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Meeting Recaps + Information>
February 2010 Monthly Meeting Minutes
March 6, 2010
The meeting was held at Hillcrest Community Center on February 22, 2010.
Welcome new attendees Kevin, Amy, Stephanie, Al and John!
Agenda:
• Newsletter Feedback
• Upcoming Ways to Get Involved & Educational Opportunities
• Project Updates
• Guest Speaker WM Recycling Coordinator, David Stires
Newsletter Feedback:
In explaining our goal of clear and more effective communications with our members, we asked that anyone with feedback on our communications or newsletter please contact our communications coordinator, Suzie Blodgett, at sblodgett@greenelementsdesign.com. A suggestion that the font color be changed in the newsletter for more contrast was made. Bob requested we add a link to the farmer’s market on the SWM home page. Members like the YouTube video of the barn painting.
Upcoming Ways to Get Involved and Educational Opportunities:
Wendy has created a downloadable two-sided sheet entitled “2010 Ways to Get Involved at a Glance” with the goal of consolidating information for members. On this sheet are ways to get involved and upcoming educational opportunities. The sheet can be downloaded from the SWM home page at www.sustainablewestmilford.org.
Project Updates:
Native Medicinal Garden: Our garden plants are healthy enough that we can begin to used them for healing! Robin received a $165 donation from her apprentice circle to support the medicinal garden, which will be used to purchase a dozen new varieties of native plant seeds. Dan Oquendo volunteered to plant some of the seeds in his greenhouse and others in his home and will tend until big enough to transplant. Robin is requesting that anyone with garden pictures at all stages, especially pictures before any work was done (we don’t have any of those!), please send them to her for creating updated information boards for use in spreading the word about our work there at the GreenFest and other SWM events. The garden is looking for a manager to volunteer to visit about twice a week during the season, to guide other volunteers on how to maintain beds and work the gardens, and to coordinate with Robin about work that needs to be done. 6 to 7 new beds are planned this year and focus will be on beautifying the Warwick Turnpike side of the triangle. The goal for this year is to strive to attract more of the public to come learn about indigenous plants available in their backyards and enjoy this educational garden at the crossroads.
Organic Community Garden: Planning is underway for a monthly educational series from April through October to support both new and experienced gardeners in the community. Elaine Barbour, Passaic County agricultural agent, will offer an introduction to organic gardening and how to plan a garden at the first class which is scheduled for Wednesday, April 14th from 7p-8pm. Future class topics include nutrition, composting, how to make veggie smoothies, organic pest control and working with mushrooms.
The organic community garden sign up and orientation meeting takes place at the Hillcrest Community Center on March 10th at 7 pm. This meeting provides an opportunity to learn about the garden and allows the opportunity for new and existing members to sign up for a plot.
The Ample Harvest program, a two tiered program operating in West Milford and on a larger scale nationally, is now a part of the US Department of Agriculture's People's Garden Program. In West Milford, we are reaching out to the community as a whole to for volunteers to be a part of the program to work to harvest, collect and distribute food from the organic community garden.
Nationally, AmpleHarvest.org has enabled 1,473 food pantries across the country to register and connect with backyard gardeners.. The possibility of support from Rotary International nationally is being discussed. There is a new Ample Harvest iPhone app which can be downloaded from thee AmpleHarvest.org site. Gary is in need of someone to help with the Ample Harvest website. Please contact him at gary@ampleharvest.org if you or someone you know is interested in helping. Thank you!
Highlands GreenFest: Exhibitor applications have been posted on the GreenFest page of the SWM website. We are currently looking for exhibitors. Deadline is 3/31. Please send the link to businesses and organizations that you feel can help attendees live, protect and enjoy a greener lifestyle. This year, we have added a requirement for all local businesses looking to participate at the festival, that they sign our Green Business Pledge if they do not have green elements to their business, with the hope of moving the WM business community in a more sustainable direction. We are also looking for local advertisers and sponsors with the same deadline of 3/31.
Please visit the GreenFest page to sign up to volunteer to help the day of or prior to the festival. We are in need of over 100 volunteers for the day. We are expecting most exhibitors to return this year, with at least 75 booths and 2,000 attendees. We will not be doing formal presentations this year but are working to expand our hands on learning demonstrations.
