By Helen Venada,  SJC Waste Reduction & Hazardous Waste Coordinator

Let me introduce:  the newly-trained MASTER COMPOSTER / RECYCLERS for San Juan County!  Hopefully, you’ll recognize them at the County Fair proudly wearing their MCR badges.  The bold and adventurous MCR’s for 2012 are:  Sadie Bailey, Jackie Bates, Kris Bayas, Sandy Bishop, John Boyd, Joyce Brinar, Diana Brooks, Mikial Denker, Eve Elasigue, Cathy Ellis, Pegi Groundwater, Lisa Guard, Neil Hanson, Carolyn Jacobsen, Dean Jacobsen, Marilyn Karon, Danna Kinsey, Donna Lane, Sheila Metcalf, Michael Moss, Dan Post, Bill Ryba, Dona Ryba, Helen Venada.

Many of these trained volunteers will be available at trash/recycling stations around the Fair to help answer Fairgoers’ questions about recycling.  Others will be around the Ag Tent or produce area to talk to you about composting.  The goal of the training effort is to improve islanders’ knowledge and skills to a significant degree that will move us, eventually, towards a Zero Waste future.   For the Fair this year, let’s try to be a more responsible community by re-energizing to recycle more and better!

Recycling Review:

  • Plastic cups are garbage. They’re recyclable in some places…but not here.
  • Paper cups can be recycled…if they are empty!
  • Plastic cup domes, straws, stir sticks are garbage.  Just say “no” to them.
  • All take-out containers are garbage in our county.
  • All plastic bags are garbage.  So are tissues and paper towels or anything with food on it.
  • Remember, plastic comes from oil…use as little as possible!
  • NO liquids in the trash or recycling, please!   Please dump out any remaining water on the ground or find a thirsty garden area to water.  All other liquids should NOT go on the ground…they might attract yellow jackets!  Drink it up or pour down a drain.
  • RECYCLE:  all empty bottles and cans; all clean paper and cardboard.

To reduce (prevent) garbage:  How about bringing your own (shopping) bags…BYOBs…this year? You could put together a family kit with your own washable/reusable plates, cups and utensils before hitting the Food Court.  Reusable steel water bottles would save on a mountain of used-once plastic bottles that have to trucked, ferried, and railed to the mainland for recycling.  If you don’t need those fliers and other paper handouts you pick up as a resource, then share them with others…recycling them is a last resort.

You get the picture!  Reducing waste begins with thinking ahead about new ways to prevent trash.

P.S. Thanks to Doris Eastabrooks and other volunteers, we’ll enjoy another Styrofoam-free Fair this year!

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