In June the City of Levelland announced its partnership with the Green Queens, a company that will offer curbside recycling twice a month for citizens of Levelland. The partnership will allow citizens to sign up for the curbside service by adding an additional $27 to their monthly utility bill. The Green Queens will pick up the green recycling bags (provided by Green Queens) every 1st and 3rd Thursday of the month. Residents can sign up by going to www.LevellandTexas.org/recycle.
In an effort to promote the program and reach a tipping point for the program Erik Rejino, Director of
Administrative Services and Dave Quinn, Executive Director of the Levelland Economic Development Corp have agreed to wear tiaras and tutus for a special photo shoot if 75 citizens sign up for the monthly program by October 1, 2010.
While doing a presentation for the Levelland Noon Lions Club the Green Queens joked about Erik being forced to wear a tutu and tiara if the city didn’t reach its goal. Well, after giving it a little thought Erik and I decided that if wearing the princess outfits would motivate residents to join the program, what the heck.
So with a tweet, an email and a Facebook posting we launched a green campaign that might 
just land us in tiaras and tutus for the entire world to see. This proves we are not afraid to go the extra mile in Levelland to help save the world in our own strange little way.
You can read more about the curb side recycling program and help get Erik and I into our camo tutus and princess tiaras at www.LevellandTexas.org/recycle or at www.GreenQueens.org The clock is ticking!
Who says you can't do curbside recycling in rural America? The City of Levelland has worked at proving even rural communities can have curb side recycling if you want it bad enough. Last week the City approved a contract
with the Green Queens that will allow Levelland residents the option of curb side recycling. This continues Levelland's push to become the "Greenest" community on the South Plains.
The project is a beautifully designed public/private partnership with a global impact. After reading an article in the Lubbock Avalanche Journal about the Green Queens, City Manager Rick Osburn picked up the phone and called the recycling queens about expanding into the city of Levelland, a growing community just 30 miles west of Lubbock Texas. Fast forward a few months and here we are today, curbside recycling in Levelland Texas population 12,866.
"Adding curbside recycling is the next step in our
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| Rick Osburn, City Manager |
successful recycling program. The partnership between the City (Levelland) and the Green Queens is the most effective way to provide our citizens this service in an efficient, quality manner. Since protecting our environment is everyone's responsibility, combining the efforts and resources of the public and private sectors is an effective way to engage everyone in the effort," says Rick.
Levelland made the commitment to begin a recycling
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| Levelland New Recycling Center |
program a little over a year ago when a drop off center was built on A&M lane.
Residents who wish to recycle sort their recyclable materials and bring them to the center. A goal of 10 tons in the first year was set and 1 year later the city's center has recycled over 30 tons.
While there was no way the city could afford to fund a curbside recycling program for the entire city, Rick found a way to bring the service to town for those that would like to recycle. Residents can sign up for the program and pay the $27 per month fee, which will be billed along with their water utility bill, and the Green Queens will provide twice a month pickups on the first and third Thursday of every month.
Going Green just a got a little easier in our little spot of paradise, if you would like to know more about curbside recycling in Levelland visit www.LevellandTexas.org/recycle
You can also find the Green Queens on Facebook.