I remember the sweet taste of a cold and freshly opened “real” Ale-8-One on a hot summer afternoon.

A “real” Ale-8-One is what my mom called the old Ale-8 that came in the larger glass bottle. She says they taste better, and I believe she’s right, but that’s not the only benefit to those bottles. They are also reusable.

While the reusable bottles still exist, I see fewer and fewer of them in the hands of Ale-8 drinkers. Now, you see its smaller counterpart, which has a twist off top, and though it is not reusable, it is still recyclable.

Though recycling may not always be the most convenient option, I believe it is one worth trying. Recently, my co-workers and I made a disappointing discovery, someone had placed their trash in our recycling bin. If you can go out of your way to place trash in a recycling bin, you can go out of your way to actually recycle.

Sadly, our recycling bin is not the only one receiving items that are not intended for it. 

There are several recycling drop-off locations in Jessamine County that are provided by the Recycling Convenience Center in Nicholasville.

These drop-off locations are meant for recyclable items, not trash. Yet trash being put into them has become such an issue that the center felt the need to remove two of the bins from their locations.

Jessamine County has a free service that is not only good for the community, it is also good for the environment. This service should be utilized and not abused.

In no way, shape, or form am I standing on a soapbox. Reduce, reuse and recycle are actions I believe we all need to work on, and the way things are made today only complicates matters. I only recently challenged myself to see if I could do better.

One small action like purchasing a reusable shopping bag to reduce the use of plastic bags has inspired me to see what else I can do. I have begun composting my food waste using a $5 bucket with a lid and some soil. I am also beginning to collect my recyclable items, so I can drop them off at the many locations offered by The Recycling Convenience Center.

Drop-off site locations can be found in Nicholasville and Wilmore. They include the Kroger on South Main Street, the Kroger at Bellerive Plaza, Sam’s Club on North U.S. 27, the Wilmore Public Works Building located on Linden Avenue and The Recycling Convenience Center itself, which is located on 123 Hendren Way in Nicholasville and is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. It is also open on Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.

For those who are busy, making a special trip to recycle can be difficult, but luckily two of the recycling bins are right next to grocery stores, so grocery shopping day can be combined with a recycled items drop off as well.

The best part about the center is the recyclable items do not have to be separated, and many will be accepted free of charge. Paper items include, but are not limited to, newspaper inserts, catalogs and magazines, junk mail, phone books and corrugated cardboard. Plastic items include water bottles, laundry detergent jugs, milk and water jugs and cooking oil containers. Cans include aluminum soda and beer cans and steel food cans. Any type of glass bottles can also be recycled.

The recycling bins are not the only services offered to help keep the community clean.

The city and organizations also offer several opportunities for community members to dispose of their trash and even pick up some items that have been misplaced on the ground. Some of those opportunities have recently happened, and some are coming up in the next few weeks. Asbury’s service day occurred on Friday, and the countywide cleanup ended last month. Main Street Clean Sweep is just around the corner for both cities. Wilmore will host theirs from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Friday, April 14 on East Main Street and Nicholasville’s will be from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Friday, April 21 beginning at J’s Place at 101 S. Main Street.

Participants will be given a T-shirt, bags, gloves and litter grabbers. Those who wish to register can do so at www.BigGreenesource.org.

Spring brings warmer weather and more sunshine, which invites people to leave the shadows of their home. It is a shared responsibly to ensure the community has something pretty to look at and enjoy when we step out the door.