Whispering Roots received $50,000 from the OPPD Greener Together program to work with students from grade school through high school on sustainability, STEM and agricultural fields of study. Whispering Roots is building raised garden beds using lumber made by First Star Recycling and Solutions Plastic from hard-to-recycle plastic waste diverted from the landfill. The nonprofit works with students who live in socially and economically underserved communities. You can read more about the project here.

Firstar Fiber is reminding all area ghosts, goblins and especially candy-eating trick and treaters that they can restore life to their deceased candy wrappers this Halloween. They simply need to put them in a Hefty® ReNew® Orange Bag to have them resurrected at Firstar Fiber’s laboratory (aka, plastic lumber operation). To help spread the word (and not litter) and to extend the life of the Douglas County Landfill, Firstar is offering to mail free Hefty bag samples to youngsters who email a picture of themselves in among their all hallow eve loot, either before or after they’ve indulged their sweet tooths. Then, they simply need to put the empty wrappers in the bag along with other items listed with the bags, tie them off then put them in their recycling carts.