Greetings from the desk of Liz DeWitt, President/CEO of the Florida Beverage Association (FBA).
Across Florida, our beverage industry partners, community grant recipients, and local schools are driving measurable progress. From Earth Day celebrations to on-campus impact, we’re proud to highlight efforts that keep bottles and cans out of landfills and increase the recycled materials used to create new items.
Together, we’re building a more sustainable future, one partnership at a time.
Spotlight on Orange County Public Schools
In May, FBA Board Members visited Edgewater High School in Orlando to celebrate the launch of a new cafeteria recycling initiative made possible through our Community Grant Program.
With more than 61,000 high school students in Orange County Public Schools, this initiative has the potential to recover up to 70,000 bottles annually — just from cafeterias. The program includes customized bins, signage, and student engagement tools to ensure long-term success.
A big THANK YOU to school leaders, students, and district staff for making sustainability a top priority!
A Standing Ovation for Sustainability
At Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park, Earth Day was celebrated in harmony — literally. The Cateura Recycled Orchestra of Paraguay performed live using instruments made from repurposed trash, captivating audiences with their message: “You send us trash – we send back music.”
This special event, sponsored by FBA and Friends of Bill Baggs, was more than symbolic — it also reinforced ongoing recycling improvements at the park, where FBA’s earlier grant helped install clearly marked recycling bins.
Made to Be Remade: The Power of PET
We’re doubling down on our commitment to educate consumers and industry stakeholders about the value of PET plastic. PET bottles are lightweight, shatter-resistant, and infinitely recyclable — and today, they’re being remade into everything from new beverage containers to fabric and construction materials.
Download our latest one-pager to learn more about why PET is a smart, sustainable choice.
You can also visit MadeToBeRemade.org to explore how our industry is rethinking packaging from design to reuse.
100% Recyclable Aluminum Cans
While our initiative is called Every Bottle Back, we proudly recognize that aluminum plays a critical role in our industry’s packaging portfolio — and in the circular economy.
Infinitely Recyclable: Aluminum cans can be recycled over and over again — forever — without losing strength or quality.
Big Energy Savings: Recycling aluminum uses up to 95% less energy than producing new aluminum from raw materials, making it one of the most efficient ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Huge Economic Value: In 2020 alone, the U.S. recycled 46.7 billion aluminum beverage cans, generating over $700 million in economic value — supporting jobs, local governments, and recycling systems across the country.
Together, bottles and cans are Made to Be Remade — and when they’re collected and recycled properly, the environmental and economic benefits ripple far beyond the bin.
Join Us: Let’s Get Every Bottle Back
Every Bottle Back is more than a campaign — it’s a collaborative effort between Florida’s beverage industry and local leaders, schools, and organizations across the state.
If you represent a school, municipality, or nonprofit interested in improving recycling access or education, we’d love to connect.
Special thanks to our current coalition partners:
- Associated Industries of Florida
- Association of Plastic Recyclers
- Florida Chamber Leadership Cabinet on Safety, Health & Sustainability
- Florida Chamber of Commerce
- Florida Foundation for State Parks
- Florida Recycling Partnership Foundation
- Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association
- Florida Retail Federation
- Keep Alachua County Beautiful
- Keep Orlando Beautiful
- Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful
- Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce
- The Recycling Partnership
Email us at info@flabev.org or visit our website to learn more about Every Bottle Back.
Thank you for your partnership. Let’s keep the momentum going!
Best regards,
Liz DeWitt
President/CEO
Florida Beverage Association
