20 ways to celebrate the 50th Earth Day
By Caroline Ask, Environmental Compliance & Recycling Manager
In 1970, 20 million people mobilized to call for greater protections for our planet. The event became the world’s first Earth Day.
Earth Day has since become the largest secular observance in the world. More than 190 countries and a billion people celebrate it as a day to encourage positive changes in behavior that benefit our environment.
Since Wednesday is the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, we offer these creative and innovative ways to do your part:
- Take a walk to identify native plant species in your area — or simply enjoy your surroundings.
- Craft a nature collage from items found on your walk.
- Compost your food waste.
- Avoid using herbicides or pesticides before rain events.
- Clean out your closet, but instead of throwing your old clothes away, donate them.
- Check out NASA’s Earth Day 2020: 50th Anniversary Toolkit.
- Calculate your carbon footprint.
- Research how to start a backyard garden and ways to support helpful insects and pollinators.
- When shopping, use reusable bags. However, some retailers are recommending the use of plastic bags until the COVID-19 outbreak subsides.
- Identify the types of accepted recyclables in College Station.
- Learn how to dispose of household hazardous waste Our next collection event is Oct. 24.
- Follow the Brazos Valley WaterSmart network to use efficient watering techniques for your lawn.
- Join a virtual Earth Day
- Turn off the faucet when brushing your teeth.
- Turn off the lights when you leave a room.
- Construct a rainwater harvesting barrel for landscape irrigation.
- Repurpose jars and other containers as beverage glasses or small bowls.
- Serve a fun Earth Day-inspired dessert such as dirt pudding to teach your kids about the importance of soil.
- Plant a tree.
- Tag us with your Earth Day activities using the hashtag #BVEarthDay2020.
Happy Earth Day!
About the Blogger
Carolina Ask is in her third year with the city and her first as the environmental compliance and recycling manager. She previously served as an engineering program specialist and environmental inspector. Caroline previously held environmental health positions at Texas A&M and Houston’s Texas Children’s Hospital. She earned a bachelor’s degree in Bioenvironmental Sciences from A&M in 2012.
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5 ways you can make single-stream recycling work even better
By Heather Woolwine, Recycling and Environmental Compliance Manager
If you’re a homegrown, organic eatin’, treehuggin’ hippie like me, you’ll find a way to recycle no matter where you are. Our enthusiasm for recycling sometimes makes for cheeky comments from family and friends because, like most people, they prefer a realistic and reasonable level of convenience.
That’s where College Station’s new single-stream recycling program comes in.
Until we launched the program in January, residents sorted recyclables into 11-gallon clear plastic bags. Single-stream appeals to those who have never recycled because it’s easy and uses a large container, similar to your trash disposal.
The new program has already paid incredible dividends as recycling participation has increased from 69 percent in 2015 to 84 percent this year. We’ve also seen participation by businesses and apartments climb from 19 percent to 24 percent.
Better participation means much less garbage has been going to the landfill. How much less? Let’s take a look at the numbers:
As the City of College Station’s recycling and environmental compliance manager, I get lots of questions from residents about how the program works and how they can make it even better.
Here are five simple ways to do your part:
1. Avoid Contamination.
Make sure you are only placing clean, acceptable items in your blue recycling container. While something may be recyclable, that form of recycling may not be available in this area. Any food container that has been visibly soiled with food or grease is not recyclable and should be put in the garbage. This list of acceptable items is also printed on top of your recycling container:
- Aluminum/tin/steel cans.
- Glass (all colors).
Plastics (not bags) with No. 1 or No. 2 marked on them. If one of the symbols on the right isn’t on it, don’t recycle it.- Mixed/white paper (Post-It notes, index cards, file folders, colored paper).
- Junk mail (staples and windowed envelopes are fine).
- Newspaper and inserts.
- Brown paper bags.
- Phone books.
- Flattened cardboard.
- Shredded paper (must be placed in clear plastic bags).
- Paperboard (such as cereal boxes and dairy/juice containers).
If it’s not listed, it’s not accepted as a recyclable and is considered garbage.
2. Items should be clean and free of debris.
Paper and cardboard recyclables must be dry and free of food debris, and caps from plastics should be removed and discarded. You should also rinse and clean discarded containers to keep your recycling container from getting sticky or smelly.
3. Don’t bag your recyclables, unless …
The only recyclable that should be bagged in clear plastic is shredded paper. Bagging other items isn’t necessary and could cause significant and costly damage to the sorting equipment. Consider recycling plastic bags or using reusable bags when you go to the store.
