Green Page

When I think back over the past year, at all the events I attended, I recall the most popular activity of the year, the Pitch the Poop game.  I saw it demonstrated at a meeting about storm water pollution and loved it.  I came back to Oak Harbor and immediately assembled the materials, a garbage can, a carpet of Astroturf, a yard and ½ of wire screen, a lot of plastic bags and a couple of dozen plastic brown pet poops (available online). 

I tried it out at the Whidbey Garden Workshop, the Earth Day Festival and the Penn Cove Water Festival.  It was a big hit at the Farmer’s Market.  At National Night Out hundreds of kids wanted to play.  Even some parents tried it.

Here’s how it works.  I lay out the carpet of Astroturf.  At one end I set up the open garbage can.  Next to it stands the wire circle with a bunch of leaves inside.  A cardboard box sat under the Astroturf at the corner creating a hole.  I spread the fake pet poop on the fake green grass and wait.  People walk by and notice all the piles of pet poop.  They make awful faces and utter “Ooooo.”  But then they look up at me and want to know what this is all about. 

I ask if they have a dog or cat.  ”Yes.”  I ask what they do with their pet waste.   Some have a litter box for their cat.  “What do you do when the litter box is full?”I ask.  Some say they pitch the poop it into the bushes.  Some say they compost it.  One guy even told me about his elaborate pet poop septic system which is just a fancy way to bury it. 

Harmful bacteria in pet waste can spread round worms, Giardia or E. Coli and can be transferred to children, gardeners and others who like to play on the lawn.  Even people walking with sandals or flip flops are vulnerable.  And if pet poop is left on the ground some bacteria can persist up to 4 years. 

So  I offer a plastic bag and ask them if they know how to pick it up.  With kids I tell them the plastic bag is like a puppet.  Together we slip our hands into the plastic bags and pull them up our arms.  Our puppets are hungry and want to “eat” a “chocolate donut”.  With my puppet hand I grab a plastic pet poop and they do the same.  Then I show them how to take the other hand and pull the plastic bag all the way over the plastic poop.  If the child does this without letting go of the fake poop we all cheer.  Once we’ve bagged the pet poop, we tie a simple knot and then comes the fun part.

The child stands at one end of the Astroturf and faces the garbage can, wire screen and the carpet depression at the other end.   “Where does the poop go now?” I ask.  The compost pile?  The hole in the ground?  No, try again.  The garbage can!  Yes!  So they wheel back and throw the plastic bag of pet poop toward the open garbage can. Bags of fake pet poop fly through the fairgrounds!    It often takes more than one try, but we cheer loud and long when it goes in. 

Pet Poop is raw sewage, a public health hazard and a water quality problem.  The Pitch the Poop Game is a silly way to address a serious issue.  An estimated 15,000 pets live in Island County alone.  They excrete 5,000 pounds of poop a day.  Though we try to reduce waste there is no better place for toxic poop than your garbage can.  To reduce the risk for solid waste handlers, put all the individual bags of poop into a larger bag and tie it shut.  Then place it into your garbage can. Thank you and have a cleaner, greener New Year.   For more information visit: www.beachwatchers.wsu.edu/island/  or call 360-279-4762.

Americans generate 25% more garbage between Thanksgiving and New Years.  Think about it.  We’re not just generating 25% more garbage, we’re filling 25% more landfill space, burning 25% more energy to make and transport it, and generating 25% more pollution in the process.   We’re also extracting 25% more natural resources like water, wood, and oil from the environment to create all that stuff.  Stuff, Stuff, and more Stuff. 

But here’s a way to reduce that waste, uphold our gift giving traditions and support small, local businesses, too.

The City of Oak Harbor started the Waste Wise Holiday Campaign 3 years ago.  We offered free ads in local papers to businesses who would offer discount coupons for gifts of experience.  Experiences don’t require much wrapping, usually just an envelope with a gift certificate inside, which trims the trash while you trim the tree!

This year, with 3 new co-sponsors, the campaign is going Island-wide.  Thirty stores are participating  including some in Langley, Freeland, Greenbank, Coupeville and Oak Harbor.  If you missed the ads that were in local papers on Thanksgiving week, you can print the coupons from the City website (www.oakharbor.org)  and shop all over the rock!

