Recyclamania Takes Over Burbank's Recycle Center

WORLD WASTES STAFF

Burbank, Calif. - Recyclamania, an interactive, environmental exhibit, debuted at Burbank, Calif.'s Recycle Center last March.

Hundreds of visitors have since visited the exhibit which includes a Redwood-size recycling tree and a walk-in compost bin.

The "live, glowing" compost bin allows visitors to witness leaves and grass rotting together to create soil. Soldier flies, centipedes, ants and sow bugs also can been seen and heard. But don't worry, they're not real.

The bugs are actually made from plastic bottles with old telephone-wire legs, nut shells and jar caps.

The other main attraction - the "Junkaranda" tree - has a trunk made of six stiffened pairs of denim jeans and a bed frame for a skeleton. In addition, more than 900 aluminum cans make up the tree's leaves.

The tree houses a video monitor, video library, VCR, microscope and macro-scope. These tools help program participants access the recycling super highway and get a closer look at organisms to small for the naked eye.

The artists, Kreigh Ham-pel and Ted Baumgart developed Recyclamania to "give something back to the environment."

Actor Ed Begley Jr. hosted the ex-hibit's grand opening.