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Last Chance to Register for Zero Waste Celebration
For the past two years, Rural Action has worked closely with dozens of partners of the Appalachia Ohio Zero Waste Initiative to drive Athens and Hocking Counties towards becoming a zero waste economy. To celebrate the progress the partners have made and inspire reinvestment in the Athens Hocking Zero Waste Action Plan, we invite you to join us for a well-deserved dinner and engaging discussion Saturday, October 10th, from 4pm to 7pm at Robbins Crossing in Nelsonville. . This is taking place during the Appalachian Outdoor Adventure and your free registration includes admission.
Registration and more info can be found
here.
Can't attend but wish you coul? Contact us at [email protected] for follow up details
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The Appalachia Ohio Zero Waste Initiative is coordinated by Rural Action in partnership with the Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Affairs at Ohio University, and funded by the Sugar Bush Foundation, a supporting organization of the Ohio University Foundation. Some funding for this event was provided by the USDA. Rural Action is an equal opportunity employer.
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Welcome Back, Andrea
W
e are excited to welcome back Andrea Reany to Rural Action's Zero Waste team. An integral part of the AmeriCorps team in the past--Reany is returning as a full-time program manager. Through her new position as program manager she will oversee the current AmeriCorps members and continue to drive the Athens Hocking Zero Waste Action Plan forward.
Andrea was involved previously as an AmeriCorps member when Zero Waste was only a fledgling program. Quickly developing and growing along with Zero Waste, through trial and error Andrea and her fellow AmeriCorps Member created the original pilot of the Zero Waste Pledge, bolstered our K-12 education program, and played an integral role in organizing the Alternative Spring Break Trip for OU students--a meaningful adventure and one of her favorite projects to date.
During her post-AmeriCorps hiatus from Rural Action, Andrea worked with local non-profit Community Food Initiatives. There she was able to immerse herself in the local food system--managing the Donation Station and redistributing local produce to food pantries in the community. Though she plans to continue involvement with CFI, Andrea is excited to return to Rural Action and work alongside all the people she got to know during her AmeriCorps service.
"I have become deeply interested the complexities of community-driven sustainable development. I truly believe that we can achieve better livelihoods for all people and beings with the tools and gifts we are given, and some elbow grease. And hopefully have fun doing it at the same time."
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Rural Action Grows Social Enterprise
Beginning as a small project to help reduce the environmental impact of Nelsonville Music Festival, Zero Waste Event Productions has grown into one of the most engaging and successful programs of Rural Action's Zero Waste Program. From its roots at NMF, the Zero Waste Event Productions staff has learned quickly and expanded the scope and scale of their work to new horizons, servicing many events in and outside Athens and Hocking Counties.
The steady progress of Zero Waste Event Productions has not only brought success to the events they service, but it is also Rural Action's hope that it will grow as a social enterprise. As they expand their reach and travel further from home to divert waste from events and festivals, the zero waste lifestyle will be spread outward with the hope that revenue returns back to Rural Action to further work in the southeast Ohio community.
"The ZW Event Productions social enterprise is a way to affect behavioral change. A way to show waste is not suddenly on a one-way street to the landfill just when it has been tossed away."
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September Successes
As the resources and accomplishments of Zero Waste Event Productions, so has the scale in which they operate. In the past month alone, ZW Event Production's presence has greatly reduced the waste stream of several festivals in both Athens and Columbus.
Despite it being the very first year at Fashion Meets Music Festival-72% of all festival waste was diverted from the landfill.
At the New Belgium Clips Tour-another new Columbus event-a staggering 95.5% diversion rate was achieved.
Back in Athens, ZW Event Productions was asked to return to the site where #Fest is held to help with Country Night Lights-another first-time festival and overwhelming success--CNL reached an 89% diversion rate.
While each event poses many new challenges, working with our tried and true partners at the annual Pawpaw Festival for our 3rd consecutive year allowed for a 91.4% diversion rate.
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Introducing Our New AmeriCorps Members!
Shannon Pratt-Harrington,
a graduate from Earlham College studying language and linguistics, is one of the newest additions to the Zero Waste team. Specializing in d
umpsite cleanups and managing zero waste events for 25-1,000 people in Athens and Hocking Counties, Shannon is looking forward to having many opportunities to work with volunteers.
"Everyday I find out new information about how much is wasted in our world. Working with zero waste has helped me throw out convention and try to repair, reuse and re-purpose things I would usually throw out because that's what society tells me to do."
Caitlin Garrity,
a recent Ohio University grad who studied art history, joined us this past August as our new Zero Waste Pledge AmeriCorps Member. Caitlin will be working with businesses and non-profits in the greater Southeast Ohio region to help them better understand their waste stream,
divert waste from the landfill, and
reduce their environmental impact in the process.
"I am looking forward to the opportunity to learn more about sustainability through the zero waste lens while becoming more integrated in the community of like-minded people accomplishing so much for the Athens area."
Dylan Bueche, Zero Waste Communications Intern, is completing his final year at Ohio University studying media and sustainability. Dylan Excels at imputing data into spreadsheets, fitting world-shattering revelations on compost and recycling into 140 characters or less, and is a vital source of free labor at every Zero Waste event. Dylan is most excited to write his own section in this newsletter.
"My mom told me I had to go to college so I wouldn't become a garbage man, but just look where I ended up; you can have it all!"
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ReUse Tool Library Open to Public
DIY projects and community sharing are important parts of developing a sustainable future, and with that in mind ReUse Industries opened a tool library available to the public earlier this month. There will be access to over 500 different tools for an annual membership fee--$100 per household, $50 for low-income individuals/students, or $300 for non-profit organizations.
They are open from Tuesday-Thursday 5-8pm and on Saturday 9
-2 pm; the full inventory can be accessed
here.
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Slideshow Of Partners' Work
We want to share your story, too!
Email us photos of the good work you are doing to lead Southeast Ohio towards zero waste!
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Upcoming Partner Events & Recycling Opportunities:
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October 10th
Hocking County Tire Drop-Off
Falls Township Garage
9am-12pm
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October 10th
Athens County Tire Drop-Off
211 Lake Hope Drive, Nelsonville
8am-2pm
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October 10th
Zero Waste Celebration
3301 Hocking Parkway, Nelsonville
4pm-7pm
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October 12th
Athens-Hocking Solid Waste District Board Meeting
SEORJ, Nelsonville
8:30am
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October 17th
Athens Recycle & Shred Day
9009 Sand Ridge Road
8am-Noon
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October 17th
Hocking Recycle & Shred Day
33845 Sutton Road
8am-Noon
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November 21st
ReUse Fix-it Workshops
Athens Public Library
10am-2pm
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December 19th
ReUse Fix-it Workshops
Athens County Public Library
10am-2pm
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To Be Announced
ReUse Competition
Upcycled Holiday Gift Bag Make-athons
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Rural Action Zero Waste Program Staff:
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Kuhre Center for Rural Renewal
9030 Hocking Hills Drive
The Plains, OH 45780
740-667-4047 ext. 28
Luke Black / Media and Volunteer
Involvement, ZW Event Productions
Tyler Bonner / Sales and Outreach Coordinator, ZW Event Productions
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Rural Action Zero Waste Program Sponsors:
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Learn more about how we support
National Service.
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Learn about volunteering
with us.
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Want to get in touch? Contact us.
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