The coupons offer 10%-50% off on…

Gifts of Experience - a massage, salon treatment, tickets to a play, bowling, knitting classes, diving lessons, yoga sessions, wine tasting, dining, coffee and treats. Take the kids to Paint Your World or give them a gift certificate to Popsies candy store.  Get tickets to the Green Home Tour in March and support a local non-profit.  You could even take your sweetie to a B&B.

Gifts made of Recycled Materials like bird feeders made with recycled plastic, fleece clothing, artwork and jewelry made of recycled materials. 

Green Gifts like stainless steel water bottles, walking sticks and lunch boxes, even beautiful cedar worm bins.  (I can supply the worms-279-4762.)

Stop in at the Fort Casey Lighthouse open weekends between now and Dec. 18 to shop in their gift shop and support WSU Extension programs like Beach Watchers, Waste Wise and Shore Stewards.  Shop at holiday bazaars that support other local charities.  Give a membership to a non-profit organization.

By shopping locally you save money on gas and the ferry.  You could even catch the free Island Transit bus to shop all over the Island. ( Find their schedule at www.islandtransit.org ) You’ll also be supporting local families who count on your business to survive. 

Locally owned businesses:

Give 250% more to local non-profit charities than chain stores;

Provide local, living wage jobs;

Know their customers and provide better service;

Do business with other locally owned businesses;

And keep more money in the community which goes to support the services we all need like schools, hospitals, transit, fire and police protection.

Unique, local businesses give our community it’s distinctive character which attracts tourists, skilled workers and entrepreneurs who then invest in our community making it a better place to live. 

All our Whidbey Island communities have charming, historic downtowns where shopping is a unique and delightful experience.  This time of year there are parades, carolers, holiday lights and the smell of hot cider is in the air.  

So enjoy the holiday shopping season with Waste Wise Holiday coupons.  Save money, reduce waste and support local families.  Happy Holidays!

Last week I got to tour 2 waste water treatment plants in Snohomish County.  Pretty exciting, huh?  To tell you the truth I wasn’t really looking forward to it but my supervisor “invited me” and I’m glad I went.  I got on the shuttle bus with some members of the council, planning commission, park board and city staff and we headed off the Island. 

The first treatment plant we visited was at the edge of a neighborhood in Carnation.  It had the latest technology including membrane bio-reator filters that resulted in 99.9% pure water leaving the plant.  The water drained to a duck pond about a mile away.  (We toured the pond too and there were indeed ducks.)  There were no offensive odors and it was neat and clean inside and out.  This was a small facility serving less than 1,000 homes.

Next we went to the largest Waste Water Treatment plant in the world with the most modern technology in North America.  The Brightwater Center near Woodinville.  This state-of-the-art treatment plant also houses a community meeting hall and environmental education center with interactive displays and a lab for school groups. 

The environmental education building  is certified LEED Platnum, the highest standard of green construction.  The radiant floor heat is  a biproduct of the treatment plant cutting energy costs.  Solar panels adorn the roof.  Public art delights the entrance.

 The 60 acre grounds were transformed from a junk yard to an outdoor classroom and salmon habitat after planting over 22,000 native shrubs and trees on the site.  Three miles of walking trails are used by visiting school groups and nearby residents.  The park is nourished by the clean water leaving the treatment plant. 

Our last stop on the tour was a pump station for sewer and storm water.  It’s a small structure in Snohomish by a city park with a rain garden and bike route.  Though pump stations are usually more function than fashion, this one was so beautifully designed that many people mistake it for the nearby visitor’s center.  The building has been plumbed for future restrooms.   The exterior brick walls provide a stylish backdrop for a display of cast metal salmon sculptures swimming up from the sidewalk and leaping to the rafters.   It showed us what could be done with some creative input.

This tour changed my impression of what a Waste Water Treatment Plant could be.  The smelly, industrial looking facility at Windjammer Park today, will be replaced by something that will be as inviting and pure as what we saw last week. 

The City has just begun to plan for this project.  Through a series of public meetings, we have narrowed the possible site to 3 locations.  Most people have urged the City to put it as far from the downtown and beaches as possible.  But after seeing these facilities, I think the City would be proud to make it community center for the public.  An interpretive center in the facility could become an attraction on our waterfront and provide a beautiful place for meetings and events.  Putting the facility on the existing site would stretch the City’s funds for the project and save Oak Harbor residents more money.

It’s hard to imagine so I encourage you to see for yourself.  If you get a chance to stop by the Brightwater Center, or another modern treatment plant like the new one in Blain, please stop by.  Even if you don’t take a tour, at least take a whiff from the parking lot.

http://www.kingcounty.gov/environment/brightwater-center.aspx

Trick or Treat?

