San Angelo Friends of the Environment (SAFE) is a registered 501(c)3 non-profit organization serving San Angelo, TX.

Originally started by a group of 3 Sierra Club friends, Judy Carter, Ann Lackey and Anne Fish, SAFE has long encouraged recycling in San Angelo.

After several successful recycling drives, the first recycling center drive-through drop off center was opened on Knickerbocker Rd in 1994. With increased awareness and education about recycling happening in our community, consumer demand grew and a larger center was needed. In 2004, the San Angelo Citizen's Recycling Center, run by SAFE, moved to its new location at 702 Knickerbocker Rd, where it operated for 14 years.

Over the years, SAFE has participated in city clean-ups, hazardous waste collections, tire collections, ranch land wire collections, oil and car battery recycling, yard waste collection, computer, television, and large appliance recycling, as well as a trash-to-treasure area. SAFE also had an annual Christmas tree collection at the recycling center, which resulted in mulch available at the center to the public at no charge.

After curbside recycling started in San Angelo in 2015, and as global trends reduced profit margins on recyclable materials, SAFE made the difficult decision to close the recycling center on Earth Day, 2018.

Today, SAFE is still present in the community. Our goals are to continue our efforts to educate people in San Angelo and the Concho Valley about recycling and other conservation activities.