Green Drinks: Due to scheduling conflicts at Wine in the Woods, Green Drinks has been permanently moved to Joey's Casa Italiana located at 9 Lakeside Drive in Hewitt. This is a casual, fun and agenda free networking event for eco-minded folks. Those who have joined us have had a great time! In only 3 months of get-togethers the group has quadrupled in size, a trend we hope continues! Green Drinks West Milford can be found on facebook.
Environmental Movie Night: The series concludes on Thursday, March 18th with the screening of "Trashed" which examines a fundamental element of modern American culture.. the disposal of what our society deems as "waste." The strain of our waste stream is discussed while activists, advocacy groups and corporations looking to affect change and reform the current model are highlighted. Details will be posted on the movie page of the SWM website. The movie is free and complimentary organic popcorn is served. Please arrive at 7:15 for a 7:30 pm start.
Farmers Market: The farmers market is still looking for vendors, although most from last year will be returning. By-laws for the farmers market can be found on the farmers market website at www.wmfarmersmarket.org. Please feel free to send vendors you feel might be a fit to the site for more information. The market is in need of volunteers for each Wednesday afternoon to help at the SWM tent and to count visitors. Volunteers have great fun and get to enjoy live music to boot!
The West Milford High School Green Team received a grant and plans to replace grass areas with sustainable plants.
Guest Speaker, David Stires, West Milford’s New Recycling Coordinator:
David Stires was a wonderful and inspiring speaker at our meeting. Our new township Recycling Coordinator, he recently completed training in the Rutgers Certified Recycling Professional program. Several attendees at the meeting came specifically to hear what he had to say about new recycling initiatives underway, plans for enforcement, clarification of questionable recyclables and info on what is available for free from the dump to township residents. Here’s what we learned from him…
Curbside recycling accepts plastics marked 1 through 7. Many of us were excited to find this out and he apologized for lack of clarity from the township in the past and explained this has been the case for the last 4 years! Situations such as this has made one of his biggest plans to get accurate and updated information out about the township recycling program. Articles in the local papers are forthcoming.
Attendees brought samples of questionable recyclables along and had a lot of queries on what can and cannot be recycled in town. Styrofoam meat containers cannot be recycled because they are contaminated. Other contaminated items would be soaked in grease or oil. Pizza boxes, however, are still being accepted both curbside and at the dump because of the methodologies employed and the products created by the company that ultimately takes the cardboard. Items should be rinsed and cleaned to avoid bees and animals but they can still be recycled with residue. Plastic that can be broken, such as solo cups, cannot be recycled nor can plastic bottle tops from water bottles, soda, juice containers, etc. Metal bottle caps can be recycled. Juice boxes, milk and juice cartons can all be recycled with the cardboard. Envelopes containing clear windows can be recycled but it is preferred that the plastic be removed first.
For those items that cannot be recycled in town, there are places to recycle them or ways to reuse them. Tops from peanut or coffee cans can be used to slide furniture. Styrofoam peanuts can be dropped off at a shipping center such as the UPS store. Plastic bags are collected and recycled at several local supermarkets. Century 21 Visions across from town hall accepts used cell phones for the Cell Phones for Soldiers program. Visit www.earth911.org or download the recycling resource list from PSE&G to find ways to recycle almost anything.
Curbside recycling must be out by 6 am. Residents that don’t bring it out until 9, 10 or later are missing the trucks. If you have missed pick up, call Dave at 973-728-2724 and ask if he can send the truck back. If recycling is picked up with garbage, it goes into the waste stream.
There is no limit to how many recyclables residents can put out but there is a new 3 can maximum limit on garbage for any pick up. Also, only one bulk item per garbage pick up is allowed and only 1 bundle of construction debris. The goal is to encourage recycling and reuse rather than just tossing everything curbside.
Freon needs to be removed from appliances that contain it prior to disposal. The town has a list of contractors who offer Freon removal and will refer 3, one high cost, one medium and one low cost. They cannot only recommend one so residents much make their own choice of contractors to properly remove this material.
There is a difference in recycling curbside as opposed to at the dump. For instance, at the dump, only plastics marked 1 and 2 are accepted. Curbside recycling goes to a separation plant, which costs more money. At the recycling center, collection is very separated to cut down on that cost. Small motors cannot be recycled curbside, but can be brought to the dump for recycling. Those with plastic and metal components are deconstructed. Tools go into the metal area at the recycling center and every piece is recycled.