By Maribeth Crandell

“Trick or Treat”, is the question as you answer the door with a bowl full of candy.  The same thing could be asked about the unused prescription drugs in your medicine cabinet. The little monsters and goblins that come to your door on Halloween soon turn into teens looking for something more exciting than candy.  Each day an estimated 2,500 teens get high for the first time using prescription drugs most often found in the homes of family or friends.  These are definitely more of a trick than a treat.

But this phenomenon is not limited to teens.  More than 700 million Americans abuse prescription drugs, according to a study by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.  In Washington State drugs now kill more people than auto accidents.  The legal and illegal use of powerful painkillers is on the rise resulting in drug abuse with related injury and violence.  Between the late 1990’s and 2006 the national drug related death rate nearly doubled according to the Center for Disease Control.  Cocaine and heroin continue to be a problem but most of the increase is attributed to powerful prescription drugs like Oxycontin, methadone and Vicodin that may be prescribed by a doctor.

If you have drugs left over from a serious illness or injury that are no longer needed, here’s how you can dispose of them safely. 

October 29^th is National Prescription Drug Take Back Day.  Local law enforcement agencies will collect unwanted drugs from 10am to 2pm for free.  In previous drug collection days on Sept. 25, 2010 and April 25, 2011 over 4,000 agencies across the country collected more than 309 tons of unwanted prescription drugs.

On October 12, 2010 President Obama signed the Secure and Responsible Drug Disposal Act.  Congress passed a law amending the Controlled Substances Act to allow the Drug Enforcement Administration to develop a process for people to safely dispose of prescription drugs year round.  Until they’ve completed this work, they will continue to hold a Drug Take Back Day every six months. 

Rick Wallace of the Oak Harbor Police Department says “We’re always surprised at how many people come in to drop off their drugs.  It’s a very effective program.”  Jerry Mingo of Island County Solid Waste reported getting several pounds of out of date drugs from an animal shelter.

If for some reason you cannot bring your unwanted drugs to a law enforcement agency on Drug Take Back Days, you can dispose of prescription drugs at home, but take a few precautions. 

First, don’t flush them down the drain.  Our sewer treatment plants are not equipped to remove them from wastewater.  Instead, take them out of their original container and mix them with something repulsive like pet waste, cat litter or coffee grounds.  Then bag them and throw them out with the garbage. 

To dispose of hypodermic needles, put them in a clear plastic bottle with the lid screwed on tight and taped shut.  Bring them to the Coupeville Solid Waste Complex open Monday through Friday 8am – 4:30pm, or take them to the Recycle Parks at Bayview on South Whidbey or North Oak Harbor Road in Oak Harbor.  For more information call 360-679-7386.

On Oct. 29th take your unwanted drugs between 10am and 2pm to:

Oak Harbor Police Department

860 S.E. Barrington Drive, Oak Harbor, WA

Coupeville Marshals Office

4 N.E. Seventh Street, Coupeville, WA 98239

Island County Sheriff’s Office

5521 E. Harbor Road, Freeland, WA 98249

People lined up for the delicious salmon dinner Saturday,  but as they finished their meal they were faced with something new.  One fellow had a stack of 3 plates, assorted cups and utensils and was about to drop the load in the trash, when he was greeted with a cheerful,  “We’re composting today, sir.”

It was a first, collecting compost from 1,000 people at a public event in Oak Harbor. Special compost bins were set up lined with biobags made of corn starch.  On either side was a garbage can, a recycle bin and an orange bucket for liquids. 

Volunteers Ernie Branigh, retired Navy, and OHHS student Dahlia Braunstein, WSU Waste Wise Coordinator Janet Hall and myself were stationed at waste collection sites near the picnic tables.  Together we managed to divert over 100 pounds of paper plates, napkins and leftover food scraps from the garbage to the compost.  That’s 100 pounds less going to the landfill and 100 pounds more making supplements for good soil. 

(For information on home scale composting or worm bins call 360-279-4762 or visit: www.wastewise.wsu.edu.)

Part of planning a Waste Wise event is anticipating the types of trash that might emerge from different activities and making an effort to offer supplies that are recyclable or compostable.  So we served food on plain paper plates with paper napkins that are compostable.  (There are compostable utensils and cups but they were beyond our limited budget.) 

