BROWARD COUNTY – If you grew up in a Caribbean household, whether from the islands or the mainland, you know that care for your home extends beyond your front door. It shows up in the early morning sweep of the yard, the upkeep of shared spaces, and the quiet but consistent pride in maintaining a clean community.
That care isn’t just about appearance. It’s about a shared responsibility to value the items we use every day. Long before sustainability became a formal conversation, many Caribbean communities were already practicing it, not as a concept, but as a way of life. Items were reused, repurposed, and extended well beyond their original purpose. Containers were saved, jars were refilled, and materials were given a second or third use without much thought.
For many, those lessons show up in small, familiar moments.
Every Caribbean child knows the quiet disappointment of opening a butter tub or margarine container, expecting one thing and finding another, like leftover stew, meat, or the seasoned green base, also known as epis, for the next meal. It’s a subtle reminder that very little is wasted.
That same mindset carries across the household. Glass jars become storage. Fabrics find new uses in the kitchen. Even everyday items are reimagined for the garden or the yard. There is an instinct to recognize the remaining value in what others might overlook.
As our lives have evolved, so has the environment around us. Here in Broward County, the pace is faster, convenience is constant, and packaging is everywhere. The systems we rely on today were not designed for the habits many of us grew up with, and the result is significant. We generate approximately 20,000 pounds of waste every minute in Broward County.
The contrast between a Caribbean culture rooted in resourcefulness and a system built on convenience is where the disconnect begins.
Recycling right helps close the gap. It’s an extension of the same discipline and awareness we grew up with being applied today. But like any system, it only works when done correctly.
When you mistakenly place the wrong items in your recycling cart, an entire truckload of recyclables may end up in the landfill or waste-to-energy facility instead of being recycled.
The focus becomes simple and practical.
DO RECYCLE:
• Plastic bottles and jugs, such as water bottles and detergent containers
• Aluminum cans
• Flattened cardboard boxes
• Paper products like mail and newspapers
Clean communities have always been part of our Caribbean cultural foundation. The difference now is scale, and the need to apply those same values more intentionally.
That is the work ahead, and it is already underway.
The Solid Waste Authority of Broward County is made up of 28 cities and the County, who have come together to solve our waste crisis.
Today, in Broward County we are only recycling approximately 38 percent of our waste, far short of the State of Florida’s 75 percent goal. But with the programs the Authority is working on, there is a clear path forward. Together, we stop a good amount of our waste from reaching the landfill or waste-to-energy facility.
The Authority is turning potential into progress, reducing dependence on landfilling and waste-to-energy and making it easier for residents to recycle correctly. Because 20,000 pounds of waste a minute is more than we can sustain, and more than we should accept.
But progress at this scale requires participation.
When we recycle correctly, reduce what we use, and repurpose what we can, we help move Broward County closer to a system that reflects the values many of us were raised with.
This is how we carry it forward, not just in our homes, but across our entire community.
Take the Pledge
Join your neighbors in committing to recycling correctly, reducing waste, and supporting a more sustainable Broward County.
Visit www.BrowardRecycles.org to take the pledge today and to learn more.
