Published: October 11, 2008 04:14 pm            

A Word About Recycling - October 12, 2008

Let’s all do what we can. Although we just found out about this after we were almost finished writing this column this week, we felt it important enough to move it to the top. It was brought to my attention by Kyle Hahn, owner and manger of Green Guy recycling Services. It is an aluminum can recycling contest between cities.

From the Web site on it we find: “Keep America Beautiful, Novelis, and The U.S. Conference of Mayors are jointly sponsoring the 5th annual "Cans for Cash - City Recycling Challenge" during the month of October. "Cans for Cash" is a national contest that rewards cities for recycling used aluminum beverage cans.”

Steve Harvey of Sustainable San Marcos thinks a better name for it might be Cantober. Because the month of October is about half over by the time your read this (and any other publicity on it in the local area gets out), we really have little chance of winning in this contest. But we can do what we can do make this a dress-rehearsal for next year. And as Kyle said, “... learn from this year’s experience, and hopefully get bigger and better!”

So if you have any aluminum cans to recycle, be sure to take them in this month... Some of the places taking them are: City Hall in front of Public Works building, at the HHW collection Oct. 18, Farmer Fred's Fall Harvest Festival Oct. 25, and naturally Green Guy Recycling. It is believed cans will also be collected on Texas State campus, and possibly at the school districts. (You might also look for aluminum can recycling opportunities set up for this contest at Wal-Mart and our H-E-B. stores.) Be sure to tell the people taking the cans to add the amount to the Cans for Cash effort.

Switching subjects, it is our believe that the current economic situation has the concern of every one of you readers as it could and probably does affect everyone one of us. Thus,  we were pleased to see a provision in the “bailout” package (as reported in the latest Recycling Today e-newsletter) will help the recycling industry and thus hopefully encourage more recycling.

“The $700 billion financial plan, designed to address the financial crisis sweeping the country, passed the U.S. Congress last week. As a part of the package, the program included provisions of the Recycling Investment Saves Energy legislation that would provide a 50 percent accelerated depreciation allowance for purchases of recycling equipment.”

As the president of the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries explained, “RISE will lead to improvements in recycling by providing low-cost incentives for purchases of recycling equipment that will ultimately help the United States reduce its energy use and greenhouse gas emissions while helping the U.S. economy and creating good manufacturing jobs."

The article also mentioned “RISE also includes a reference to electronic "scrap" rather than waste, setting an important precedent for future legislation.” It is felt  this “... important distinction helps change the negative perceptions (and regulatory impediments) that hurt recycling efforts here in the United States.” (Hopefully making more people in power realize such “scrap” is a resource of material and not “waste” garbage for the landfill.)

In these columns we have mentioned the choice of “paper vs plastic” and the use of reusable bags several times. Thus an article in the same e-newsletter caught our eye as it should have local implications.

“Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. announced plans to reduce its plastic shopping bag waste by an average of 33 percent per store within the next five years. The company estimates that around 135 million pounds of plastic waste will be eliminated through the program.” (This is equivalent to nine billion plastic bags per year.)

“To reach the goal, Wal-Mart will reduce the number of bags given out by its stores, encourage the use of reusable bags and give customers the ability to continue recycling plastic shopping bags.”

And even more good news, “As part of the goal to reduce plastic bag waste, Wal-Mart stores in Mexico and the U.S. are introducing new, more affordable reusable bags.”  (These new reusable bags should sell for 50 cents each.)

Now for a repeat item from last week (for anyone who may have missed it) concerning those who have household hazardous waste to recycle. There will be another collection in San Marcos for all of Hays County on Oct. 18.. It will take place by the City Hall Offices on 630 E. Hopkins from 8 a.m. till noon, rain or shine. (Lets hope we get some rain by then!)

If you log onto the Website www.co.hays.tx.us, click on "Departments,” click on "Recycling & Solid Waste,” click on "Household Hazardous Waste Collection Event" (thanks Marianne S. for the info) you can find out more about this collection, what you can bring and what you shouldn’t try to bring, plus some of the household hazardous waste collection dates for next year.

Till next week, do have a great one...  

 

Gloria and Ollie are local citizens concerned with the environment and helping others. Ollie is a graduate of Leadership San Marcos and they both received higher education at TxState University and worked on staff before retiring. For questions or comments, please call them at353-7432 or e-mail to omaier@TxState.edu.

        

• Click to discuss this story with other readers on our forums.