We also gave people canvas bags to take “shopping” along Pioneer Way.  Most of the merchants were giving away treats and the reusable bags reduced the number of plastic bags used. 

Scoopy Doo, a giant dog wearing an “I love Puget Sound” T-shirt, gave away dog poop bag dispensers to everyone with a dog at the event.  The bags inside are biodegradable.  Pet poop from dogs and cats contains bacteria that can spread Giardia, Round Worms and E. coli.  It can last on the ground for up to 4 years.  So please pick up pet waste, bag it and put it in the trash.  Scoopy Doo had fun sharing that message.

Bert the Salmon got to dance with Mayor Slowik and shake fins with a lot of little tadpoles.  Bert pointed out the small plants circled by grates in the sidewalk.  “That plant is cleaning Puget Sound,” he said.  The shrubs and soils in the planters soak up the toxins that run off the street when it rains.  “Keep Puget Sound clean and you can eat salmon for generations to come.”  

The Grand Opening was attended by over 1,000 people.  The Tribes grilled 500 pounds of salmon while local restaurants served the sides.  Popsies dished up a lot of ice cream as the day was warm and sunny.  Whidbey Coffee and Angelo’s Cafe’ kept the coffee coming.  While people were waiting in line for the free dinner, they discovered the unique shops and the kids created chalk art masterpieces.   Even after the food was gone the crowd stayed to hear the live music and roam our new improved historic downtown. 

Many of  the businesses on Pioneer Way reported one of their most successful days ever.  The recession and construction was a double whammy for them, but with the inviting new streetscape and the holiday season fast approaching, things are looking up. Come back again over the next few months to see the Mermaid and other artwork put in place, the overhead lines removed and electric car charging stations installed. The new Pioneer Way is a place we can be proud to share with friends and family for generations to come.

Incredible! 

The new and improved Pioneer Way is nearing completion and the mood in the street is ecstatic!  The street is paved and painted, the planters are full of trees and greenery, and the new wide sidewalks are clean and inviting.  

Though there will be aspects that need more time to complete, like connecting all the businesses to underground utilities before they remove the old wires and telephone poles,  most of the work has been done.  And just think, it will only get better.  YEAH!

On Saturday, Oct. 15th, starting at noon the Mayor is throwing a party!  There will be a ribbon cutting ceremony with the Mayor thanking the contractors and city staff that managed this remarkable project.  The Tribes will be grilling 500 pounds of salmon and the local restaurants will serve up the sides.   The OHHS Cheerleaders will be there to lead the celebration.  Scoopy Doo and Bert the Salmon will be there.  A clown will have balloons for the kids, and there will be live music by local bands.  A DJ on the corner of Dock Street and Pioneer Way will crank out some tunes and we’ll have dancing in the street! 

The merchants who’ve hung in there through this difficult summer of construction deserve a big bonus from all of us.  Stop in and get a head start on holiday shopping, a hot drink or an early dinner after the event.  The sense that I get is that though some may have had reservations before the project began, most are very pleased with the results.  There’s more parking available, better accessibility for pedestrians, cyclists and physically challenged, and the street looks more refreshing with the new sidewalks, street trees and public art.  Now these shops are on the most beautiful street in town, our historic, downtown waterfront, the jewel of the city!

The beauty is not just skin deep but the construction and infrastructure was done to new sustainability standards.  Pioneer Way is one of the first streets in Washington State to qualify for the new Greenroads Certification.  The University of Washington developed a checklist for road design and construction that takes into account the health of those working on the project, the use of recycled materials, paving techniques that cut greenhouse gas emissions and many more features that won’t be visible to the passerby but will pay off over the long haul in cleaner water, and air, less waste and better health conditions for those building the road and those using it.

One thing that you will be able to see are the 26 Filtera storm water filters planted with a short variety of bamboo.  The worst pollution in Puget Sound comes from our storm water.  Filtera systems use soils and plants to slow and clean storm water before it drains into Puget Sound. 

The Grand Opening event will also be a Waste Wise event, which means we’ll be serving salmon on paper plates and drinks in cups that will be composted along with any leftover food.  Special recycling stations will be set up with volunteers to help explain how it works. 

 And as long as we’re trying to be green, why don’t you leave the car at home and take the bus.  It will stop just one block from the festivities.  Or try out the new bike racks or wide pedestrian sidewalks.  So it’s a Greenroad with a green Grand Opening event!  Put on your dancing shoes and come on down!

