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Richland rallying around recycling
RICHLAND, Nov 14, 2008 (Tri-City Herald - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) --
Anyone with a drawer full of unwanted plastic bags can take a lesson from Rose Moore.
The retired Richland woman uses the bags -- as well as old sheets, place mats, fabric scraps and even tuna cans -- in her many creative pursuits.
"I recycle a lot of stuff," Moore said as she demonstrated how to crochet strips of plastic bags into purses, hats, water bottle cozies or even a dress.
It's important to save, said Rose and her husband, Sam Moore.
"If we all did, we might be able to save some of the stuff that goes into a landfill," Rose said.
That's a message that several local organizations hope to convey Saturday on America Recycles Day.
"Recycling is something everyone can do. It doesn't matter where you live," said Gail Everett, environmental education coordinator for the city of Richland. "Every little bit helps."
Everett is helping coordinate several events around town to celebrate the day and help people start or ramp up their recycling efforts.
Saving plastic bottles, cans and other materials for recycling instead of tossing them in the trash is becoming increasingly mainstream, Everett said.
And having one day to focus on recycling can help bring it into people's consciousness, Everett said, adding that it's about prioritizing -- "bringing environmental issues a little closer to our hearts."
Local Girl Scouts are helping out with that effort by providing a drop-off point for people's aluminum and tin, plastics, newspaper, scrap paper and glass.
You can pick up a cookie in return, said Anetra Fish, outreach coordinator for the Tri-City office of the Girl Scouts of Eastern Washington and Northern Idaho.
"We want to feed them, meet them and take their recycling off their hands," Fish said.
Girl Scouts also are bringing their recyclables to the bins, and any money collected from turning them in will help pay for supplies and memberships for girls who can't afford them.
"We want to educate girls on where they can recycle and what they can recycle," Fish said.
Bring your own mug to Barracuda Coffee Co. in Richland from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and get a free cup of coffee.
"The more we can get the word out, the better," said owner Bill Pogue.
He set up a recycling station in the shop where people can recycle cups and other materials.
It's saved money because Barracuda didn't need to pay for a bigger Dumpster.
"It's not hard to recycle," Pogue said. "You just have to do it. It's a mindset."
Another opportunity coming to cities in the state Jan. 1 is the chance to recycle televisions, desktop and laptop computers, and monitors for free.
E-Cycle Washington is organized by the Washington Materials Management & Financing Authority in response to legislation passed in 2006.
There will be about 200 dropsites statewide, said John Friedrick, executive director for WMMFA, including several in Benton and Franklin counties.
"People can take their things there for free," he said. "The whole idea is to keep its life extended and keep the chemicals that are polluting and damaging to health out of landfills."
The program is paid for by the manufacturers of electronic equipment, Friedrick said.
For Rose and Sam Moore, reusing old items always has been the norm.
"Sooner or later, there's not going to be anyplace to put that stuff," Sam said.
And Rose sees recycling as a creative challenge.
"I try to use recycled material," she said. "It doesn't take much to make me happy."
Get involved
* Make recycled paper, learn about energy efficiency, exchange kids' books and magazines and more from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday at the Richland Public Library, 1270 Lee Blvd.
* Make a recycling resolution, turn it in at the Richland Library and get a free reusable shopping bag. Visit www.ci.richland.wa.us, go to "Environmental Education" under the "Living" section and click on America Recycles Day on the left side of the page to find the form.
* Bring your own mug to Barracuda Coffee Co., 2171 W. Van Giesen St., Richland, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and get a free cup of brewed coffee.
* Support Girl Scouts by dropping off your recyclables through Saturday in bins outside the office at 800 George Washington Way, Richland.
* Customers who bring old printer cartridges to Cartridge World on Saturday at 1360 N. Louisiana St., Suite B, Kennewick, or 5025 N. Road 68, Pasco, will get credit toward buying new cartridges or supplies.
* Check out Columbia Basin College's new website, A Greener CBC, at www.columbiabasin.edu/greener. The school also is introducing several new recycling centers on its Pasco and Richland campuses.
* Bring recyclable materials, such as plastic bottles, newspaper, cardboard and more, to a drop site near you. Find locations by visiting 1800recycle.wa.gov. Richland's Web site also has information about recycling in the Mid-Columbia under the Environmental Education section.
To see more of the Tri-City Herald, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to
http://www.tri-cityherald.com. Copyright (c) 2008, Tri-City Herald, Kennewick,
Wash. Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For reprints, email
tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax
to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave.,
Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.
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