Happy Holidays Recyclers!

Happy Holidays Recyclers!
Just wanted to pass on a little holiday cheer and share some tips for the holidays. I also wanted to give you a brief update on recent happenings.

Recycling Shed/ Waste hub gets a facelift.
The recycling shed has gotten a new face lift...for real this time. We’ve got rules for using the recycling drop, more info on recycling locations, new empty boxes to fill and even a hand painted sign in progress.
* Luke Prange’s E-waste recycling program needs your help. We need to find a new central location that residents can drop their computers. Alstar Video, while previously providing a great service has expressed regret at their need to discontinue storage at their business location. If you have any ideas please let us know here at 756.1686 or call Luke at 756-2374.

Speaker Coming Soon For Recyclers!
The Salmon Valley Stewardship has sponsored a speaker to help break down the economics of recycling for our isolated location, offer us advice in working with city and county officials, and share real tactics for creating both enthusiasm and numbers in local residents and volunteers. Ginny Newsom, of Teton County Recycling has had 30 years of experience in the recycling industry and is currently the Chair for the Regional Solid Waste Committee, a group of landfill staff and managers that make decisions on waste disposal methods that affect us all. We will be announcing the date and time after the holidays on our blog (salmonrecycles.blogspot.com) and to our members.

Next Meeting- SRR- January TBA
Agenda; We have some updates we’d like to share and Ginny Newsom, of Teton County recycling will be coaching us on the work we have done on our strategic plan.

Gina and I have been brainstorming on this springs plans for Earth Day. We would like to get a jump on it so we have already reserved Cavanass Park for April 15, 2009. We want to make this one bigger and better than last year and have some ideas to back it up. WE WANT YOU though, 20 heads are better than 2 and if you’d like to be involved this year LET US KNOW. Huge potential!

In a PINCH for the HOLIDAYS
-How about some money saving and green friendly tips.

1. Turning down the heat and revving the fire saves you money. Run a little short on wood? The Landfill will show you where to find some scrap wood if there is some available.

2. Leaky or old windows can cost you a fortune. Reseal window calking if necessary and put temporary heat-control window film over big and old windows. Unbelievable savings and available at your local hardware store!

3.  Installing only 6 compact fluorescent light bulbs will save the average American family $60 per year. Compact Fluorescent uses 25% as much electricity as an incandescent bulb and lasts 10X longer. Lowering the temperature even five degrees can take 10% off your energy bill. Check out a complete list of energy-saving tips.

4.  Make your presents. Creativity always rules. Used gifts are ok to give, an usually a treasure. Use our local resources like lemhiweb.com, Swap shop on KSRA and even ebay.com or Craigslist.com to find quality items for affordable prices. I also hear babysitting vouchers to be a hot item this year!

5.  Make your own cards. An estimated 2.6 billion holiday cards are sold each year in the United States, enough to fill a football field 10 stories high. It is estimated that between Thanksgiving and the New Year an extra million tons of waste are generated nationwide each week.
6.  Reuse materials for gift wrapping. Decorate paper bags with ribbon trimmings or leftover paint...great project for your kids. Painted empty glass jars make great containers for giving away treats and homemade jams, etc. http://www.ciwmb.ca.gov/publiced/Holidays/NoWaste.htm

7.  Pledge your time or money to a charity or your favorite non-profit. Get into the holiday spirit by volunteering or donating to a cause instead of giving a physical gift! Or just spend a day with someone you don’t normally.

8.  Don’t go on a plastic bag binge over the holidays.
-Use reusable canvas or cloth bags. Say "No thank you.” Recycle or Reuse them.

9.  Just SAY NO to styrofoam! While treating yourself to eating out over the holidays please don’t use styrofoam. Instead, try asking for foil you can reuse or bring your own container from home. Just doing this once can really have an impact on your favorite restaurants.

10. CAR POOL. It is proven to save you gas, time and wear.

IMPORTANT!!
The best thing you can do over the holidays is change the way you think about being a consumer. Creativity and stewardship now means more. Don’t be timid when it comes to setting the example. It’s not tacky to give a gift wrapped in old christmas paper or a hand made card. I believe it’s a statement of being aware, caring about living more sustainably and taking responsibility for the waste we create. It’s not giving less, it’s caring more. And tell a friend.