 Okay, raise your hand if you walked to school when you were a kid.  My folks used to say they walked to school barefoot, through the snow, uphill, both ways.  My siblings and I would roll our eyes, knowing there wasn’t much snow around there and it was pretty flat besides.

 I grew up on the edge of town.  There was a path through the woods and over a creek that all the kids in our neighborhood walked to school about a mile away.  I remember on my first day of school it was sort of a mystery unfolding walking through the woods with the bigger kids.  They encouraged me to go first so I would knock down the spider webs that were so plentiful in the fall.  I left a few for the taller kids.  We were under strict orders not to play in the creek until after school when we were on our way home.  I loved our walking commute and often met other kids to play by the creek on Saturdays, too.  Who needs a water park or jungle gym?  We had our creek and plenty of trees to climb. 

Nowadays, many parents are afraid to let their kids play outside.  In some housing developments there are even covenants that forbid kids to be outdoors without an adult.  That would have thrown a big crimp in my childhood. 

In Last Child Left in the Woods, Richard Louv quotes one study after another that shows how children need contact with wild nature to develop imagination, resourcefulness and creativity.  The Washington State Superintendent Office of Public Instruction sites studies that prove that outdoor experiences in Environmental Education improve scores on standardized tests.  The Island County Public Health Department encourages regular outdoor activity for a healthy lifestyle.  How many studies do we need to tell us that it’s good for kids, and the rest of us, to spend time being active outside?  Isn’t that a given?

Walking or biking to school is a good way to fight the obesity epidemic in America.  It would help reduce the cloud of noxious fumes around schools caused by parents idling while dropping kids off or picking them up.  And if more of us walked together, we’d become visual advocates for creating safer routes to school on sidewalks or bike paths. It would give our kids a jump start on their school day.  

Recently I discovered International Walk to School Day.  This year it’s on Wednesday, October 5^th.  The’e’s a website and a cute logo that says “Hike it, Bike it, We like it!”  On their site you’ll see photos of crowds of kids walking to school together in cities and towns all over the world.  www.walktoschool.org

Parents who’re concerned about their children walking alone can organize a Walking School Bus or Bike Train in their neighborhood.  The idea is that parents in the same neighborhood take turns escorting the kids to school on foot or by bike.  If you’re not sure how to get started, ask your kid’s PE teacher who might also be able to direct you to resources like free bike helmets or tips on the safest walking routes.

If parents are too busy, maybe there are other adults that could help.  Grandparents, older siblings or other family members might be invited to jump in. 

We might think we’re “treating them” with a hot cocoa while we idle at the take out window for our morning latte’, but what are we teaching them through our example?  That we should start the day with a big disposable cup of caffeine and sugar?   The real treat would be to develop a healthy lifestyle getting daily exercise and having quality time together.  And it’s a lot less expensive than the java jive. 

Hey!  It’s finally summer!  I see people out walking, jogging, biking around town.  Folks are getting tan and fit and looking happy, too.  It’s awesome!  And suddenly I’m finding lots of other good reasons to get around town without driving all alone in a car. 

Rideshareonline is offering a luxury get-away for two to either the Sun Mountain Lodge, Inn at the Market, the Salish Lodge, Coeur d’Alene Resort or the historic Davenport Hotel.  Or you could get an iPad2.  All you have to do is carpool or vanpool twice a week from now until Sept. 18th and your name will be automatically entered to win.  You could also win a $50 gift card just for registering!  And the website will help you find a carpool match near you.

 Not only that but Island County will enter your name  in a drawing for a $50 gift card to the local business of your choice.  Just take a bike, bus, vanpool, carpool or walk to work 10 times a month (that’s 5 round trips).   This offer is good through December 2011.  Register now at www.Rideshareonline.com

Join me at the Oak Harbor Public Market on Thusday, Sept. 8th when I’ll be offering biking tips, Island County Bike Maps and may even help you fix a flat.  BYOB!

On Saturday, Sept. 17 there will be a Kid’s Bike Rodeo at Hillcrest Elementary in Oak Harbor.  They’ll have some bikes or you can bring your own.  This is a great opportunity for kids to learn how to ride safely, how to manuver and build confidence.  And it’s a great way to prepare for the up-coming…

Tour de Whidbey on Sat. Sept. 24.  Register on line for the 10 mile family friendly route that starts and ends in Coupeville.  Or sign up for the 30, 40, 50, or 100 mile route out of the Greenbank Farm.  It’s a fully supported ride along Whidbey’s beautiful backroads.   The benefits go to the Whidbey General Hospital Foundation.  Just “Google” Tour de Whidbey for details. 

