Riverfest Program Recycles 17 Tons

The "Riverfest Recycles" program collected 17 tons of recyclable materials this year. That's seven tons more than collected in 2009 during the annual Memorial Day festival in Little Rock, according to festival officials.

Riverfest Recycles is a partnership between the festival's "Go Green" Committee, Regional Recycling & Waste Reduction District, Waste Management and Coca-Cola.

The program, launched in 2009, encourages festival-goers to keep recyclable plastic bottles and aluminum cans out of landfills by collecting them from the festival grounds and exchanging them for fun items at "Riverfest Recycles" centers inside the festival gates.

Festival-goers were provided with collection bags to be filled with aluminum cans or plastic bottles. Bags with at least 30 cans or bottles were exchanged for T-shirts or hats. Those who couldn't find 30 cans or bottles could trade what was collected for trinkets, such as temporary tattoos, water bottles and pencils.

This year the Regional Recycling & Waste Reduction District donated a Smart Car to be given away as part of the program. In order to register to win the car, individuals has to conduct at least three environmental acts at Riverfest, which included collecting bottles and cans, visiting the "Scrap Exchange" booth, riding a bike to Riverfest, riding the shuttle to the festival or supporting the "Hope Line" project by bringing in old cell phones. Once festival-goers collected three stamps, they were automatically registered to win the Smart Car.

On June 28, festival officials announced Amy Frazier of Jacksonville as the winner of the car. She collected 21 bags of recyclable waste. For more information, contact Riverfest at info@riverfestarkansas.com; by phoning 501-255-3378 or by faxing 501-255-3379.