A Kearney organization has joined a national effort to reuse waste materials while raising money for a local charity.

Becky Skrdla of Kearney, a Mid-America Bicycle Club member, read about the Clif Bar Wrapper Brigade when she was flipping through a biking newsletter.

Advertisement

“A lot of times when you’re riding two to three hours you’ll eat an energy bar,” Skrdla said. “I sent an e-mail to the bike club, and they said they’d be interested.”

Clif Bar, an all-natural and organic energy bar company, and TerraCycle, a plant food company, designed the program in hopes of reducing the number of energy bar wrappers going into landfills and to educate people about reusing waste materials, according to a press release from the companies.

The bike club joined the brigade to help reduce waste generated by bikers and other community members.

The collected wrappers will be fused and woven into a strong material, then made into backpacks and other products that will be available next year, according to the press release.

“I like that they’ll make sellable products,” Skrdla said. “We have to start making these choices.”

In addition to reusing the product, the Wrapper Brigade donates 2 cents to charity for every energy bar or granola bar wrapper collected.

Skrdla said the bike club decided to support the Kearney Humane Society.

She said the collection isn’t limited to Clif Bars. Any energy bar or granola bar wrapper can be dropped off at the collection sites.

Wrapper collection sites are located at The Bike Shed at 1800 Second Ave. and the Kearney Humane Society at 3205 W. Highway 30.

“Every little bit helps,” Skrdla said. “We’re just trying to keep stuff out of the landfills.”

Skrdla said when the handbags and totes are available, they will be sold at The Bike Shed.

Anyone can sign up for the Wrapper Brigade at www.terracycle.net/brigades.

e-mail to:
sara.giboney@kearneyhub.com