4. Pay attention to your collection schedule.
Unlike garbage collection, recycling is collected every other week. It’s also a good idea to have your container out early because yours may be picked up as early as 8 a.m. If you can’t remember your designated collection day, visit cstx.gov/recycle or download the free MyWaste app. If you have a missed collection, report it as soon as possible by emailing your street address to RecycleRequests@cstx.gov or by calling 979.764.6228.
5. Make sure your container is unobstructed.
Place your recycling and garbage container about four feet from any obstruction. Examples of obstructions include mailboxes, vehicles, and other containers. City ordinance requires your garbage and recycling containers be removed from the curb within 12 hours of collection.
Recycling options are also available for businesses and apartments. To learn more, go to cstx.gov/recycle or contact me at hwoolwine@cstx.gov or 979-764-6228.
Related Links
- Podcast: Our first look at single-stream recycling numbers
- Video: CS Single-Stream Recycling Guide
- Video: CS Single-Stream Recycling – Paperboard
- Video: CS Single-Stream Recycling – Colored Glass
- New single-stream recycling program starts in January
About the Author
Heather Woolwine has been with the City of College Station for 11 years and has been recycling and environmental compliance manager since 2014. She served as the city’s recycling coordinator from 2007-14. She attended the Environmental Training Institute at the University of Texas-Arlington and is licensed by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.
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Podcast: Our first look at single-stream recycling numbers
By Jay Socol, Public Communications Director
College Station’s single-stream recycling program made its debut in January. Since then, we’ve all wanted to see the data. Has participation been good? Are citizens putting the right stuff in their blue bins, or are they fouling up the system by throwing bad stuff in the wrong container?
I’ve been waiting for that data, too. Podcast guest Heather Woolwine, College Station’s Recycling and Environmental Compliance Manager, shares her perspective on the ups and downs of the program’s first four months.
Click below to listen. If Soundcloud doesn’t play in your older version of Internet Explorer, click here to hear to the audio file from your system.
About the Author
Jay Socol (@jaysocol) is in his seventh year as College Station’s public communications director. A 1991 graduate of Texas A&M. Jay has also been communications director for the Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service, public information officer for the City of Bryan, and news director at several Bryan-College Station area radio stations. He’s a native of Breckenridge.
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New single-stream recycling program starts in January
By Lacey Lively, Marketing & Community Outreach Coordinator
The City of College Station’s new single-stream recycling program allows you to put your recyclables in one container. If you live in a single-family home, you’ll receive a blue 95-gallon recycling bin sometime in January — even if you didn’t participate in the old curbside program.
Collection by Brazos Valley Recycling begins on your designated day two weeks after you receive the new container.
Earth Day scholarship program promotes stewardship
By Heather Woolwine, Recycling & Environmental Compliance Manager
Many academic scholarship programs are based on written essays that express an applicant’s ideas about a certain topic. But when the Brazos Valley Earth Day committee decided to develop a scholarship program promoting environmental stewardship, we knew it called for something more substantial.
Words are nice, but a hands-on contribution to local communities is even nicer.
That’s why the scholarship program – which is in its first year – is based on actual projects that have a positive environmental impact in the Brazos Valley. The only requirements are for applicants to be residents of Brazos, Burleson, Grimes, Leon, Madison, Robertson or Washington counties, and be attending or planning to attend a technical school, college or university next fall.
Yes, a Hybrid Garbage Truck!
The City of College Station’s Sanitation Division is always researching new methods and technologies to provide safe, efficient and cost effective solid waste services to our residents, but don’t take my word for it – read our mission statement:
“To provide safe, efficient and cost effective solid waste and recycling collection services incorporating state-of-the-art methods and technology, with world-class customer service to all citizens of College Station, in conjunction with promoting waste reduction and clean community programs through public education.”
That’s why we’re excited about unveiling our first Autocar E3 Hybrid this week, making us the first city in the Brazos Valley to operate a hybrid garbage truck.
What is a Sustainability Coordinator?
“Howdy, I’m Erin Chastain-Harris, sustainability coordinator for the City of College Station.”
When I introduce myself these days, I am often met by a puzzled look, followed quickly by a question: “What’s a sustainability coordinator?”
Although sustainability is not a new idea, it is a hot topic in government and corporate business. Now that it’s popular to be “green,” many entities are publicizing how effectively they balance resources used and dollars spent with social responsibility. Businesses are tackling their resource usage with a complete systems view and are touting a smaller carbon footprint as a result. The City of College Station has embarked on a similar course.
Finding a Better Way
As sustainability coordinator, I find myself challenging the status quo, encouraging long-term thinking and actions that result in positive economic, social or environmental impact. In simple terms, I’m the one who walks around the office asking why things are done a certain way and if a better way is possible.
