Hispanic groups promote therapeutic art

Anaheim Family YMCA, Latino Health Access and Others Team Up with American Chemistry Council to Promote Recycling Education
PRESS RELEASE

ORANGE COUNTY, CA (September 19, 2009) – Today, the Anaheim Family YMCA, Latino Health Access (LHA), Anaheim League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), Orange County Children’s Therapeutic ARTS Center (OCCTAC), Keep California Beautiful (KCB) and the American Chemistry Council have partnered to promote recycling in Orange County. By dropping off a 30-gallon bag of plastics and other materials for recycling, family members of the YMCA, LHA and OCCTAC will receive free tickets to the September 26th Angels game that includes attendance in the day-long Angels Fiesta Day celebration.

ACC also is working with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim to place recycling bins in the baseball stadium to encourage and promote recycling.

Anaheim Family YMCA, LHA, Anaheim LULAC and OCCTAC have become the latest partners in an ongoing recycling campaign that began in 2007 when representatives from the California Department of Parks and Recreation, ACC and KCB launched a new beach recycling program on State Parks sites in the Los Angeles and Central Coast areas. The program soon spread to State Parks beaches in San Diego, Monterey, and Santa Cruz and to the cities of and Brentwood and Woodland. To date, the program has installed more than 500 permanent and seasonal recycling bins and signage on 25 state beaches.

“Teaching kids the importance of recycling is one of the many ways the Anaheim Family YMCA instills respect, responsibility and other valuable character traits in our youth,” said John Guastaferro, Vice President of Communications, Anaheim Family YMCA. “We’re thrilled to be able to share the message of recycling with our members, in collaboration with the Angels, American Chemistry Council and other community partners.”

“Latino Health Access welcomes the opportunity to partner with the American Chemistry Council to promote the value of recycling education with our community,” said Gabriela Gonzalez, Communications and Development Coordinator. “We believe that ‘participation makes the difference’. Our families will enjoy an Angel’s baseball game and Angels Fiesta Day activities all the while contributing to a cleaner and healthier community. This is a win-win situation for all.”

“In times like these, a free afternoon of Angel’s baseball is a spectacular way to spend time with family,” said Yvonne Gonzalez Duncan, President, Anaheim League of United Latin American Citizens. “Adding the education element of environmental stewardship, conservation and recycling further promotes our civic pride.”

The Director and Founder of Orange County Children’s Therapeutic ARTS Center, Dr. Ana Jimenez-Hami, adds, "What a wonderful idea for our children to learn about recycling in such a practical way!"

The recycling of plastics in California, particularly in away-from-home settings, can help to reduce litter and marine debris. As a result, program participants welcome opportunities to work with communities like Anaheim and Santa Ana to deliver educational opportunities reminding people that plastics are too valuable to waste and should be recycled.

"Too much plastic – including many readily recyclable products – is ending up as litter on our beaches, in our waterways and in our neighborhoods,” said Steve Russell, Vice President, Plastics, of the American Chemistry Council. “We know Californians want to recycle more. We appreciate this opportunity to work with community groups like the Anaheim Family YMCA, Latino Health Access and the Anaheim League of United Latin American Citizens to help make our environment cleaner for the future of California.”

More than 80 percent of U.S. households have access to a recycling program, be it curbside collection or community drop-off centers. While there are approximately 2,100 certified recycling centers in California, too many people still see plastics as trash instead of valuable materials that should be recycled.