July 29, 2019
Volunteer Request for Discard Station Staffers
Tuesday, August 6, is the 10th annual National Night Out and Zero Waste's 8th time helping. It's an easy event if you haven't done a discard station before, plus there's free food. We'll have two main stations and need help at these times:
5-6 pm - 2 persons
6-7 pm - 2
7-8 pm - 2
8-8:45 - 2 (for clean-up)
Please go here to sign up.

You can read all about the evening's activities, organized by Officer Carla Sias, on the Bainbridge Island Police Department Facebook page.
You Are Invited to...
When: Thursday, August 15 , 6:30-8:30pm
Where: Eagle Harbor Church
Who: Co-hosted by BI Zero Waste and Zero Waste Washington
Filmmaker Carly Wilson will be present and take questions after the 80-minute documentary. She grew up in Bremerton and lives in Australia, where the movie was made.
What: Rubber Jellyfish " explores the surprising damage that helium balloons are causing to endangered marine wildlife and unravels the balloon industry greenwashing that has lead consumers to believe that latex balloons are 100% biodegradable and environmentally friendly. This has in turn lead to the popularity of balloon release ceremonies and countless animal fatalities as a result."

After the film, in addition to a Q&A with the director, ZWW executive director Heather Trim will give a sneak preview of 2020 plastic legislation.
Light refreshments will be served.
ZW Tableware Lending Library
Looking for Teaspoons
So far in 2019, the popular Zero Waste Tableware Lending Library has provided metal utensils, glasses, cloth napkins, tablecloths, and other dining accoutrements for over 35 private and nonprofit functions.

One of the most-requested items is teaspoons , and currently we are trying to bring our supply up to 300. If you have any extras, we have a bucket outside the Marge Williams Center, 221 Winslow Way West, in which you may drop them off. Thank you!

If you are interested in using washable dishware at your next gathering, please email us with the date and estimated number of guests. We will then send you the library inventory spreadsheet.
If You Like Statistics...
Bay Hay and Feed was a-bustlin' during Styro collection weekend July 20&21. We inaugurated their new building with the enthusiasm of over 40 volunteers, who spent more than double that number of hours snapping Styro. Contrary to the previous barn collection site, it was nice not to have to vie for space with hay bales this time. :)

A note for January: We hope to front-load volunteers on Saturday from 10-2, the most favorite time period for the approximately 265 cars in all that motored through (plus the biking Bergs above).
We filled 81 gigantic bags and stuffed over two vanloads of coolers, not to mention taking in mounds of peanuts and about 600 CD/DVD disks. We are grateful for the $592 in donations contributed by our generous Styro recycling citizens and for student helpers such as Cole Albee, pictured right.
Where to Recycle...
Contact lenses
Bainbridge Vision participates in a Terracycle collection program sponsored by Bausch and Lomb that takes back contact lenses and accompanying blister packs, recycling both the metal and plastic parts. All brands are accepted. Make sure the lenses are dry.

To find out about more niche recycling opportunities, visit the Zero Waste " Where to Recycle Stuff Community Reuse and Recycling " page.
What Is Really Happening with Our Recycling?
This past Thursday I visited the Waste Management JMK Fibers materials recovery facility, or MRF (pronounced "murf"), in the Port of Tacoma with other Kitsap County Solid Waste Advisory Committee members. It is here that Bainbridge Disposal hauls our curbside and transfer station mixed recyclables. The manager, Mike Range, assured us that all legitimate recyclables (i.e., those on the BD list) do get baled and sold to recyclers; they are not landfilled.

Range also stated that most of the basic recyclables -- cans, jugs, bottles, glass and cardboard -- are sold to domestic processors, while the majority of mixed paper is exported.
Photo upper right: The tipping floor, where haulers dump their mixed recyclables. A loader scoops them up and releases them into the dumpster. From there, the material begins its journey of separation on a series of conveyor belts.
Lower right and left: A combination of human workers and machines decontaminate and sort the mixed recyclables.

Watch future newsletters for notice of a ZW-arranged field trip to this facility.
Kitsap Bag Ban
The Kitsap County Commissioners met on Monday to hear final testimony on instituting a plastic bag ban such as we have on Bainbridge (but with an 8-cent pass-through fee on paper bags, which covers the cost differential between them and plastic bags). They will vote on August 12.

Listening to the speakers and commissioners, it sounds like the ordinance will pass. You can watch for yourself here at the seventh orange dot. If you want a refresher about environmental and business reasons for eliminating the bags, Chris Piercy, Kitsap Solid Waste Recycling Coordinator, gives a good, short synopsis right at the beginning of the topic (minute 44:45).

If passed, our county will be Washington's 30th jurisdiction to do so. Of the other cities in Kitsap besides Bainbridge Island, Bremerton recently adopted the ordinance. Port Orchard is gearing up to probably do so. Poulsbo appears to be the sole hold-out.
August/September Calendar
August 6 -   National Night Out , Tuesday, 5pm-8pm at Waterfront Park.  PLEASE VOLUNTEER   (to staff one of the two stations and/or take down).
August 15  -  Rubber Jellyfish  documentary ,  Thursday,   6:30-8:30 at Eagle Harbor Church. See details in article above.
August 17 - Zero Waste farmers' market booth , Saturday, 9am-1pm, at Town Square. Visit or join us there.
September 11 - ZW meeting , Wednesday, 7-8:30pm, at the Marge Williams Center, 221 Winslow Way West. Everyone welcome!
September 14 - ZW/Beach Cleanup Coalition farmers' market booth, Saturday, 9am-1pm, at Town Square.
September 22 - Harvest Fair ZW-managed discard stations , 11am-5pm at Johnson Farm. (Sign-up Doodle available as event draws near.)
September 28 - BI Beach Cleanup , 10am-2pm (low tide). Choose your spot and time to pick up. More info here .
Newsletter editor: Diane Landry, BI Zero Waste (volunteer) director
Back issues are available   here .
BI Zero Waste is an all-volunteer program of Sustainable Bainbridge.
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