Hope all of you get outside and enjoy what we do have going for us. Happy, healthy and hopefully not broke. Merry Christmas Recyclers!

You're Invited! Get involved locally. Yes you CAN.

What an exciting opportunity we now have.  President elect Obama is the first president to recognize and use the mighty power of the internet to have direct connection with his constituents.

No cost.  No lobbies.  No intermediaries at all.  JUST US TO HIM.

He's already starting so he will have this information from us when his term in office begins.  Cal and I are participating by inviting you to a cozy holiday get together at our house where we will gather in the information Obama, via his nominee:  Sec. of Health and Human Services, Tom Daschle, needs to make optimum decisions on health care.  Cal has the guidelines for these information-gathering meetings.

So won't you join us in some holiday conviviality, and help our president elect know our health care needs at the same time.  What an opportunity!  Are we not blessed to have this ground-breaking opportunity for communication?!

When:  Dec. 22, 5:30 p.m.

Where:  305 Washington Street

What:  Delicious cream of potato soup, home baked bread, holiday cheer and discussion.  An opportunity to have fun and help your nation at the same time.

Who:  Anyone interested.  Please let us know you're coming so we have enough goodies for everyone.  RSVP.

Best Wishes,

Cal Leman and Marsha Garland

Otter endorses Driving Green

Governor Otter Joins the EcoDriving Movement
BOISE — Governor C.L. "Butch" Otter today joined the EcoDriving movement–a comprehensive, nationwide effort to save consumers money at the gas pump, reduce fuel use, and cut carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions.
"It's amazing what we can achieve when we're all headed in the same direction," Governor Otter said. "These are mostly common-sense things that don’t require real sacrifice–just time, attention and a willingness to do our part."
The educational program, EcoDrivingUSA™, provides consumers with dozens of simple steps to save money and gas, while reducing CO2 emissions. EcoDriving comes from the nation’s automakers which announced the program in August. While automakers continue working to bring to the market groundbreaking fuel-saving technology, they also wanted to provide customers with an immediate way to save fuel and help the environment. EcoDriving techniques can start saving motorists money right away.
"Our state's drivers don’t have to wait to buy a new, more fuel-efficient vehicle to reduce fuel costs and CO2," Governor Otter said. "They can expect a significant improvement in mileage by following some easy EcoDriving practices for driving and vehicle maintenance."
"We're all in this together – industry, government and consumers," said Dave McCurdy, president and CEO of the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers. "Working together we can substantially reduce CO2 emissions and fuel use, one EcoDriver at a time."
Today's autos are computers on wheels – with more than 3,000 interactive parts operating as a complex system. Drivers who know just a little more about how their automobiles work will be rewarded with immediate savings at the pump and the opportunity to help protect the environment.
EcoDriving offers an unmatched reach in addressing energy and climate issues because drivers potentially can apply the program's simple principles to the nation's entire fleet of 245 million automobiles.
If just half of all drivers nationwide practiced moderate levels of EcoDriving, annual CO2 emissions could be reduced by about 100 million tons, or the equivalent of heating and powering 8.5 million households.
If all Americans practiced EcoDriving, it would be equal to 450 billion miles traveled on our roadways without generating any CO2 emissions. That’s 1,500 CO2-free miles for every man, woman, and child in the United States each year.
Sample EcoDriving practices include not tailgating, knowing the proper way to accelerate and brake, using synchronized traffic lights to a driver’s advantage, driving at the optimum highway speed, understanding when to use air conditioning and much more.
Sample maintenance practices include knowing which motor oil to use, understanding the importance of proper tire pressure and what affects tire pressure, understanding aerodynamics and much more.
The EcoDriving program complements other initiatives the state already has underway to reduce fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. State agencies are taking a number of steps to reduce their own carbon footprints through greenhouse gas reduction plans, telecommuting and alternative work schedules, public transportation incentives, and fuel efficiency standards for state fleets. However, the impacts of the EcoDriving program have the potential to reach far beyond state government and provide Idaho's drivers with valuable information on measures they can take to reduce their own fuel usage and CO2 emissions.
The Alliance's EcoDriving consumer awareness campaign centers on an interactive website, www.EcoDrivingUSA.com, to help drivers learn practical tips to improving their mileage and reducing their carbon footprint. The site includes a video guide to EcoDriving, an "EcoCalculator" to determine benefits for individuals or states, a Virtual Road Test and a variety of educational tools.
"Automakers continue developing and introducing new technologies, but it takes 15 years or more for these technologies to become widely used. EcoDriving helps consumers reduce carbon dioxide emissions today," said McCurdy.

