I would like to give a heartfelt thanks to the CarmelFest Committee and the Carmel Arts&Design District for providing recycling trash bins to patrons of CarmelFest and Rock the District.

Most of us purchase drinks in convenient disposable plastic bottles and aluminum cans at these outdoor events. In the past, this presented a dilemma for the recycling enthusiast: either lug around the empties to recycle at home or conveniently, but unhappily, throw them out at the event.

According to Popular Mechanics magazine, it takes 96 percent less energy to produce recycled aluminum cans and 76 percent less energy to produce plastic bottles than the same items made from raw materials.

There is also a huge savings in avoiding the use of crude oil to produce new plastic bottles. These savings are passed on to consumers when they purchase more products in bottles and cans.

Recycling at public events is an easy way to go green and save energy and money.

I look forward to seeing more recycling trash bins at September’s Carmel International Arts Festival and other events.

Thank you all for helping make Carmel a greener community.

For more information about free recycling options in Carmel, go to CarmelGreen.org

Margot Gibson, Carmel,

recycling committee chairwoman,

Carmel Green Initiative