Indiana State University Newsroom

The Duke Energy Foundation has awarded a $15,000 grant for Indiana State University's Recycle Center which will be used to increase citizen awareness of recycling opportunities and educate individuals in the greater Terre Haute area about sustainability and environmental stewardship.

"ISU's recycle center opened in 1990 as a way to reduce the cost of sending waste to area landfills," said Rick Burger, Duke Energy Indiana's west area district manager. "In 2005, the recycle center added an educational component to increase community awareness. This grant will help expand the effort to educate school students and the community at large about the many ways to recycle waste."

Paul Reed, manager of the Recycle Center, said the facility's goal is to educate individuals and equip them with information that will lead them to make wise choices when considering decisions that affect the environment.

"By providing environmental education, we can empower individuals to make a difference that will affect our environment today and in the years ahead," Reed said.

In recognition of this grant, the ISU Recycle Center will name a recently-remodeled resource and presentation room at the center the "Duke Energy Environmental Education Center."

In fiscal year 2009-10, the center collected more than 1.5 million pounds of recyclable materials and made educational presentations to more than 18,000 individuals. Reed said the recycling center will now be able to enhance and expand its educational efforts to help individuals learn more about the environment and principles of sustainability.

Duke Energy Indiana's operations provide approximately 7,000 megawatts of owned electric capacity to approximately 790,000 customers, making it the state's largest electric supplier.

Duke Energy is one of the largest electric power holding companies in the United States. Its regulated utility operations serve approximately 4 million customers located in five states in the Southeast and Midwest, representing a population of approximately 12 million people. Its commercial power and international business segments own and operate diverse power generation assets in North America and Latin America, including a growing portfolio of renewable energy assets in the United States.

Photo: http://isuphoto.smugmug.com/Events/Duke-Energy-Grant/022311dukeenergygrant-4964/1226209113_ii28i-L.jpg - Rick Burger (right), district manager for Duke Energy Indiana, presents a $15,000 check to Paul Reed, manager of the Indiana State University Recycle Center. (ISU/Tony Campbell)