Hi this is Emily......I need your help....I'm collecting the tabs from soda cans for the McDonald's Children Fund...If you could collect them I'd appreciate it...When you have enough of them collected just post a comment on my blog and I'll arrange a spot to pick them up. If you want just collect them over a month then get a hold of me. I check my blog every day....It's http://savethewhalesordie.blogspot.com/ . The tabs are going to be recycled and for every one they get they give a few cents to the fund. Thank You.....

Here's the UPDATE!

Action Items- Salmon River Recycling

1. Outreach. We are looking at potential speakers and programs to bring into the classroom and community that encourage everything from Recycling, Fuel Efficiency, Local Economy and of course, Sustainability. We are establishing a partnership with Sun Valley's Environmental Reserch Center (ERC) to effectively work together to more easily bring programs into our area. Check out this website below for ideas about presenting in schools. Also don't miss this Utube on composting. 5 stars.

www.slideshare.net - for great presentations on green living

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PSzTTQ4IWC8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kq3yfKCC9ok

2. Research on Commercial and Agriculture Recycling and local waste issues in our area- twine, bale wrap, oil, styrofoam... Report in progress.

3. Bid for a Roll-Off Container. After recently speaking with Jack, we have learned it will be at least another year before the county "can afford" to put a roll-off container in town. ugh. However, he did say the county did have money to empty the container every so often at no charge. So while we are still exploring different avenues, we have looked into buying one ourselves. We received a bid from Rule Steele for a 20 yard roll-off for just over $6,000. Not exactly what we were hoping for. SVS is willing to assist us with our fundraising efforts, but it's up to us to get the account rolling. I believe if we get a start, others will reward our energy with donations as well. I'm all ears to suggestions any of you may have.

4. Fundraiser- Idea presented by Shannon Williams at the Ag Extension Office. We gather a group of volunteers to drive a trailer to interested ranches and pick up their trash metal for recycling. A good way to raise money with revenue from scrap metal while establishing a relationship with the ranchers in the valley. FYI, I will be taking a trailer load of recyclables to Missoula on Friday, Nov. 14, so if you have anything you'd like to send, please drop it off by Thursday.

5. FUEL EFFICIENCY WORKSHOP- COMING SOON NOV. 22! Designed for those interested in alternative options for increasing our fuel efficiency with do-it-yourself or just-buy-it options and techniques. This workshop will focus specifically on utilizing an electrolysis reaction that produces a hydrogen gas to help your fuel burn more efficiently, get better gas mileage, increase the life of your engine and reduce your emissions by up to 80%. Matt Fletcher, currently of Hot Springs, MT will be hosting this class/workshop on NOV. 22 at the Nancy E. Cummings Ranch (UofI). The class will begin at 10:30 for a 2-hour classroom session, breaking at 12:30 and resuming from 1p.m. to 3 p.m. in a hands-on workshop portion. I would also highly encourage those that score at least an intermediate in engine knowledge to come for ideas to make this technology apply to large agricultural machinery and saving you money on fuel.

Please email me back with comments, concerns and suggestions. I love feedback. I will be checking this email consistently now. Thanks and hope to see you all sometimes soon.

amy

Salmon River Recycling

756.1686

Congrats to Teton Valley Community Recycling

Press Release- Nov. 8, 2008- Teton Valley Community Recycling

This year has marked a giant leap forward in Teton County Waste Management. No doubt we have all had frustrating and confusing moments at the new transfer station, but Terra Firma Organics (TFO), Teton Valley Community Recycling (TVCR) and Teton County (TC) staffers, have managed to provide a way for Teton County residents to separate their waste into over 12 different sorted categories for re-use and recycling and saved over $108,400 in the process.

Thanks to all of you who sorted your garbage and waited in line, we have been able to gather some impressive information. Your efforts have proven the value of an integrated community waste center whose guiding principle is resource recovery and recycling. While we suffered some setbacks due to lack of sheltered storage and tight funds, we saw an overall gain from 5% diversion last year to a 20% diversion this year, including lots of organic material that had never been recovered before.


