Zero Waste will be collecting Styrofoam and CDs/DVD disks (no cases) at NEW TIMES, 5pm-8pm, on Saturday and Sunday, June 26 & 27, at Bay Hay and Feed. Please prepare your Styrofoam properly by removing all stickers and labels in advance. Refer to our Styrofoam page to see what kind of clean, dry, snappable foam is acceptable.
This collection is possible only because of volunteers, who help greet cars, unload, snap and haul bags to the donated Safeway truck. If you can, please sign up here for a shift or two so that we will have at least 12 persons per hour to make the operation run effectively. Contact Diane Landry with any questions. Thank you!
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Got some old computers, TVs, cellphones, or electronic peripherals sitting around your home? Save yourself a trip to the transfer station and support local Boy Scout Troop 1496 at the same time. Go online here to sign up to donate, then leave your items on your porch before 8am, Saturday, June 12. The Scouts will show up that day to cart off your stuff.
This annual fundraiser supports service projects around the island, leadership training, and outdoor wilderness experiences.
The electronics are sent to PC Recycle, a registered collector with E-Cycle Washington's take-back program. They refurbish and/or recycle the equipment. By responsibly disposing of electronics, we keep toxic metals out of the landfill and the environment, put valuable metals back into circulation, and create green jobs and fewer greenhouse gas emissions.
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Bainbridge Island Farmers Market stalwart Rebecca Slattery, owner of Persephone Farm, reuses various materials to deliver her farm products and appreciates all the community contributions thus far. On a recent Saturday, she commented that 4" square pots are especially needed at this point in the season and can be dropped off at her BI farmers market stand, 10am-2pm .
To see what other local farmers and nursery owners will take back, see this ZW post.
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Waste Reduction Legislation |
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In keeping with the city's Climate Action Plan, Councilperson Christy Carr introduced for consideration an ordinance addition on plastics reduction at the city council study session on May 18. (To see the discussion, go here, then click on the 7:50pm time stamp.) The proposals are all related to food service ware and personal care products and supplement the directives recently enacted in SB 5022.
The policy questions involve:
- Food accessories at customer request
- Disposable cup fee
- Durable utensils for on-site dining
- Single-use personal care product replacement at lodging establishments
For details on these proposals, please refer to this memorandum presented to council members.
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So much of today's clothing is made of synthetic material (rayon, nylon, etc.), which leaches microplastic fibers into water systems when laundered. Once there, the microplastics move up the marine food chain into our seafood or are taken up into crops through soil. Peter Ross of Ocean Wise commented that "There are estimates of anywhere from a few thousand fibers in a single load of laundry to as much as 10 or 12 million fibers per load.”
You can reduce the amount of microplastic fibers that slough off by washing your clothes in cold water less often or by spot cleaning them. The New York Times' Wirecutter has an article that extensively outlines the problem and offers suggestions for various filters that capture some of the fibers.
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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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