The City of Tampa's Department of Solid Waste and Environmental Program Management has something special to celebrate this Earth Month—the 20th anniversary of their 3R's Art & Poetry contest. This initiative calls upon young minds to express the importance of the three pivotal Rs: reduce, reuse, and recycle through the mediums of art and verse. It's a competition that not only sparks creativity but underlines the weight of environmental stewardship in everyday life.
For two decades, the youth of Tampa have taken part in what has become an annual tradition, submitting their creative takes on waste reduction to be paraded across the city. The pieces are not just for show—they become mobile exhibits, carried proudly on the sides of recycling collection trucks, or displayed within the public eye at the Tampa River Center at Julian B. Lane Riverfront Park. And the winners for the landmark year? They were chosen by the public, through an online voting system that engaged the community in their own right as eco-critics.
Mayor Jane Castor lauded the participants and their efforts, remarking "Involving our young people in our waste reduction efforts is critical as we work to Transform Tampa's Tomorrow," as reported by the City of Tampa. Castor continued to praise the entrants, stating, "The many talented participants of the 3R's contest amaze us every year with their creativity and we consider it a privilege to be able to showcase it and share it with the community." The Mayor's words reflect a belief in the crucial role the younger generation plays in shaping a more sustainable future for the city.
The contest draws participants in four categories—Elementary, Middle, High School, and the MacDonald Training Center. Each segment representing different age brackets, and opportunities for learning and growth through art and poetry. The chosen artworks and poems will not only travel through Tampa on the sides of trucks, but they will also become part of the landscape at Julian B. Lane Riverfront Park.
