The Parkway School District, for the third time annually, is participating the St. Louis Green Holiday Light Recycling Drive. The idea originated from Parkway Southwest Middle, who has been involved in the drive for four years.

“Recycling holiday lights allows our community to make new products from what would otherwise be trash.  All material is processed and remanufactured domestically,” Parkway School District’s Sustainability and Purchasing Manager Erik Lueders said.

In the previous year, the entire project recycled 117,000 lbs. of lights; 370 lbs. came from Parkway West.

“Most all Parkway schools are having excellent success with this program.  Parkway West has a great opportunity to improve their composting to the levels of other Parkway schools,” Lueders said.

According to St. Louis Green’s website, the goal for the St. Louis community this year is 136,000 lbs. of lights.

“This is a much better alternative to landfilling these items.  Collecting and recycling these materials also generates a primary fund-raising source to the organization that is putting it on, St. Louis Green. In addition, 10% proceeds go to Operation Food Search’s Backpack Program,” Lueders said.

The drive will run through December 29, 2013, but all holiday lights should be brought to the school by December 16, 2013.

“This is an excellent opportunity for Parkway West community members to contribute to the community and responsibly discard their old holiday lights.  While this is a seasonal program, all students can be better stewards of the earth throughout the entire year by properly composting their lunch trays and food scrap in the cafeteria,” Lueders said.