Alabama Environmental Council “crowdfunding” for the expanded recycling center & 50th year

Alabama Environmental Council Recycling Center
Just a few of the materials the AEC Recycling Center collects – newspaper, magazines, mixed paper, cans, plastic bottles and glass

The Alabama Environmental Council‘s Board of Directors have launched a “crowdfunding” campaign to fund their newly expanded recycling center in Avondale and to celebrate the organization’s 50th year in 2017.

With the price of some recyclable materials at or near all-time lows, the AEC is seeking commitments from the community to support the state’s largest and oldest non-profit recycling center operation.

Unbeknownst to most residents of Birmingham, many of today’s recycling programs were “kick started” by the Alabama Conservancy (today’s Alabama Environmental Council). For example, the group started Birmingham’s first recycling center, curbside recycling programs and even Christmas tree recycling.

A great cause.  The AEC is also preparing to celebrate it’s 50th year in 2017.

Here is the link to the AEC crowdfunding page and the email that was sent by Council Board members to several Birmingham Nextdoor.com, a neighborhood networking websites.

Hi Everyone,
I am on the Board of Directors for the Alabama Environmental Council. This year, we had to move the AEC Recycling Center from Downtown where the center has been for 30 years to a new location in Avondale. Previously, the rent was only $1 a year, and now the rent is $2,250 a month. The center gets no money from the City of Birmingham. We have had a lot of extra expenses with the move and getting everything running properly. While we make money on selling recycled goods, the market is low right now; and even when it is good, the money is not enough to cover running the center. Please donate some money to the AEC if you can. (It is tax deductible). We have a Crowdfunding Campaign going on right now to try to raise $30,000 for the center and for the other programs we do. Please click on the link below to donate.

If anyone would like a tour of the recycling center, or would like more information about our programs, please feel free to message me.

More info about the AEC:
Starting out as the Alabama Conservancy, the AEC saved the Sipsey Wilderness, Little River Canyon, Cheaha, and Ruffner Mountain. It created Forever Wild, and has fought for clean air and water in Birmingham. The AEC is celebrating its 50th year in 2017, and we are asking people to donate 50 for 50 (to contribute at least $50 for 50 years of the AEC’s work), and to help continue our environmental work for another 50 years.

The AEC started recycle programs across the state and runs the center in Avondale, and is partnered with the one in Bessemer.

We would love to have to have your help in continuing our programs, expanding our recycling center, leading Alabama’s renewable energy movement, and fighting climate change. The center currently takes glass, electronics, plastics 1 and 2, solo cups, small engines, toner cartridges, cigarette butts, tin, aluminum, clothing, cardboard, and much more. We would like to be able to recycle paint, flourescent bulbs, and styrofoam too, if we can get the funds. Thanks for your help!

Here is the link.

Pat Byington
Pat Byington

Longtime conservationist. Former Executive Director at the Alabama Environmental Council and Wild South. Publisher of the Bama Environmental News for more than 18 years. Career highlights include playing an active role in the creation of Alabama's Forever Wild program, Little River Canyon National Preserve, Dugger Mountain Wilderness, preservation of special places throughout the East through the Wilderness Society and the strengthening (making more stringent) the state of Alabama's cancer risk and mercury standards.

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