Recycling Program Benefits Animal Shelters (NAPSA)—Now in its ninth straight year, Paws to Recycle, the nation’s first aluminum can recycling program to benefit animal shelters nationwide, has raised over $2 million for shelters while helping the environment. Every year, Alcoa Inc., Ameri- can Humane Association (AHA) and Friskies PetCare Company supply animal shelters with tools and resources needed to conduct aluminum can drives from September through November. This effort is designed to raise moneyfor important shelter operating costs such as food supply and spay and neuter programs that benefit every community. Paws to Recycle awards grand prizes of $3,000 to shelters who recycle the most pounds of aluminum cans, gain the most community involvement and generate the best publicity campaign. Five “Wild Card” winners are also chosen and awarded $500 each. In addition, all participating shelters receive coupons for cat and dog food products manufactured by Friskies PetCare. “The best part is that recycling aluminum cans for Paws to Recycle not only benefits animal shelters, but the environment as well,” says Cindy Strowbridge, marketing coordinator for AHA. “This is a partnership we are so proud to be a part of. Between all of the diverse causes and resources that Friskies, AHA and Alcoa bring to the table, we have a rock-solid equation for this wonderful program that benefits everyone.” Craig Covert, market development manager for Alcoa’s Rigid Packaging business, says that in 2001, nearly 100 shelters participated in Paws to Recycle. Since the program’s inception, shelters have recycled over 7.5 million pounds of aluminum You “can” help animals in shelters by recycling an aluminum can. cans, earning shelters over $2 million while keeping over 248 million cans out of landfills. “We are happy to support Paws to Recycle in order to help the environment and to help shelters survive,” says Covert. “By participating in this program, shelters and communities are making a difference; by recycling, they are saving energy and allowing a valuable resource to be used again and again.” For animal shelters or individuals interested in aluminum can recycling, Alcoa offers five impor- tant recyclingtips: 1. Get in touch with yourlocal recycling center where you can turn in aluminum cans for cash. 2. Rinse cansbefore recycling. 3. Aluminum pet food cans and beverage cansgo in the same recycling bin. 4. Do not recycle any aerosol cans. 5. Reach out to others. You may be amazed at how manyaluminum cans and how much money you can collect by involving the whole community. To learn more about how you can aid both the environment and animal shelters, call 1-800646-7297 (PAWS).
