This is just one of the interesting facts Lafayette Recycling Department coordinator Amberlyn Liles often shares with students in the Lafayette County School District.

Liles travels to local schools to teach elementary school students about the benefits of recycling and how it helps the Oxford community.

“I travel to every elementary school in Lafayette County to teach and promote the recycling program of the Lafayette Recycling Department,” Liles said. “When I visit these schools, I bring my educational cart of materials with me to demonstrate to the children how recycling can help the environment.”

In this educational cart, Liles brings aluminum cans, plastics, mixed papers and other items to show students exactly what recycling can do.

“My favorite demonstration to show students is plastic water bottles and a Patagonia fleece jacket,” Liles said. “Many people do not know that a water bottle can be recycled into fleece fabric, and Patagonia is a company that often makes their products out of recycled items.”

Laurie Beth Cox, third grade teacher at Oxford Elementary School, said OES has a recycling program the students really seem to enjoy.

“My classroom has learned about the different items they can recycle and do a wonderful job of recycling,” Cox said.

Elementary students also get the opportunity to participate in a field trip through this recycling program.

A double decker bus picks students up from the school and takes them to the recycling center to apply what they have learned.

“In order to ride the double decker bus, each student must have a ticket,” Liles said. “That ticket is an recyclable item. They take their item to the center and get to see how the whole process works.”

Lafayette County middle schools and high schools are also included in a recycling program.

The schools are provided with recycling stations where students can recycle at school.

“The recycling trucks even come to our school to pick up our recycling,” Cox said.

“The kids like knowing they are helping the environment by recycling.”

Liles has worked with the Lafayette Recycling Department for the past eight years.

She says she spends her time promoting the recycling message, which includes putting together educational packets and giving public speeches to the community.

“The work I do with the schools is just a small slice of the pie,” Liles said. “My job is to promote recycling all over the community.”5