We fully expect to double that once we are able to develop an operation inside the shelter of the white tent and will have some county operational support. By saving taxpayers $108,000 we think TVCR and Terra Firma have earned the county's support.

Here's the facts:

It costs our county $93 per ton to transfer our unsorted garbage to Mud Lake but only $45 per ton to manage sorted waste.

Teton County businesses and residents generate over 1000 tons per month. If we had simply trucked it all out, unsorted it would have cost the county about $93,000 per month.
Terra Firma helped lower those costs by thinking through alternative uses and economical means of diverting materials out of the transfer process.

· Teton County generated 1,000 tons per month, 12,000 tons a year

· @ $93 per ton to transfer the annual cost would have been $1,116,000

· TFO was able to reduce the amount of garbage that had to be trucked out by about 20% - diverting about 2,400 tons of sorted waste through recycling, re-using, chipping, composting etc.

Managing sorted materials costs the county an average of $45 – a full 50% less than trucking. So, waste reduction, recovery and recycling provided a real saving of $108,000 during this first year. Imaginehow much better once we have a building, a baler, storage and are able to get on site composting going!!!

Shall we rally?

I just wanted to say hello after quite a hiatus. Not that our recycling goals haven't been on everyone's mind. I saw many of you out and about at events, making a presence for recycling. Thanks to all of you. I have been gone a good portion of this fall but I have now started a part-time internship with Salmon Valley Stewardship, our sponsor in previous efforts. I can't say enough about the energy of both Gina and Denise and want to thank them both as Gina, has requested I dedicate a portion of my time spent here on not only accomplishing some long standing goals of SRR, but reinforcing our presence in the community. We have much to offer and I think in light of some of the new energy sweeping the country after the past election, we have both an opportunity and a responsibility. I have compiled a list of immediate and future action items for myself, and noted progress on those goals which I will post later today. I'd love the hear from some of you and get some creative juices flowing again. Please stop by SVS Tues. Wed. or Friday to say hello or chat. Our phone number is 756.1686

After the Break...

Hope we don't all quit on recycling.  We missed the big drop off and feel terrible.  Imagine there are many more who feel the same.  We have to keep trying and keep trying again...or it will never come to be...  J

Earth Day April 22

Cavaness Park Earth Day Community Festival
Recycling Drive, Contests, Music,
Food, Beer and Wine
Volunteer are needed, call 940-0532 to help.

Roots & Shoots

My Roots & Shoots group will be having a fundraiser in May to raise money for the SAVE THE WHALES AGAIN campaign. We are looking for HEMP STRING, BEADS, CLOTH, CLOTH BELTS, BANDANAS, OLD JEANS, JEWELRY WIRE, NECKLACE CLIPS, CLEAN WHITE T-SHIRTS, STUDS, AND CRAFTING CLAY THAT YOU BAKE(ANY COLOR). If anyone has these items and would like to donate them or would like to donate money so we can by the materials just ask Amy for my e-mail . I'm trying to use earth safe materials. A lot of the materials can be recycled or made out of recycled Cloth , Jeans, Ect....................So please help us as much as you can. Thanks....Emily P.S. We could also use SHRINK ART PAPER.

Ink Cartridges

The Library is now taking ink cartridges for the 4-H. The money that they get for the ink cartridges goes to help support the Abaco Horses in the Caribbean. The number of those horses is around 10 to 20 in the entire world. So please take your ink cartridges to the library. Thanks................Falconer

January08 Meeting

Salmon River Recycling (our new name) saw a small but dedicated group of us ironing out our mission statement and goals/objections with Bonnie herding us if we got off path. With our combined brain power we have made great progress toward becoming an organized and well- oiled machine.
Eveyone needs to track items they have recycled by pounds and/or money. I will keep these in a excell spreadsheet. These statics will be valuable when we start applying for grants. My trip to Missoula netted our first $7.50 (this was only one houseshold and SVS).
Next big event is our fair booth at the Salmon Business and Innovation Center on Tuesday,February 26. Set up starts a 4:00 pm. This is our first public exposure and only two weeks to plan. I have a display board for posting and we should have examples of items to recycle. This was tentative date of our next big meeting so a new date will be determined. Watch your email for a fair booth planning meeting.