After the ride there will be a party for cyclists at the new Greenbank 19o4 Pub hosted by our own Whidbey Island Bicycle Club.  Visit their web site to learn more about riding with others on Whidbey. www.whidbeybicycleclub.org

Sept. 24 is also the International Move the Planet Campaign.  Visit: www.350.org for more information and learn how people all over the world are making smarter, greener transportation choices. 

Wednesday, Oct. 5th is International Walk to School Day.  Their slogan “Hike it, Bike it, I like it!” says it all.  Walk or bike with your kids to school to help them get an invigorating start to the day and promote a healthy lifestyle.  Talk with neighbors and the gym teacher at your school to coordinate a Walking School Bus or Bike Train.  Get information at www.walktoschool.org/2011. 

All Schools are No Idle Zones!  When lines of cars sit idling at the start or end of a school day, a cloud of smog forms that children must walk through.  Smog can damage young lungs, so please, if you must drive to school,  turn off the engine while you wait.   Or drop your students off a block from the building.

The 2 Mile Challenge!  40% of all trips in America are 2 miles or less .  90% of those trips are made by a motor vehicle.  If one million people swiched one 2 mile trip per week from a car to a bike, we could reduce our country’s carbon footprint by 50,000 tons a year!  Take the 2 Mile Challenge and CLIF (makers of CLIF and Luna Bars) will donate $100,000 to charity.  Chose between Bicycles Alliance, Safe Routes 2 School or 350.org.  Visit: www.2MileChallenge.com for details and a very cool video.

Or you could walk.  Walking 2 miles takes about 45 minutes which is what doctors recommend for daily exercise.  It’s a great way to warm up the brain cells for work or relax at the end of the day. Oak Harbor is about 2 miles across so a bike or stroll across town is very doable.  To be safe, remember to wear bright colors and use reflectors or lights in dim light.  Cyclists should always wear a helmet and follow the rules of the road.  And register those trips on  www.Rideshareonline.com

Be safe, get fit and enjoy the rest of our summer!

It’s that time of year again.  Though it hasn’t been a hot summer, it’s been dry lately so there’s a burn ban on in Island, Whatcom and Skagit Counties.  That means no burning of trash or yard waste.   You can continue to BBQ on a grill or have a small fire to roast marshmellows if it’s contained in a fire ring like in a State Park campground, or you can use a camp stove.  But that’s it for outdoor fires until the rains return.  http://www.nwcleanair.org/pdf/news/prsReleases_publications/11-Aug-Island%20Ban.pdf

Burning garbage and burn barrels  have been illegal all over Washington State for many years.  Smoke can damage the lungs of children and young adults and trigger life threatening asthma attacks at any age.   My neighbor used to burn garbage  in her burn barrel.  More than once I’d be outside gardening or just enjoying the afternoon on my deck, until I’d be engulfed in some foul smelling cloud.  I’d have to hold my breath, rush inside and close all the windows and doors. It’s not only an annoyance, it’s a health risk.  To report illegal burning of garbage, just call 911. 

Here in rural western Washington we have some of the best air quality on the planet.  The prevailing winds come across the Pacific and are washed by our rain forests on the Olympic Peninsula.  I’ve spoken with many visitors who have commented on our clean air, something I’ve taken for granted.  But when a neighbor starts burning garbage or brush next door, suddenly something connected to our immediate survival is denied. 

There are lots of great alternatives to burning garbage or brush.  Last night I gave a presentation about recycling and other ways to reduce waste at City Hall.  It was taped and will air on channel 10 on Wed, Fri, and Sun at 9am, 1pm, 5pm and 9pm until Sept 13th.  Anyone on Whidbey Island who gets Comcast cable will be able to see it (except in Coupeville because they have their own programs).  The DVD will also be available for check out at any Sno-Isle Library.  Check it out and find out about reducing waste, composting and how to responsibly dispose of drugs, electronics, and other hazardous waste.

You could also call me at 360-279-4762 or visit the city website www.oakharbor.org go to “links” and click on Environmental Education for information on recycling, composting or starting a worm bin for food waste.  If you live outside Oak Harbor another good website is www.wastewise.wsu.edu  or call Island County Recycling and Hazardous Waste @ 678-7386. They take yard waste as well.  Mailliard’s Landing on N. Oak Harbor Road also takes yard waste for a small fee.

