Three outstanding students from Apple Valley Middle School recently established the “Recycle Guys” green club on their campus using an Environmental Club mini-grant from MEEC. Ryan Peterson, Club President, attended the third annual YELC Event held in May 2008, and he and fellow recyclers Brian Kohler and Brian Price recently attended the Environmental Youth Leadership Conference at the Center for Conservation Biology at the University of California, Riverside. As part of the conference, they had to complete a project.

The “Recycling Guys” Brian Kohler, Ryan Peterson and Brian Price (left to right in above photo) decided to focus on bottled water. They conducted a survey regarding student’s opinions on bottled vs. tap water. They also tested for minerals in certain bottled waters and compared the results to known results for tap water to see which was actually healthier. They presented their findings to their classmates at the school.

In conjunction with the testing and survey project, they hosted a recycling competition between grade levels and also received some 200 conservation pledges from students and teachers at the school. Each participant pledged to reduce their purchase of water bottles by drinking tap water from a reusable water bottle or container, to get their morning beverage in a refillable mug, and to avoid the purchase of Styrofoam items. Each pledged participant received a reusable tumbler donated by MEEC.

An exceptional project by three very exceptional young men! What can you do to make a difference?