Recycling Challenge - America Recycles Day

So, apparently today is "America Recycles Day". Who knew?

This year marks the 10th anniversary of this "nationally recognized day" dedicated to encouraging Americans to recycle and to buy recycled products. There is even a recycling pledge page for those "on-the-fencers" who need a nudge to get cracking.

Okay, I am in Canada and granted I have no cable so I get most of my news from the radio and internet news feeds, but I had NO IDEA that this was a special day devoted to recycling and the awareness campaign that goes with it. How can this be? Maybe there needs to more focus in the media on this issue because nary a word was heard around these parts about the whole to-do.

Now, don't get me wrong, recycling has come a long way, baby. In the last twenty years curbside recycling programs have increased tenfold, but clearly there has to be more that we can do. A nationally recognized day is great, but there must be actions that implore people to put their recycling priorities to work and serious attempts to keep at it should be also encouraged.

There are grass-roots efforts like Wardrobe Refashion and the like to get the crafy-artsy types thinking recycle on a larger scale. (Currently approximately 4% of landfill is composed of textile waste.)

In an effort to help recognize this monumental day, I would like to set out a challenge of my own. A recycling challenge of sorts, this one is directly related to the area of crafting. I challenge readers (an I KNOW there are SOOO many of you out there lurking! Yeah, you there!) to commit to a recycling project of their own making, whatever form it may take. To get people going, I am posting a pic of some great recycled map flags that I made recently from vintage atlases. The photo kind of sucks (too dark..) but you get the idea. Wondering what you creative types can come up with to try your hand as well.......so get going....craft away. Who knows, you might even come up with something worthy of giving as gifts, say if anyone else to the Handmade Pledge over at BuyHandMade.org?