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Sacramento, CA –
Here’s a pre-game Super Bowl stat worth
considering: the millions of bottles and
cans recycled by California’s football
fans over the weekend will be worth
enough cash to sign a first-round draft
pick to a multi-million dollar contract.
Unfortunately, so will the beverage
containers that end up in the trashcan.
The biggest football
game of the year is Sunday, and while
the New England Patriots and
Philadelphia Eagles rush for yardage in
Jacksonville, Fla., fans all over the
country will be rushing for huge numbers
of refreshments. California’s Resources
Agency Secretary, Mike Chrisman, says
Californians should remember to pass
their empty bottles and cans to the
nearest open recycling bin.
“Super Bowl weekend is a great time to
remember that recycling is a big win for
the environment,” said Chrisman. “At
California’s bars and restaurants, and
in millions of homes, people will be
enjoying their favorite beverages as
they watch the action on the field.
Those bottles and cans deserve a chance
to get back in the game, so let’s all
make a commitment to recycle.”
Nationally, the estimated 650 million
beverage containers sold over the Super
Bowl weekend would nearly fill
Jacksonville’s Alltel Stadium.
The California Department of
Conservation estimates that in
California alone more than 30 million
containers of beer, soda, water and
other refreshments will be thrown away
instead of redeemed for cash and
recycled during Super Bowl weekend.
“Californians save energy, natural
resources and landfill space when they
recycle,” Chrisman said. “And if they
take their California Refund Value
bottles and cans to a recycling center,
they can redeem them for cash.”
In California, 30 million containers
represent approximately $1.2 million in
California Refund Value. To put that in
perspective, there will be enough CRV
thrown in the trash to buy about 6,000
big-screen televisions.
In addition to cash, these trashed
beverage containers represent a
substantial loss in resources. For
example, if recycled, there would be
enough clear plastic bottles – about 11
million -- to make 780,000 Patriots and
Eagles t-shirts, 173,000 team sweaters
or enough carpeting to cover 52 playing
fields. Each aluminum can recycled saves
enough energy to run a television for
nearly three hours, roughly the time it
takes to watch the Super Bowl. And glass
can be recycled over and over again into
new glass, saving energy each time.
Secretary Chrisman added that recycling
bottles and cans this weekend is easy,
“if consumers just have a good game
plan.” For example, he said anyone
expecting guests for the game could
simply set out a clearly marked box or
bag for bottles and cans and put it near
the trashcan. Got kids? “Put them in
charge of the recycling bins and let
them keep the cash they get at the
recycling center.”
Consumers can find their nearest
recycling center by calling
1-800-RECYCLE or visiting
www.bottlesandcans.com and using the
recycling center locater by zip code.
In addition to promoting beverage
container recycling, the Department of
Conservation maps and studies
earthquakes and other geologic
phenomena, classifies areas containing
mineral deposits; ensures reclamation of
land used for mining; regulates oil, gas
and geothermal wells; and administers
agricultural and open-space land
conservation programs.
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