SOS 2016 RECYCLED CHRISTMAS TREE
The 2016 Christmas tree entry to the Festival of Trees, sponsored by your Southwest Organization for Sustainability (SOS), was named Simplicity. It draws awareness to over consumption, as well as the use of plastics, for bottled water, in particular.
The funds earned from this tree are earmarked for an Earth Week banner (estimated at $400 to $500) to hang over Hot Springs Boulevard.
Did you know that:
- Americans used about 50 billion plastic water bottles last year. However, the U.S.’s recycling rate for plastic is only 23%, which means 38 billion water bottles (more than $1 billion worth of plastic) are wasted each year.
- Last year, the average American used 167 disposable water bottles but only recycled 38.
- The recommended eight glasses of water a day, at U.S. tap water rates, equals about $.49 per year; that same amount of bottled water is about $1,400.
SOS’s simple little Christmas tree was made with more than 300 plastic water bottles and is lit with 3 strands of solar-powered LED lights. The additional materials to construct it, including the beautiful snowflake topper, were donated.