B.S.A. Troop 65 Prepares Outdoor Classroom

Pictured is Eagle Scout candidate Drew Kite (center) with his parents, Kelly Kite and B.J. Kite, Scout Master for Troop 65, Frank Fetzer, and Norman Barashick, Executive Director at the DWSWA who presented them with Certificates of Appreciation for their work on the Outdoor Classroom.

The Outdoor Classroom at the Recycling Center is an extension of the current Environmental Education program available at the facility.  B.S.A. Troop 65 updated the area over the summer converting it into a useable outdoor space for learning.

DALTON, GA – Eagle Scout candidate Drew Kite and members of Boy Scouts of America Troop 65 prepared an outdoor classroom area at the Recycling Center managed by the Dalton-Whitfield Solid Waste Authority during the summer.  With the direction of Drew Kite participants transformed a neglected barn structure into a useable educational space outdoors complete with a butterfly garden.  While some scouts put together a composter and rain barrel, others cleaned out the barn even removing trash and debris.  Planters were painted and planted with potatoes vines and petunias, tree stumps were converted into stools, and a container garden with herbs was established.

Drew Kite and B.S.A. Troop 65 were recognized for their efforts in making the outdoor classroom a reality during the July board meeting of the DWSWA.  They received certificates of appreciation and saw the plaque that was later placed on the barn structure recognizing their contribution through the Eagle Scout Project organized by Kite.

The Outdoor Classroom is an extension of the current Environmental Education program provided by the Solid Waste Authority and Keep Dalton-Whitfield Beautiful.   Schools that visit the facility for the recycling and landfill tour will be able to add outdoor activities with themes like water conservation, composting, and the human impact on the environment.  For more information about the program call the Recycling Center at 706-278-5001.

Backyard Composter Sale this Saturday, May 7

DALTON, GA – Celebrate International Compost Awareness Week on Saturday, May 7 during Downtown Dalton Saturday Market from 9 am to 1 pm with Keep Dalton-Whitfield Beautiful.  You will receive educational materials about backyard composting and have the opportunity to purchase a “Garden Gourmet” Backyard Composter for only $45 (regular retail price $75.99).  A portion of each sale benefits Keep Dalton-Whitfield Beautiful programs like ‘Bring One For The Chipper’, Adopt a Mile, and ‘The Great American Cleanup’.

Gardeners refer to composting as “turning your garbage into gold” because it saves landfill space, conserves natural resources, and improves soil quality.  Items that can be added to your compost pile include coffee grounds, tea bags, fruit and vegetable scraps, leaves, hair and grass clippings.  The “Garden Gourmet” backyard composter is an attractive bin that fits neatly into almost any backyard space thanks to its efficient design.  This easy to assemble bin is made from 51% recycled plastic and includes convenient features like a sliding bottom door to remove compost.  This is an ideal choice for beginners since it includes a basic composting and user guide.

For more information about Keep Dalton-Whitfield Beautiful visit www.keepdaltonwhitfieldbeautiful.org or call 706-226-6211.  For more information about International Compost Awareness Week, visit the US Composting Council at www.compostingcouncil.org.

Community Pride Day on April 16, 2011

Annual Bulky Waste and Electronics Collection Day for Whitfield County

DALTON, GA – Community Pride Day during the Great American Cleanup will be on Saturday, April 16 from 8:00 am to 2:00 pm.  Community Pride Day facilitates Spring Cleaning by inviting Whitfield county residents to dispose of bulky items and electronics without paying disposal fees at select drop-off locations.  The Old Dixie Hwy. Landfill and Convenience Center is the Main Location for this event.  Community Locations include three middle schools, Westside Middle School, Eastbrook Middle School, and North Whitfield Middle School.

To download the event ad, click on the image to the left.

All four locations will be accepting bulky items for disposal and electronics for recycling.  Bulky items include furniture, household equipment, and appliances.  Electronics include computers, digital cameras, cell phones, printers, scanners, and laptops.  There is a limit of one television accepted per vehicle.  Small electronics collected this year will benefit the 2011 Relay for Life of Whitfield County.

The Old Dixie Landfill and Convenience Center is the only location accepting Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) that includes household pesticides, pool chemicals, varnish and latex paints.  For a complete list of HHW please visit www.DWSWA.org or call 706-277-2545.

Community Pride Day is open to residents of Whitfield County only.  Only residential or household waste will be accepted.  No business, commercial, construction or demolition waste is accepted.  Tires are not included in this event and should be disposed of at a Convenience Center for a minimal fee.  Household hazardous waste and tires will not be accepted at the school locations.

If you are unable to attend the event this year, please keep in mind that Household Hazardous Waste is accepted at the Old Dixie Landfill and Convenience Center on the third Saturday of the month from 7 am to 2 pm.  Electronics are accepted year round at the same location, Monday thru Friday 7 am to 6 pm, and Saturday 7 am to 3 pm.

