EarthWISE Newsletter Summer 2019

Marion County Oregon sent this bulletin at 08/15/2019 03:48 PM PDT

EarthWISE Connection

Summer 2019

EarthWISE, a program of Marion County Public Works

Master Recycler class starts September 28th !

Join us for lunch on August 28th and learn how to create your workplace green policy!.

Repair Fair coming September 18th !

Marion County Environmental Services is pleased to partner with local food industry for a pilot on food waste reduction. We will be working with 6 county business owners to address food waste and create metrics to support change. Each pilot member will also work with the EarthWISE sustainable business network to gain EarthWISE certification. In addition with the pilot program, our 6 businesses will receive additional media around participation during the program, additional certification after program, and up to 1000 dollars in goal based reimbursement to enhance waste reduction or sustainability in the business. We will be accepting applications until end of day on August 23rd.

Participants in the program will need to commit to 8 hours of direct face time with an EarthWISE consultant over the course of 6 weeks.

To apply: Please fill out application by August 23rd deadline.

A Final Message from Bailey

When I started with the county, Bailey and my whole team made me feel so connected and supported in moving EarthWISE in the direction of a sustainable business network. So many of the core EarthWISE members have gotten resources and support from Bailey over the years and we know it is not just our office who will miss him. I wanted to share with you all his outgoing message:

It's always easy for me to remember when I began working for Marion County because it was on my 29th birthday, over 17 years ago. I’d just been married and we were weeks away from buying our first house. Since then, we’ve had two kids, had family members pass away and others born, and picked up a few grey hairs along the way. Life continues to evolve, as has my career.

The newest chapter in my life is that I’m going to be working for the Corvallis School District as a Sustainability Specialist. It’s a wonderful opportunity for my family and me because my wife also works for the school district and my kids are starting 3rd and 6th grades. I haven’t worked in the same town that I’ve lived for 20 years so I’m looking forward to being able to ride my bike to work! My role will be to implement the district’s new sustainability plan. It will involve helping to integrate green building designs into the numerous schools that are getting rebuilt or remodeled, working to connect the very active environmental community in town with service-learning opportunities, connecting natural resource agencies with teachers and getting all of the schools certified in the Oregon Green Schools program. I’m going to be busy!

One of the things that I’ve most appreciated about working here is how much it changes. When I first started, my time was largely spent on coordinating our advertising, managing the Composters at Cost program and coordinating some of our recycling programs like fluorescent lights, paint, batteries and electronics. In more recent years, I worked with Alan on the EarthWISE program which was one of my favorite programs and one that I believe continues to be key.

Throughout all these years, I’ve always been able to work with the Master Recycler program and schools. The work with schools will obviously continue for me but I will greatly miss the community of Master Recyclers that I’ve gotten to know over the years. Since I started with Marion County, there have been 570 people take the Master Recycler class and it was truly an honor to be able to work with so many inspiring people. The network of Master Recyclers and EarthWISE businesses are the backbone of our programs and what has made the work so successful and fun.

Marion County has been such a wonderful place to work and I am really proud of what we’ve accomplished. By “we” I mean not only my colleagues but you, the larger community with whom I’ve been able to work. As Robert Plant sang, “I’m goin’ to Corvallis with an achin’ in my heart.” Well, maybe that’s not quite the exact lyric but it is with very mixed emotions that I’m leaving Marion County. I will miss you and I imagine that I’ll still get to work with many of you since my new position will be very much related to the work that will continue to happen here. Thank you!

Tune in to Waste Matters to hear Bailey talk about waste reduction at the county over the years.

Welcome our new EarthWISE Members!

Capitol Coffee

Debra Herring Studio

Peaceful Earth Studio

Gary W Boehne DMD

American Gypsum Recycling

DHS Integrated Eligibility Project

Hancock Real Estate

Natural Grocers

Silverton City Hall and Silverton Waste Water Treatment Plant!

EarthWISE Edition of Myth Busters: Recycled Content Paper

Paper products accounts for 21% of commercial waste in Marion County.This means that EarthWISE members looking to make their daily routine more environmentally friendly can make an impact just by switching to recycled paper products. However, we still find some employees resistant to doing so because they do not have all the facts and have some unfavorable perceptions about recycled paper.This can be problematic in making sure there is consistent ordering of paper with recycled content.

Let’s take a look at some of the most common myths surrounding recycled paper products and bust them with industry findings from paperback paper company.

Myth #1: It Is Better To Buy Tree-free and Chlorine-free Paper

This one is actually a misuse of terms rather than a myth. Paper which is ‘tree-free’ is produced using alternative sources such as cotton or hemp fibers. Similarly ‘chlorine-free’ paper is simply paper that does not use chlorine in the bleaching process. Neither of these terms refer to recycling. These papers may not necessarily be recycled.

Myth #2 : Recycled Paper Looks Unprofessional

It is a very common misconception that recycled paper looks cheap and thus will give people a poor impression of your business. However, in reality this really depends on the paper that you choose. Recycled paper is now available in many different grades and levels of quality. You will find that paper intended for letterheads, business cards and brochures is much higher quality than that intended for tissues and notepads.

It is often impossible to tell if paper is recycled or not unless it is marked as such. In fact, with the current pressure on businesses to be more eco-friendly promoting the fact that your paper products are all recycled could create the right impression rather than the wrong one.

Have your green team do your in office paper comparisons.

EarthWISE Quick Links