In a struggling economy, it is more important than ever to be more efficient with our resources. Recycling and reusing containers, paper — anything reusable — can mean a huge savings as well as a better environment.

Many people want to recycle, but they don’t know how to begin or what to do. That’s where Broughton W. Rogers comes in. Rogers retired after 39 years in the National Guard and has been a middle-school social studies teacher with Linden City Schools for 17 years, but has found another calling in helping people recycle, operating Rogers Recycling Center.

“If they’re a business, they can call me, and we’ll try to put them on the schedule,” he said of his pick-up schedule. “We’ve got about 25 or 30 people that we pick up regularly. We spot pick-up all the time. That’s when we just go get it from the businesses.

“We have five trailers out that businesses fill up for me, and we have dropoff sites at the Trinity Episcopal Church in the back and at the Bargain Box.”

Rogers said the Demopolis Science Club has begun a recycling program for the school, and the DTD Club is interested in working with recycling as well.

“The response to recycling has been real, real good,” he said. “If anyone wants to recycle, they can call me, and I can tell them what they need to do.”

Rogers said that he collects a variety of recyclables from people and businesses, from steel items, including aluminum cans, to a multitude of paper products.

“They need to be bagged,” he said. “The steel cans and aluminum cans, any kind of appliances, any kind of office paper, computer paper, copy paper, school paper, notebook paper, white poster board, brown and white envelopes, legal-pad paper, hardback books, as well as newspaper, cardboard and magazines can be recycled.

“They all need to be bagged separately; magazines need to be with newspapers and catalogues, and steel cans need to be separated, too.

Rogers said that he is not quite ready to begin taking in plastic bottles, but hopes to start taking in milk jugs and some water bottles at a later date. He asked that people not bring plastic or glass bottles to be recycled until that begins.

Rogers said the easiest way for people or businesses to recycle would be to place different items in separate bags or boxes and contact him to pick it up or bring it themselves to either of the two dropoff sites.

“It saves on energy,” Rogers said. “It’s cheaper to recycle paper than it is to cut trees, so I’ve been told. The conservation, the exports and for environmental concerns, the lack of waste.”

Rogers said that the work is important, but he also enjoys doing it.

“I love doing it,” he said. “Some people like to hunt, some people like to fish, some people play golf. I do this seven days a week, but this is not work for me; this is fun.”

In a world where budgets are pushed to the limit, it just makes sense to reuse materials whenever possible, making for a more efficient use of resources. Locally, Broughton W. Rogers is a resource to help people and businesses get into recycling. He can be reached at 289-2405 for businesses and individuals who want him to pick up their recyclables or to get more information on recycling.