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Bartlesville
Posted: Aug 13, 2026 9:37 AMUpdated: Aug 13, 2026 9:37 AM
Local Scouting and Recycling Highlights
Tom Davis
Our local youth and regional environmental conservation partners are joining forces this fall as the Boy Scouts Cherokee Area Council celebrates a big surge in local recycling milestones alongside the Oklahoma Recycling Association (OKRA).
Appearing on COMMUNITY CONNECTION, Phillip Wright, with the Cherokee Area Council, and Ellen Bussard of OKRA, highlighted our community recycling efforts and upcoming collection events.
Wright said, "The Cherokee Area Council has officially surpassed 200,000 pounds of recycled materials year-to-date, marking a dramatic increase from the 133,000 pounds collected in all of last year." He added, " We greatly appreicate and thank our local donors, board members, the United Way, and community participants who propelled the drive past this milestone."
The council is aexpanding its collection footprint with a joint partnership with OKRA and the Metropolitan Environmental Trust (The MET). This has expanded the regional collection for paper, magazines, and newspapers. Ellen Bussard of OKRA said, "The drive successfully gathered a two-year supply of newspaper cage liners to support the Sutton Avian Research Center’s upcoming breeding season."
Bussard invited everyone to OKRA's annual conference, themed "On the Road to Zero Waste," scheduled for September 1–2 in Durant, Oklahoma. The event connects sustainability professionals, educators, and businesses to tackle complex issues, including residential textile pickup services, construction waste diversion, and recycling plastics beyond standard #1 and #2 grades.
CLoser to home, Wright said our local scouts council and The Lighthouse have recently partnered for a collection bin where community members can now drop off clothes, shoes, and purses at the Scout Service Center, located at 520 SE Quapaw.
You are invited to the upcoming Pawhuska Tire Recycling on Saturday, August 29th. Wright said the event is organized by a coalition including the Osage Nation, The MET, DEQ, the Brandon Foundation, United Way, and the Cherokee Area Council. This event allows you to bring old tires to Pawhuska to be shredded into playground matting and pavers, effectively eliminating mosquito breeding grounds and local fire hazards.
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