We've got lots of great ways for you to learn, engage and celebrate with Washington County Solid Waste & Recycling.

Please join us every Tuesday in April for a series of hour-long webinars on different topics. Sessions will be recorded and offered in English and Spanish.

Register for Tuesday, April 6: 12-1 p.m. (English) | 5-6 p.m. (English) | 6-7 p.m. (Spanish)

Recycling is great, but there are many other actions you can take to conserve resources, save money and even learn new skills! Join us in thinking higher up the waste hierarchy and learn about local options for repair, reuse, donation and more.

Register for Tuesday, April 13: 12-1 p.m. (English) | 5-6 p.m. (English) | 6-7 p.m. (Spanish)

Did you know that wasted food costs the average family of four about $1500 per year? Learn more about the economic, environmental and social impacts of food waste and how you can make a difference by participating in our free Eat Smart, Waste Less Challenge.

Register for Tuesday, April 20: 12-1 p.m. (English) | 5-6 p.m. (English)

Keeping our homes clean, safe and healthy is a top priority for many of us right now. A representative from Metro's Healthy Homes program will be joining us to share tips on choosing safer products as well as simple recipes for making non-toxic cleaners at home.

Register for Tuesday, April 27: 12-1 p.m. (English) | 5-6 p.m. (English) | 6-7 p.m. (Spanish)

We're about to send you on a wild GooseChase! Anyone who lives or works in Washington County is invited to join our GooseChase Earth Week Challenge. It's free and open to all ages.

It's easy to join! Just download the GooseChase app for iOS or Android, enter game code R7419E or search WashCo Earth Week. You can sign up as a guest or create an account.

You can choose from hundreds of missions to earn points and win prizes. Missions can be as simple as snapping a selfie with your favorite plant, checking your recycling bin for contamination, or learning how to sew a button. Missions are also available in Spanish.

The GooseChase Earth Week Challenge is a great option for families, classes, neighborhood groups, or anyone looking for a fun, safe and socially distanced way to make a difference.

*Stay tuned! We'll be announcing the official start date in a future email and on social media. Make sure to follow us on Facebook for updates and special bonus missions.*

This free event is for educators and others who work on school sustainability projects or programs!

Hear from Oregon Green Schools, the National Wildlife Federation, Metro's Education team and our own Green Business Leaders program about technical assistance, certifications and resources that are available to schools. Discuss how schools can continue their sustainability efforts during remote, hybrid or in-person learning.

Date & Time: Wednesday, April 7 at 2:30 p.m.

Spanish interpretation will be available.

Please note that this webinar will be recorded; registration is required.

Is the return of the sun inspiring you to clear out your closets, basement or garage? Use our What to Recycle and Where tool to make sure you're correctly disposing of items like electronics, paint, cleaning and garden chemicals, batteries and lightbulbs.

If you have household goods that are still usable, try giving them away on your neighborhood Buy Nothing group (a staff favorite for giving and receiving clothes, books, dishes, toys and more) or check with local orgs like Community Warehouse, ReClaimIt! or the ReStore (Forest Grove and Beaverton) to see what they're currently accepting.

Many of us are getting more packages in the mail these days. More packages mean more packing materials—and more confusion about what belongs in your trash can and what can go in your recycling bin.

With plastic-padded envelopes, the answer is clear: Toss them in the trash. This includes envelopes that are made entirely from plastic, and paper envelopes with bubble wrap inside.

You can't recycle plastic-padded envelopes at home or at work, but there are steps you can take to reduce your waste. When online shopping consider bundling your orders so your items come in just one package. Or, reuse them for shipping— just be sure to remove old mailing addresses or barcodes and reseal with packaging tape. You can also use padded envelopes during your next move or for protecting breakable items in storage.

For more answers on your recycling questions, follow @recycleornot on Instagram and visit RecycleOrNot.org. For Spanish, follow @reciclarono on Instagram and visit ReciclarONo.org.

Just a reminder that you're receiving this email because you have interacted with Washington County Solid Waste & Recycling. Don't forget to add recycle@co.washington.or.us to your address book so we'll be sure to land in your inbox!