Earth-Saving Stats
Date of America Recycles Day, proclaimed in 2004 by President George W. Bush: Nov. 15
Number of years St. Jude’s Ranch for Children — serving abused, abandoned, and neglected youngsters in Nevada — has raised money by reselling used Christmas cards: More than 30
Number of signatures collected in two weeks in May 2012 by students at Sun Valley Elementary School in San Rafael, Calif., asking Crayola to establish a take-back program to recycle plastic markers: 75,000
Number of school children, from 47 states, who recycled 1.8 million tons of waste during Keep America Beautiful’s inaugural Recycle-Bowl, held in the fall of 2011: 500,000
Average pounds of materials each student recycled: 5.3
Pounds per student at Marshall Christian Academy in Alabama, the country’s top recycler: 41
Turkey Tidbits
Year it’s believed the ancient Etruscans started the tradition of making a wish while pulling a turkey wishbone: 322 B.C.
Percent of turkeys sold in the U.S. that are raised on factory farms, where they’re so fat they can’t walk: 99
Percent of Americans who want to spend Thanksgiving with their families: 90
Percent of young adults who spent at least part of their childhood living outside the traditional household of married parents with their biological children: 55
Percent of Americans who agree that if people consider themselves family, they are: 60
Number of miles an adult would have to walk to burn off the 3,000 calories in a typical Thanksgiving dinner: 30
Percent of adults who are less active than usual on Thanksgiving day: 86
Sources: Holidayinsights.com, Stjudesranch.org, Waste & Recycling News, American School & University, About.com, Newsweek, ABC World News, NPR.org, TheCatholicthing.org, Livestrong.com
