What’s not to love about the summertime? From beaches to barbeques, from swimming to surfing, from cruisin’ to camping out, summer is the time of year to get out of doors and enjoy the beauty of the natural world.

Summer is here, and we’re all ready to enjoy the fun that the season offers, whether on the beach, at the park, or in our own backyards. It’s an important time for friends and family—and an equally important time to stay sufficiently hydrated. The great news is that America’s leading beverage companies are dedicated to offering you more high-quality, sugar-free options than ever in an effort to keep you happy and hydrated this summer.

When it comes to creating a greener, cleaner, and healthier earth, recycling plays a large role. Recycling helps lower greenhouse gas emissions and water pollutants while improving air quality and saving energy by preserving natural resources. So, how does recycling impact our quality of life, and what can you do to contribute?

When it comes to living a healthy life, balance is key. In addition to work-life balance, balancing what you eat, drink, and do is just as essential. Of course, not everybody requires the same type of food, drink or number of calories.

So, how do you achieve balance? By getting clear about what you’re consuming. Get to know how the Florida Beverage Association, in partnership with the American Beverage Association, is helping to achieve balanced lifestyles by getting clear on calories.

Why Is Balance Important?

Did you know that US landfills comprise over 80% recyclable material, with only 12% of plastic being reused or recycled per year?

The Florida Beverage Association and its members are committed to a cleaner planet for all. That’s why America’s leading beverage companies are working together to reduce our industry’s plastic footprint through the ‘Every Bottle Back’ initiative. ‘Every Bottle Back’ will ensure that our plastic bottles are collected and remade into new bottles, as intended, meaning less new plastic in the environment. 

“Many people don’t know that our bottles are carefully designed to be 100% recyclable, including the cap,” explains FBA President and CEO Elizabeth DeWitt. “This initiative supports our ongoing commitment to protect the environment and gets us one step closer to reducing the carbon footprint and creating a more circular economy for recyclables.”

The Florida Beverage Association (FBA) is thrilled to announce that President and CEO Elizabeth DeWitt has recently been appointed as Chair of the Florida Recycling Partnership Foundation (FRP).

“We are so excited about Elizabeth taking on this role,” says Keyna Cory, Executive Director of the FRP Foundation. “Her work with FBA and FRP will further our mission of educating businesses and community members on the importance of recycling.” As a nonprofit foundation that is focused primarily on developing and adopting sustainable business practices, the Florida Recycling Partnership allows FBA to connect with diverse organizations from across the state on projects that serve community members while also encouraging environmental sustainability.

On Jan. 3, 2022, Miami Mayor Francis X. Suarez was inaugurated as the 80th President of the U.S. Conference of Mayors (USCM), and we could not be more thrilled for Mayor Suarez to take on this new role.

“Mayor Suarez has always been a friend to the beverage industry,” explained Elizabeth DeWitt, President and CEO of the Florida Beverage Association. “His commitment to the residents of Miami on issues such as health and environmental sustainability is evident through his support of community-based programs in Miami. We are excited to have him as a partner.”

As President of USCM, Mayor Suarez will focus on a wide variety of issues ranging from poverty to housing to climate change, and where the beverage industry is concerned, his work will directly impact our efforts to build healthy and sustainable communities throughout the country.

The Florida Beverage Association (FBA) is proud to announce that its annual Community Grant Program is back for its seventh consecutive year. Each year, FBA invites local groups throughout the State of Florida to apply for the grant, furthering our commitment to the communities where we live, work, and play.

As the leading organization representing non-alcoholic beverage producers, marketers, bottlers, and distributors throughout Florida, FBA focuses a great deal on environmental sustainability, health and wellness through a variety of campaigns, including Every Bottle Back, the Clear on Calories Initiative, and the Balance Calories initiative. This grant provides the chance for other like-minded organizations to receive funding for a wide range of programs.

Recycling is an important initiative to support overall sustainability goals. However, we all know that for recycling to be effective, it must be done correctly.

That is just one of the reasons why the Florida Beverage Association recently awarded a $25,000 community grant to the Orange County Public School (OCPS) system. Now in its sixth year, our community grant program has contributed over $250,000 to support programs and organizations across the State that promote Environmental Sustainability and Balanced Lifestyles.

The grant that OCPS received will fund an education campaign to help students more clearly understand how to recycle correctly, which is necessary to the success of the school system's overall sustainability goals.