Punahou School wins City recycling challenge

HONOLULU — Punahou School captured first place in the fourth annual Lex Brodie’s Earn and Learn School Recycling Competition, co-sponsored by the City’s Department of Environmental Services.

In a single collection event, Punahou collected $1,341, while Hawaii Baptist Academy took second with $1,166. Lex Brodie’s Tire Company Foundation will issue a check for $1,000 to Punahou and $500 to Hawaii Baptist Academy.

The recycling challenge was open to any public or private school on Oahu from September 1, 2010, through March 15, 2011. ENV supplied participating schools HI-5 collection bins during their scheduled events.

There were 33 participating schools with 110 collection events held during the period. Participants collected more than 500,000 HI-5 beverage containers (42,000 pounds) and earned more than $27,000 from redemptions.

Competing schools earned anywhere from $100 to more than $1,000 per event. Honorable mentions honors went to Pearl City High Marching Band, Waimalu Elementary and St. Andrew’s Priory, which earned more than $500 per recycling event. Most participating schools held more than one collection event. The most active schools were Kailua High, Kalaheo High, Montessori Community School and Iroquois Point Elementary School, who held monthly fundraisers and earned thousands of dollars. 

All participants utilized the City’s HI-5 fundraiser bins to support collection events. The bins are available upon request to schools or organizations for recycling fundraisers. For more information on the City’s recycling program, logon to www.opala.org or call 768-3200.