eco.nomics.edu, Inc.

HOBART | Hobart's ongoing commitment to increase household recycling has been noticed by state officials.

The city of Hobart, School City of Hobart and Lake County Solid Waste Management District were honored with a 2011 Indiana Governor's Award for Environmental Excellence.

The certificate of honor was awarded Tuesday at the Lilly Conference Center in Indianapolis.

The award was presented in the Outreach of Education category to Hobart Mayor Brian Snedecor and other staff representatives for the Hobart Recycles! partnership.

Hobart Recycles! was established in 2010 to increase the percentage of Hobart households participating in curbside recycling.

Curbside recycling has increased 37 percent and an estimated 75 percent of residents are taking advantage of the city's various recycling opportunities, officials said.

Indiana Department of Environmental Management Commissioner Thomas Easterly presented the award to Hobart and county officials.

"You can be proud of your cooperative endeavor. It's through solid partnerships and initiatives such as this that residents and our environment benefit now and in the years to come," Easterly said.

The Governor's Awards for Environmental Excellence program was initiated in 1994.