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!