What if a city made recycling the easiest option everywhere you go—at school, at the park, at festivals, and even at your desk? We sat down with Reynoldsburg Mayor Joe Begeny to trace a practical roadmap to less waste and more reuse, powered by clear rules, smart SWACO grants, and community pride. The story begins in classrooms, where the Slate Ridge Elementary green team turned sorting into second nature. It continues at public events, where portable recycling stations draw crowds who want the right bin within reach.

We dig into how 30 park containers cut litter and protected waterways, and how City Hall flipped behavior by pairing big blue recycling bins with tiny waste baskets. Six years after rolling out 65‑gallon curbside recycling carts, many homes now set out fuller recycling bins than trash bins —proof that simple, consistent guidance works. 

Beyond the basics, Reynoldsburg keeps adding convenient ways to divert materials. Year‑round e‑waste collection takes the guesswork out of disposing of TVs, computers, and phones. A standout program transforms single‑use plastic film—grocery bags and shrink wrap—into sturdy park benches! 

Seasonal efforts include leaf pickup which begins in October, a pumpkin drop after Halloween, a creative costume swap, and holiday string lights recycling to handle those strands that never seem to survive another season.

Public safety and stewardship meet at the prescription drug take‑back, coordinated with the Reynoldsburg Police Department near Earth Day, alongside paper shredding, bike donations, and respectful flag retirement. We wrap it all up with the mayor’s historian lens (he's a former teacher) on World War II and the sweeping changes of the 1960s, reminding us that culture shifts fast when people pull in the same direction. 

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