Education
Whether you're looking for ways to minimize waste, ideas on how to recycle smarter or things you can do to help the environment, this section is your educational resource.
Limited Plastic Bottle and Jug Recycling: Learn the Full Story
As of October 1, 2018, we added two new materials to the list of items you can drop off at the Transfer Station Recycling Depot.
Read MoreWhy is recycling as we know it changing?
What do plastic grocery bags, used coffee cups, pizza boxes and Styrofoam have to do with a rapidly changing recycling landscape? They lead the list of things typically found in the recycling cart that can’t, in fact, be recycled.
Read MoreWasted food equals wasted money
Here’s some food for thought: Every year, an estimated 25 to 40 percent of all food produced or imported for consumption in the United States is never eaten. That’s as much as 63 million tons of wasted food. Of that amount, 40% is estimated to come from restaurants, grocery stores and commercial food service providers. And all that wasted food means wasted money — by some estimates as much as $57 billion annually for U.S. businesses.
Read MoreDigging in to make your own compost
Simply put, compost is decomposed organic matter that can be used as a fertilizer for plants. Composting is the natural process of recycling organic material — such as dark, crumbly soil-like material that can be used as a mulch, top dressing or soil amendment.
Read MoreLess packaging means less waste
Did you know that more than 17% of the waste stream in Oregon is made up of packaging materials. It’s true. Things like cardboard boxes, plastics, metal and glass containers, paperboard (cereal boxes, tissue boxes, shoes boxes) are designed to protect products and provide information for the user. Trouble is, once you take the shoes out of the box and the cereal is all gone, the packaging gets thrown away. There are some easy ways you can reduce waste and improve your packaging footprint.
Read MoreExploring the three Rs of waste management — Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
In order to keep as much material out of the landfill as possible, it’s important for each of us to do our part. One of the ways to put that plan into action is through the 3 Rs of waste management — Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.
Read MoreWhen it comes to your clothing, make every thread count
Creative ways to recycle and address waste management have never been more in fashion — starting with the clothes in your closet. A new movement called “Make Every Thread Count” asks you to think about the clothes you buy. Why? Because consumers today are buying more clothes and wearing them less. In fact, the average consumer now buys 60% more clothing items a year and keeps them for half as long as they did just 15 years ago. That adds up to a lot of waste.
Read MoreProtecting your credit — and your good name
The concept is simple: Thieves acquire important pieces of your personal information — such as a Social Security number, credit card account number, date of birth or your mother’s maiden name — then use that information to commit fraud. While a growing percentage of ID theft comes from internet theft, the vast majority of ID theft is still paper-based. Thieves get this information by stealing your mail, taking credit card receipts, even dumpster diving, looking for any personal information they can use.
Read MoreSlowing the flow of unwanted mail
Every time you fill out a product warranty card, purchase a new home or car, supply your credit card information to a lender, open a credit card or give the clerk at a retail store your name and address, odds are your name goes onto a mailing list. Some companies use that list solely for themselves. Others sell their lists to other companies… who, in turn, can sell their lists to other companies. Before you know it, you’re getting catalogs, credit card offers, sales letters, postcards and more — all from companies hungry for your business.
Read MoreKeeping contaminants out of the recycling stream
If you’ve heard anything about recycling lately, odds are you’ve heard the term “contaminants.” But what exactly is recycling contamination? Why is it a big deal? And how does it impact recycling here in our area?
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