There is a law in the works that will ultimately make computer companies responsible for recycling. Currently computers are recycled at the dump, at a high cost to the township (currently $500 every 2 ½ weeks.) David is working on a program with goodwill and dell that will get a bigger dumpster in town to collect computer items which will then be refurbished for needy people.
The township may be phasing out recycling of regular batteries because of high labor costs incurred. The ends of each and every battery must be taped with duct tape before they are accepted by the recycler. In the future, we may only be able to recycle car batteries and rechargeables.
The dump offers compost, topsoil, mulch, wood chips and firewood for free to township residents. Residents must stop at the shed at the entrance to the facility and show id to received a compost sticker. This compost sticker will be required to go into the area to get the free materials above. Enforcement was lax in the past, but is no longer. Posted hours at the dump are 9 am to 5 pm daily, but Monday through Saturday, they often open by 8 am.
How does West Milford compare to surrounding communities? Can’t really compare because rates are based on population, but currently in West Milford, only 21% of recyclable items are being recycled. The goal in the near future is to get that number into the 60’s with everything being recycled by 2050. 75% of the solid waste stream would be reduced if everything that could be recycled would be recycled. Shockingly, about 69% of our township plastic dumpster is plastic water bottles so another goal is cutting down on waste to begin with.
It makes fiscal sense to recycle and to do so efficiently. Labor costs and recycling bills go up when lids have to be removed from bottles. Our solid waste contract is $520,000 less this year than last and the opportunity for savings by cutting costs while increasing tonnage grants is huge. One example is Beautification Day. The goal is to recycle everything that is recyclable that is picked up. Clear bags will be used for recyclables and dark bags for garbage. We always fill up 5 dumpsters at a cost of $250 per dumpster plus tipping fees. David estimates that 90% of what is picked up is recyclable so the savings will add up quickly. (Beautification Day is April 24th and many volunteers are needed for sorting. All township recycling aids will be there, 3 of whom will be volunteering their time. David knows he needs to get everyone on board and to be sure the DPW does not throw recyclable items out.)
There is much work to be done in enforcement. David has focused on initially working on businesses and schools and has encountered a lot of opposition. A lot of people have been doing things the same way for 30-40 years and ingrained practices need to be changed. He is investing a lot of time in training staff at businesses and schools on what can be recycled. Recycling is a local ordinance and a law and what needs to be understood is that it must be done. Businesses have to pay for their own waste management and consequently will incur fees to recycle but that is part of the cost of doing business.
David is out there revisiting, training, and continuing to go back until it’s done right. He had to stop pick up at one school because they refused to recycle. After two weeks, the school went through the garbage and sorted it and pick up resumed. If necessary, stopping pick up will be used as an enforcement method. Those caught not recycling will be issued two warnings and then fines. The DEP is also doing enforcement and has visited the township twice thus far. Fines from the DEP are much heftier, $3,000 for violations not corrected within 30 days. The township does not control business recycling but does monitor their recycling with reports from private waste collectors. Also, the recycling pounds go to the WM tonnage report so the township has ways to gauge if a business is not recycling what it should be. Also, residents aware of businesses or homeowners not recycling are encouraged to let the town know.
There is much work to be done but already some successes since David has taken charge. Working with Billy Weaver who is a part of the recycling advisory committee and who works at Waste Management, they have gotten recycling dumpsters donated free of charge to township sites that were missing them. In 2010, Waste Management has supplied 36 additional dumpsters, at a huge cost, that weren’t part of the bid. Because of recycling, one school in town was able to get rid of one dumpster, diverting 20 tons monthly from the solid waste stream. David is also working on getting a baler for plastic bags for the township.
When David was done speaking and answering questions, Ada Erik stood and took a moment to explain what an asset he is for our township. Often working after hours and volunteering his time, he expends the energy and time to make a difference because he believes recycling is doing the right thing for the township and the planet.
Our next Sustainable West Milford meeting takes place on Monday, March 29th, from 7 to 9 pm at the Hillcrest Community Center in Room 8. Our guest speaker is Janet Piszar of the BEAR Group who will talking to us about living peacefully and safely with bears in our backyards.
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