From the rolling hills of the Kisatchie Forest to the marshes and bayous of the Atchafalaya Basin, you can’t overlook Louisiana’s natural beauty. Why would you want to? It’s easy to understand why so much time and effort is spent protecting Mother Nature. Current efforts, however, may not be enough.

With a disappearing coastline and hazy skies on hot days, the human footprint on the environment is growing. Recycling is one of the easiest ways to reduce our impact and has been around for years.

Some critics say it’s not cost-effective or the impact is negligible without widespread participation.  Well, Earth’s prayers may have been answered.

Suddenly, it’s become wildly popular to “Go Green.” Even big corporations are attempting to do their share. From contributing to community environmental initiatives or simply turning off the lights in corporate offices, companies are getting creative.

The City of Shreveport has teamed with a non-profit called Shreveport Green, which aims to improve the environment of the area. Earlier this year, curbside pickup of recyclables began inside city limits and it’s been quite popular. Residents can place their recyclable waste into a big bin that is picked up at the same time as trash. There’s also no need to sort it. For now the service is free, but in the future a minimal charge will come on your monthly city utility bill.

Sounds great, right? For people who live in apartment complexes or outside the city limits, recycling may not be an easy option. When I was in college, the City of Natchitoches did not offer any opportunities for recycling. I felt guilty knowing the amount of trash I was producing went straight into a landfill.

When I moved to Shreveport, I was excited about making a difference. Unfortunately, I fall into the category of people who can’t participate in curbside recycling because I live in a condo.

I’m going to research my options online, so a solution may be as simple as storing recyclables and taking them to a drop-off site nearby. Either way, I figure this is the easiest way to do my part.

Take the time to look at the items you toss out on a daily basis. It’s actually fairly interesting to see how many products are recyclable.

What will it be used as again? Will my TV dinner container come back as a shampoo bottle or maybe even as clothing?

Do you recycle? Maybe you carpool or only buy Earth-friendly products? Share your thoughts by commenting below.

The views expressed in this blog do not necessarily reflect the views of KTAL-TV or Nexstar Broadcasting Group.  They are solely the opinion of the author. All content © Copyright 2008 Lane Luckie