The installation of solar panels, the creation of a Facebook page, and paper bins in classrooms all have something in common – they resulted in recognition for the people behind the projects.
On Wednesday, July 22, the annual Recycling Awards of Excellence were doled out to a deserving individual, non-profit or institution, and commercial business.
At a catered dinner at Brenda's Cafe on Main Street, the first name called forth was Candace Magee.
Grace Fix, with the Heartland Beautification Committee, handed out the awards, and explained why each individual was chosen.
Magee was chosen because of her decision to start and maintain a Facebook page in which people in Stettler can re-home items that are still useful, but not needed by the owner.
"Stettler – Items too good to toss out – free" was started by Magee, who continues to maintain it to this day.
"A year-and-a-half ago, Magee founded the group," Fix said. "This keeps items out of our landfille and in use."
When Fix first found out about the group 18 months ago, it had just a handful of people making use of it. Today, more than 2,300 people are part of the group – a nice feat when Stettler's population is around 6,000 (though many members are from county communities).
"(Magee) is enabling hundreds of items to stay in use," Fix said.
Magee also likes to "upcycle" items, Fix noted, taking old items and turning them into something new, like turning old window frames into art.
Burmac Mechanical was honoured with the business award for its installation of solar panels on its roof. The award was accepted by Ryan Bolin.
"When society needs to make changes, it needs leaders who want to make these changes," Fix said. "Burmac is one of these leaders."
By installing the solar panels, Fix said that Burmac reduces its need for power, which reduces its carbon footprint by about 15 per cent.
"And they're hoping to install more," she noted.
Several years ago, the Grade 4 class and teachers at Stettler Elementary School began a recycling program for paper, installing recycling boxes in each classroom.
Since the program was first started, it's expanded to include cardboard, pull tabs, batteries, clothing, print toners and print cartridges, juice and milk cartons, and books.
The class is also behind the one-sided paper project, which sees paper with one side used tossed into a box to have the blank side reused for scrap paper, photocopies and other relevant uses, Fix explained.
"The money from refunds go back into the classroom," Fix said, explaining that each class keeps track of what it makes in recycling refunds.
The money, when it doesn't go back to the classroom, goes to a good cause, like "families in distress, or the Red Cross after a crisis," Fix explained.
The money from the pull tabs goes to the Ronald McDonald house, and the school has embarked on a "litterless lunch" program, which has students make use of reusable containers rather than disposable ones.
This year, Fix also introduced a new award, called the "Item Longevity" award. The award goes to a person who ignores society's "buy new buy new" pressure and keeps an item that is perfectly good in use rather than getting a new replacement.
In its inaugural year, the award went to Noreen Woolsey, who is driving the same car she got in 1991 – 25 years ago.
"Her son was amazed at how well it runs," Fix said.
"It gets me from A to B," Woolsey said.
Rob Spencer, who heads up the committee, also presented the annual Beautification Champion award. This year, it went to Sobeys Liquor store for its new building at the corner of Highway 12 and 50 Street.
"For years, we stared at this eyesore on Main Street," Penner, who joined Spencer in presenting the award, said.
The site had been a Petro Canada gas station for years, and while the station was closed and moved to another site, the company didn't release the site for years.
Once the site was released, Sobeys built their new multi-shop building, staying in the theme of the section of Main Street, putting out flowers, and generally beautifying the corner.
Note: An earlier version of this story incorrectly identified Burmac Mechanical as Burmac Industrial.