Habitat collection bins take on new color

If you want your empty aluminum cans to go to Habitat for Humanity, begin looking for the color green, not blue.

Habitat for Humanity is having its aluminum can collection bins around Yuma County repainted green.

Before, the bins had been a blue color, but years of weather and use has dulled and cracked the paint.

To improve visibility and uniformity, the color green was chosen for an estimated 200 bins newly seen throughout Yuma County neighborhoods, parks and schools.

"We had those blue (bins) for so long and we needed a new color (and) we decided on enviro-green," said Debra Hunter, Habitat's business manager.

Cans deposited in the bins are recycled by Habitat to raise money for homes the nonprofit organization builds for needy families in the Yuma area.

Hunter said that the bins also help the environment by cutting down on trash that goes into the Yuma County landfill.

Habitat volunteers George Laier and George West began painting 15 bins in the Wellton area last summer. Hunter said the painting will continue until all bins in the county are painted.

Marilyn Young, board president of Habitat for Humanity in Yuma, said the bins will also have a new symbol and be located at more visible sites such as convenience stores.

Habitat is also seeking businesses to offer small portions of their property as sites for additional bins. It also is seeking volunteers to help in the bin repainting and other Habitat activities.

For more information, call George West at 785-3804 or Hunter at 783-3993.

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Jennifer Lovell can be reached at

jlovell@yumasun.com or 539-6849.