ABILENE, Texas (KTAB/KRBC) – The City of Abilene has stepped outside of the box while trying to bring public awareness to recycling by creating three parody songs and music videos.

It started with a parody from the Jackson Five’s hit ‘ABC,’ then on to Garth Brooks ‘Friends in Low Places’ and lastly, the 90s hit jam ‘No Diggity’ by Blackstreet. Mari Cockrell, City of Abilene Communications Director, said the city wanted to jump on the bandwagon like other municipalities around the country.

“We had been, I know I had been chomping at the bit to do the same here at the city because there’s just so much fun education possibilities with that,” Cockrell expressed.

The most recent parody, ‘No Dumping, No Doubt’ is based off of ‘No Diggity’ by Blackstreet and Dr. Dre, but some lyrics was not a walk in the park to come up with.

“What I got stuck on for a while was the Dr. Dre verse where rhyming your credit can vouch. So, when the Oscar the Grouch came through in my head, I was like yes this is it,” Cockrell explained.

For Jason Day, City of Abilene Recycling Center Supervisor, all of these videos and songs have a deeper message.

“Every day we’re asked if you can recycle this or if you can recycle that. As much as we can talk about it, get eyes on recycling, and get clicks on the website that’s what’s important to make the planet a better place but also to help you get rid of the stuff you don’t know how to get rid of. A lot of the times we take so give us a call,” Day explained.

Now that these songs have been produced and released, the City of Abilene Communications Director can add another title – a song writer.

“I have a whole new appreciation for rappers in general and song writers of any sort. There was certainly a learning curb for myself,” Cockrell explained. “This was just a matter of me in my office rewriting lyrics and people walking by thinking what is Mari up to now?”

You can find ‘No Dumping, No Doubt,’ You’ve got Friends in Solid Waste and ABC’s parody on the City of Abilene’s Facebook page. Visit Stormwater Services and Solid Waste & Recycling on the cities website to see more information.