The Islesford, ME, Post Office is continuing to go full force with recycling.
The office, along with seven others on Maine islands, helped Northern New England District earn a Postmaster General Sustainability Excellence Award a few years ago.
Recycling remains a way of life on Islesford, according to Postmaster Florence Joy Sprague.
“Trash used to be just put into bags,” she said. “Then we started recycling cans and bottles. It’s been a, gradual process, but the community is very proud it recycles.”
Recycling is part of the Postal Service’s efforts to become more sustainable and efficient.
The Islesford Post Office has recycling bins for unwanted mail, cardboard, metal, jars and plastics that are later ferried to recycling centers in Maine.
Sprague has been Postmaster since 1977 and a resident of the island since she was 5 days old. She runs the Post Office alone out of a former general store.
Everyone takes recycling seriously on Isleford, which is located off the Maine coast on Little Cranberry Island and has as many as 350 residents during the summer.
“Recycling keeps nature safe,” Sprague said. “Nature is innocent. Fish and birds don’t understand the difference between trash from food.”