What you hold in your hands is not a newspaper, but an opportunity.

After taking in all the news of Lawrence County and the world, if you take the opportunity to recycle this paper, not only will you make our corner of the world cleaner, but you'll be part of a growing number of area residents working to be just a bit more earth-friendly.According Chuck Yaniko, coordinator for the Lawrence-Scioto County Solid Waste Management District, approximately 35 tons of materials have been recycled in Lawrence County in the first three months of 2005, which is typically the lowest quarter. By this indication, Yaniko predicts 140 tons will have been recycled by year's end in the county, a 2400-pound jump from 2004.

Although the recycling program was initiated in 2003 to help preserve more space in area landfills, Yaniko said the program is also a good way to help out Mother Nature.

"It's the environmental issue too, anything we can reduce and reuse means we don't have to use raw materials," Yaniko said. "And that helps the environment."

Yaniko said that although those who regularly recycle are passionate about it, he's had a problem encouraging the X and Y generations to get on board.

"Those who use it, they're dedicated to it," Yaniko said. "If the bins are being moved or emptied, if they're not there they'll call to find out where they're at. But a lot of the younger people don't use them. I think that's the audience we need to get to, the 35-and-under crowd"

Stephanie Nida, Education Specialist for the LSCSWMD, said that though the "younger people" may not be on board yet, the youngest people most certainly are. In fact, she said Chesapeake Middle School is starting a recycling program, and others may fall into line now that standardized testing season is drawing to a close.

"I think it's really catching on, and the kids are so persuasive, so what we're trying to do is get them in the habit of taking it home to their parents," Nida said. "They really think they're doing something good, they see how much space we're saving in the landfills and they believe that they're doing the right thing."

Yaniko said that these sorts of awareness efforts are the best thing to do to help increase recycling, as the addition of more recycling stations are a financial impossibility right now.

There's one spot where you can always take your recyclables: the Chesapeake Municipal Court, which is the only permanent recycling site in Lawrence County. If Chesapeake is too much of a drive, there are other options open, but where you'll take your materials depends on the time of the month.

For the first week of the month, recyclables should be taken to Forth's Foodfair, and to the Burlington Lowe's during the following week. In the third week, the recycling station is at the Coal Grove Village Hall lot, and in the final week of the month, materials can be taken to Ohio University's Southern Campus.

The stations are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and can accept plastics, aluminum cans, magazines and, of course, newspapers.