There are so many better options that burning to get rid of garbage or yard waste.  Just save a few sticks for roasting marshmellows well away from the neighbors.

Visit this web site for more information or call me at 360-279-4762. 

http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/air/outdoor_woodsmoke/residentialburn.htm#Is%20it%20legal

Most of us are good people who want to do the right thing.  Recycling is one of those things so we try to recycle as much as possible.  We want to believe that we can recycle plastic deli trays, or shrink wrap or greasy pizza boxes.  These efforts are appreciated but not always effective and here’s why.  What you can recycle depends upon what services are offered where you live.

I have a table at the Oak Harbor Thursday Market each week and while I’m there giving out free reusable shopping bags or talking about worm bins, I keep an eye on the recycling bins.  I’ve made signs that I post on the bins.  I’ve glued a plastic bottle and aluminum can to the top but still people throw in all manner of things they probably think is recyclable, things like plastic cups with domed lids and straws, take out trays or paper plates coated with BBQ sauce.  One vendor has gone above and beyond the call to purchase compostable take out containers, when in fact we don’t have anywhere to professionally compost it on Whidbey Island. 

In Seattle if you put recyclables into your garbage you could be fined.  In Oak Harbor if you put garbage in your recycle bin you could be fined.  However, if you shop wisely (reduce the amount of packaging you bring home), have a compost pile and worm bin, and recycle everything you can, you’ll save about $500 a year.  You’ll also be reducing pollution, conserving natural resources and saving energy.  So it pays to get smart about what you can recycle in your community.  It’s different if you live in Oak Harbor, or Camano Island, than if you live on the rest of Whidbey, unless you have access to the Navy Base.  So the first question is always, “Where do you live?”

It’s hard to keep up with the changes that occur frequently in the recycling world.  There are political changes, market changes, and population changes that effect recycling services. 

Recycling laws change as well.  For instance in 2009 our State passed legislation that requires manufactures of certain electronic components to pay for proper recycling of their products.  Up until then most people threw their old TVs or computers in the garbage.  These electronics are laced with hazardous heavy metals that can poison soils and drinking water.  Many of these components were shipped overseas and taken apart for scraps by impoverished people in Asia and Africa.  Their villages were polluted and their health suffered. 

The new E-cycle Washington Program has responsibly recycled 78 million pounds of electronics in its first 2 years.  Now Washingtonians can recycle TVs, computer monitors, computer towers and laptops for free. The recycling is paid for by the manufacturers. 

Drug overdoses have surpassed car accidents as the leading cause of deaths in Washington State.  The majority involve prescription pain relievers.  Prescription drugs, non-prescription drugs and supplements involve over half of the accidental child poisonings in the State.  Flushing them down the drain pollutes our waterways and threatens wildlife. 

So in September of 2010 a National Drug Take Back Day was held when citizens were encouraged to bring unused medications to the local law enforcement agencies.   Nationwide 121 tons of prescription drugs were collected.  A few days later Congress passed the Secure and Responsible Drug Disposal Act.  The next Drug Take Back Day will be on Oct. 29^{th, 2011}.

What do you do if you can’t wait?  Remove the drugs from the original containers and mix them in a bag of dog poop, kitty litter or coffee grounds.  Then dispose of them in the trash.

These are just a couple of examples of the stories behind recycling efforts.  As the City Environmental Educator I get questions about recycling everything from old VCR tapes to car batteries, plant pots to florescent bulbs.  When I get these questions, I first ask another question.  “Where do you live?” Then  if I don’t know the answer, I usually know who to ask. 

Jerry Mingo at the Island County Solid Waste Complex is in charge of recycling, hazardous waste and yard waste collection for Island County.  At the Solid Waste Complex just south of Coupeville there is a recycle center that includes a thrift shop.  You’ll be able to properly dispose of hazardous waste just around the corner.  While you’re there you can pick up free paint, cleaning supplies, and other common household hazardous waste.  Mingo aims to keep as much out of the landfill as possible.  He’s a great resource for county residents trying to do the right thing.

Jerry Mingo and I will try to answer your recycling questions at a seminar on Recycling in the Real World at Oak Harbor City Hall on Tuesday, August 9, 5:30-6:30pm.