom Barrett)
- Third Place Richmond, Ind. (Mayor Sally L. Hutton)
- Fourth Place University City, Mo. (Mayor Shelley Welsch)
To spur innovation and creativity in local initiatives, four cities received $5,000 each for originality in public education and awareness campaigns.
- First Place Canfield Village, Ohio (Mayor Bill Kay)
- Second Place Bowling Green, Ky. (Mayor Elaine Walker)
- Third Place Hollywood, Fla. (Mayor Peter J. M. Bober)
- Fourth Place Irvine, Calif. (Mayor Sukhee Kang)
The Cans for Cash challenge also recognized creative partnerships between cities and local affiliates of Keep America Beautiful, a national nonprofit organization focused on litter prevention, waste reduction and beautification. The winning cities in this category each received $5,000, while the associated KAB affiliate received $2,500.
- First Place Sidney, Neb. (Mayor Wendall Gaston) “Keep Sidney Beautiful”
- Second Place Mobile, Ala. (Mayor Samuel L. Jones) “Keep Mobile Beautiful, Inc.”
- Third Place Brownwood, Texas (Mayor Stephen E. Haynes) “Keep Brownwood Beautiful”
