Alaska IPL strives to make a meaningful difference in the lives of Alaskans in need TODAY. By designing GreenJob programs with faith-based social service organizations, Alaska IPL is able to bridge the golden rule of caring for one another with the green rule of caring for creation.

Alaska IPL partnered with the following social service organizations to create win-win-win GreenJob programs, including:  

1. Alaska IPL's first green collar job program was the Beans Cafe - Recycling for the Homeless program, which began in the summer of 2007. This project employs clients from Bean’s Café, a.k.a. the “green team,” to pick up #1 plastics & aluminum cans from 7 bins strategically located near downtown vendors and trashcans. Bean’s Café is paid $200 per/week for its bi-weekly services of picking-up recyclables, sorting and delivering materials to the mid-town recycling center. All proceeds generated through the Recycling for the Homeless program, go directly to the Beans Café “green team.”

As a result of this program, Mary Walker was honored with the Alaska Forum on the Environment's 2008 Environmental Excellence Award.

2. The original green jobs program was followed by the Downtown Soup Kitchen's (DSK) - Beautifying Anchorage Project. The DSK program recruits clients to pick-up litter in the Anchorage area, separate and then sort any recyclables from litter. In return for their services, DSK clients receive a bus pass for each full bag of trash.

Alaska IPL is excited to report that since May 2009, DSK clients have removed more than 400 bags worth of trash off Anchorage streets. According to Holly Lawson, DSK executive director, the majority of trash is being picked-up in the heavily littered Ship Creek area. I shared this story with a colleague who conducts Beluga Whale surveys in the Ship Creek area and she remarked that the area was indeed noticeably cleaner. Go DSK!

DSK and Alaska IPL would like to extend our sincere appreciation to Anchorage's - People Mover bus program and their 2-for-1 non-profit special.  

3. The Fairbanks Rescue Mission (FRM) and Alaska IPL joined forces to create Fairbanks only community recycling center. Since opening its doors on September 5th 2009, The FRM Recycling Center has employed FRM residents to operate the center and collected more than 500,000 lbs of recyclable materials.

The benefits of this win-win-win program, include:
1. Providing FRM residents with a valuable sense of accomplishment and viable job training skills;
2. Saving the Fairbanks North Star Borough money by diverting waste from the landfill; and
3. Providing the Fairbanks community a very desirable service to the community.   

UPDATE: The FRM Recycling Center Grand Opening was a smashing success! Thank you to everyone who helped us celebrate the incredible day!

FRM Recycling is open on Saturdays from 11 am to 5 pm.  At this time, the recycling center accepts the following items: aluminum, corrugated and lighter cardboard (i.e. cereal boxes), newspaper (inserts OK) and mixed paper. The Center is located at the Mission at 723 27th. Ave. (on 27th, one block west of S. Cushman).