Keep Dalton-Whitfield Beautiful, the Dalton-Whitfield Solid Waste Authority, and Whitfield County Public Works organize this annual event.  For more information or to volunteer, call Keep Dalton-Whitfield Beautiful at 706-226-6211, visit www.keepdaltonwhitfieldbeautiful.org, or e-mail lswafford@dwswa.org.

Over 550 Christmas Trees Treecycled

DALTON, GA -  On Saturday, January 8, residents of Whitfield County participated in the annual Christmas tree recycling event called “Bring One For The Chipper”.  The free event organized by Keep Dalton-Whitfield Beautiful took place at The Home Depot on Shugart Road and included the participation of 25 volunteers from several organizations.  “Bring One For The Chipper” has been a holiday tradition in Dalton-Whitfield for over ten years.  The 2011 event marked 20 years of “treecycling” in the state of Georgia.

During the event 145 residents dropped off their live Christmas tree for recycling in exchange for free seedlings, seeds, discount coupons, and if they came during lunch, a free spicy biscuit from Chick-fil-A.  Mascots greeting visitors included the Chipper, official mascot for “Bring One For The Chipper”, the Chick-fil-A Spicy Cow, and Recycling Ben from the Target Recycling Program.  Trees collected were recycled into mulch that will be used for beautification projects and is available for free to residents within Whitfield County.

Residents who missed the event were able to “treecycle” with curbside pickup from City of Dalton Public Works or yard waste drop-off at a Convenience Center.  During December and January, over 550 Christmas trees were collected in Whitfield County through the event and secondary collection options.  Statewide over 5.5 million trees have been recycled as mulch or habitats for wildlife since the beginning of the program in 1991.

Keep Dalton-Whitfield Beautiful would like to thank the following organizations for contributing to this year’s event: Dalton-Whitfield Solid Waste Authority, Whitfield County - Georgia Forestry Commission, Whitfield County Public Works Department, The Home Depot in Dalton, Dalton Falls Miniature Golf, Chick-fil-A on Walnut Ave. I-75, City of Dalton Public Works Department, The Daily Citizen, and Daylight Donuts on Old Dixie Hwy.  State level sponsors for this year’s event include the Georgia Department of Community Affairs’ Keep Georgia Beautiful program, The Home Depot, The Davey Tree Expert Company, Ferry-Morse Seed Co., and 11 Alive – Atlanta’s NBC Affiliate.

For more information visit www.KeepDaltonWhitfieldBeautiful.org or call 706-278-5001.

Treecycling Event this Saturday

DALTON, GA -  The Chipper and Recycling Ben invite you to treecycle this Saturday, January 8, during “Bring One For The Chipper!” 2011.  Keep Dalton-Whitfield Beautiful volunteers will be at The Home Depot at 875 Shugart Road in Dalton from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm collecting live, undecorated Christmas trees for recycling.

In exchange for dropping off a live Christmas tree for the Chipper participants will receive a free tree seedling or a packet of seeds, and a pass to play a free round of mini golf at Dalton Falls Mini Golf.

Saturday’s treecycling event will include the participation of Chick-fil-A’s Spicy Cow from 11 am to 2 pm.  The Chipper mascot and Recycling Ben, mascot for the Target Recycling program, will be available to greet visitors from 12:30 pm to 2 pm.

Christmas trees dropped off for recycling must be free of ornaments, nails, hooks, wires, tinsel, lights, and other decorations.  Only natural, live, real trees will be accepted, no artificial trees please.

“Bring One For The Chipper” has been a holiday tradition in Dalton-Whitfield for over ten years.  The 2011 event also marks 20 years of “treecycling” in the state of Georgia. Over 5.5 million trees have been recycled as mulch or habitats for wildlife since the beginning of the program in 1991.

Local sponsors and event organizers include Keep Dalton-Whitfield Beautiful, Dalton-Whitfield Solid Waste Authority, Whitfield County Public Works Department, The Home Depot in Dalton, Whitfield County - Georgia Forestry Commission, Dalton Falls Miniature Golf, Chick-fil-A on Walnut Ave. at I-75, and Daylight Donuts on Old Dixie.  State sponsors for this year’s event include the Georgia Department of Community Affairs’ Keep Georgia Beautiful program, The Home Depot, The Davey Tree Expert Company, Ferry-Morse Seed Co., and 11 Alive – Atlanta’s NBC Affiliate.

Whitfield County residents that are not able to attend the event are encouraged to take their Christmas tree to one of four Convenience Centers which have drop-off locations for yard debris that is mulched year round.  These include the McGaughey Chapel, M.L.King Blvd., Westside, and the Old Dixie Hwy. Landfill & Convenience Center.  For hours of operation and directions visit www.DWSWA.org or call 706-278-5001.

For more details visit www.KeepDaltonWhitfieldBeautiful.org or call 706-278-5001.