Students to "Throw the Book" at Recycle Rutherford to Compete for $200 Classroom Prizes
 
Recycle Rutherford, supported by AT&T Real Yellow Pages Project Redirectory, is encouraging Rutherford County students to "Throw the Book at Us" in its annual telephone book collection. In a competition open to all public and private schools within the county, students can collect used telephone books to win a cash prize for their classrooms. The collection will run from September 18 through November 9.
 
You don't have to be a student to recycle phone books. If you don't know a teacher or student that will take your phone book, you can recycle it at one of the collection locations.
 
"The 'Throw the Book at Us' program provides the perfect opportunity for environmental lessons in the classroom," said Linda Stevens, coordinator of the project for Recycle Rutherford. "Our goals include not only reducing the amount of waste disposed of in Rutherford County, but also teaching students to care for the environment."
 
Participating teachers encourage their students to bring in used telephone books, then tabulate the number of books collected. The teacher or a volunteer delivers the books to one of three collection centers by November 9. At the end of the collection, each teacher emails Recycle Rutherford at recyclerutherford@yahoo.com or calls 687-3497 to report the total number of books turned in by his or her class. Each set of ten phone books turned in earns a class one entry in a drawing for a $200 cash prize. Ten classes will earn these prizes. The drawing for the prizes will be held on Monday November 16 at 7 pm in the commissioner chambers in the Rutherford County Courthouse.
 
All Rutherford County residents are encouraged to recycle phone books before Monday, November 9, 2009 by giving them to a student at a participating school or by dropping them at one of the following collection sites:
 
Smyrna City Hall parking lot--24 hours a day
Sam's Club, Sam's Club, 125 John R. Rice Blvd., Murfreesboro—24 hours a day
Haley Road Recycling Center, 1140 Haley Road, Murfreesboro—24 hours a day
 
Facts about the Murfreesboro/Smyrna phone book:
 
AT&T Real Yellow Pages directories are 100% recyclable content and are made from an average 40% recycled, post-consumer content. The paper is made from recycled paper waste and wood fiber waste such as sawdust and wood chips that would otherwise go unused. Recycled phone  books are made into useful products such as insulation, roofing shingles, animal bedding, and new phone directories
 

"Throw the Book at Us" is a community effort of Allied Waste, SP Recycling, Murfreesboro Solid Waste Department, the City of Smyrna, Rutherford County Commission and Mimi Keisling, the Rutherford County Recycle Education Coordinator, Rutherford County Schools, Murfreesboro City Schools, and Recycle Rutherford. Special thanks go to AT&T Real Yellow Pages Project Redirectory for providing prize money.
 
Recycle Rutherford is a volunteer organization dedicated to increasing recycling in Rutherford County. To volunteer or request more information, please call 687-3497 or visit www.recyclerutherford.org.