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Recycling News & Updates
Thank you for reading this e-newsletter and for sharing it. We appreciate your help reducing waste!
In This Issue:
- Cambridge Celebrates "America Recycles Day"
- City Seeks New Members for Recycling Advisory Committee
- New Recycling Director Michael Orr
- Yard Waste Pickup Ends December 16
- Reduce Waste This Holiday Season
- Alternative Gift Giving
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Cambridge Celebrates "America Recycles Day"
The City of Cambridge is joining thousands of communities across the U.S. to celebrate "
America Recycles Day,
" Tuesday November 15.
Residents are encouraged to stop by information tables to participate in activities and receive a reusable bag (designed by a Cambridge Rindge & Latin student!):
- Tuesday, November 15, 11:30am-1:30pm- in front of Cambridge City Hall
- Wednesday, November 16, 3pm-5pm- Brattle Sq. opposite Crema Café
- Thursday, November 17, 8:30am-10:30am- in front of Cambridge Main Library
Thank you for helping to spread the word! For info on all that can be recycled visit here
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City Seeks New Members for Recycling Advisory Committee
Are you interested in protecting the climate, reducing waste, or engaging your community? If so, we encourage you to consider applying for the Recycling Advisory Committee (RAC). The City Manager is seeking residents, business owners, professionals, and others who are passionate about or whose goals overlap with waste reduction to apply for the RAC.
The RAC is a volunteer committee which provides advice, recommendations, and assistance to the Department of Public Works on
recycling, composting, reuse, and waste reduction.
It is a
3-year appointment and
members are expected to attend monthly meetings (Sept-June).
The deadline to apply is Friday December 2, 2016.
Recent accomplishments of the RAC:
- Assisted in drafting the Bring Your Own Bag Ordinance. RAC found that the Ordinance has resulted in 50-80% reduction in bag use and has helped business owners reduce costs.
- Organized a reusable bag drive to collect more than 5000 reusable bags for low-income residents and seniors of Cambridge.
- Recommended the City Manager send letters to Massachusetts State House in support of waste reduction legislation such as a bottle deposit bill and paint stewardship bill.
- Volunteered at community events to talk to residents about recycling, waste reduction, and how to get rid of things right.
The incoming RAC members will be critical to helping Cambridge achieve our goal of reducing waste 30% by 2020, with 2008 as a baseline.
If you're interested in applying visit
here
for more information. Email Recycling Director Mike Orr at
[email protected] with any questions.
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Mike Orr with then-Mayor David Maher |
New Recycling Director Michael Orr
The Department of Public Works promoted Mike Orr to Recycling Director on November 1, 2016.
Mike joined DPW in August 2015 as the Waste Reduction Program Manager. He was responsible for the curbside composting pilot, Bring Your Own Bag Ordinance, and Polystyrene Ordinance.
Mike previously worked at Lesley University as the Sustainability Coordinator. He also served as co-chair of the Cambridge Recycling Advisory Committee since 2013.
"I look forward to working with the community to achieve our goal of reducing waste 30% by 2020 by prioritizing food waste reduction and composting, increasing donation of durable goods, and ensuring residents get rid of things right," says Mike Orr.
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Yard Waste Pickup Ends December 16
- Yard waste collection of leaves, grass and small twigs & branches ends the week of December 12-16, 2016 and begins again after April 1, 2017. For yard waste stickers, email us, call 617 349-4800, or stop by 147 Hampshire St during open hours.
- Leaves may also be composted in your backyard along with food scraps.
- Pumpkins may be put out as yard waste (or composted).
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Reduce Waste This Holiday Season
With Thanksgiving and December holidays around the corner, we encourage residents to be mindful of their waste.
- Please recycle as much as possible in your curbside toters. Aluminum foil and trays can be recycled after food has been removed. Paper gift wrap can be recycled.
- Be like Michael Dukakis and leave no part of the turkey to waste. "Throwing out a turkey carcass is sinful. Absolutely sinful," Dukakis says.
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Alternative Gift Giving
In today's culture of overabundance, we encourage residents to
"think outside the Big Box" and consider more meaningful and sustainable gift ideas:
- BuyMeOnce finds and promotes products that don't break the bank, don't break the planet... that don't break at all! They also challenge manufacturers to break their habits and build stuff that really lasts.
- SoKind Alternative Gift Registry provides ideas for alternatives to new material items and is a great way to communicate to your loved ones what you would value.
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- Missed recycling, yard waste, compost or trash? Please use Commonwealth Connect and report it online or via mobile app (iPhone/Android) or call DPW at 617-349-4800 by 12 noon the day after collection to make a request.
- Need toters, brochures, labels, or posters? Email [email protected] or fill out this form.
- Following a weekday holiday, curbside trash, recycling, compost and yard waste collection is delayed one day. Check the 2016 collection schedule.
Our address:
Cambridge Department of Public Works
147 Hampshire Street, Cambridge MA 02139
(617) 349-4800
[email protected]
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