Reduce, recycle and reuse - the environmental motto of any conservational community, and Valpo is one of the most active in that pursuit. In fact, Valparaiso recycles more than any other community in the state, about 55% of all our waste.
Mayor Jon Costas came and spoke to the elementary students of Saint Paul Catholic School, saying, "We're here today to talk about being good stewards of the environment. Do you know what that means? It means God's given us one earth, and it's our job to try and care of it."
To promote that effort and get kids involved, the city council holds a contest every year for students all over the city to come up with drawings that represent this model of reduce, recycle, reuse. Once the drawing are submitted, the city council votes and chooses the winners.
One of the students who won this contest this year was 5th grader, Esther Allen of Saint Paul. Coincidentally, her mother is actually employed by the public works department.
Esther's drawing was enlarged and displayed on the large back side of one of the city's recycling trucks, to be shown all over Valpo with pride.