Illinois decides on epr for plastic bags and film

I find the idea of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) fascinating.  I think it can change the way things are made in the first place.  Just think, if a company knows that they will be (financially) responsible to provide a take back program or recycling program, how much more responsible they will be in the design of the product in the first place.  Of course, it will remain the consumer's job to purchase responsibly in the first place, but I think epr is a giant leap in the right direction.  Yes, it will make products more expensive, but it will begin to shift the costs from all taxpayers (for your local landfill and waste officials) to the purchasers of these individual items(for the cost of the items its self).

In Illinois, the state legislature is deciding on the Plastic Bag and Film Recycling Act, I for one, hope it passes and starts a cascade of responsibility.

wanna eat at the Bittercreek Ale house in Boise

For one reason:  they have giant worm bins in the basement!!!

ahhhhhhhhhhhhh - so cool, they vermi-compost all of their food wastes and their menus!

http://justeatlocal.com/

also came across this on their site - very interesting!

http://www.nwfoodnews.com/about-the-year-of-idaho-food/ 

what? $$ doesn't buy happiness???

http://www.policyinteractive.org/surveys/survey6/

Study investigates correlations (or lack thereof) in consumption and happiness.

Hmmmmm, maybe we are starting to figure it out!

FRONT PAGE NEWS!!!

Check it out!!!!  Better start getting ready for TB11!!  Click to read the full article in the Teton Valley News this week!  Thanks to Rachael for an awesome front page article!

The first R and Plastics in February

ohhh, I just happened upon this after watching Food, Inc. on netflix (I am warped forever, btw, but this blog is focused on RRR, not food activism) and unsuccessfully trying a link they suggested.  The this, by the way, is a Plastic Free February being undertaken by a couple of bloggers.  Perhaps I happened across this too late to fully make it happen, but by starting to "log" my plastic use, I bet I can still come up with some ways to avoid the use of plastics or at the very least to safely reuse plastics!  One thing I do is purchase in "bulk" when that makes sense in terms of time, desire and quantity.  Another thing I do is make my own yogurt.  I have a three year old that eats enough yogurt to keep stoneyfield in business for years, so I decided to start making my own a little over a year ago...ok ok, i also blend ice, yogurt, almond butter and dark choco chips and call it a "health smoothie"....or a "recovery protein shake".  I buy gallons of milk, boil, activate and let it grow in 8 oz canning jars...its soo easy, she gets wayyy less sugar and there is no plastic waste!  But I bet some of you have some really useful suggestions that I've never thought of, I hope you share either in the comments to this post or by email (tetonrecycling(at)gmail.com)!!  Remember that plastics pervade much more than just the kitchen and are not necessarily related to mom duties, those are just my quick examples.  Comment or email if you please!!

Super RAD - The RAD Recyclers

So, maybe you live in the Valley and have not yet caught the news, or maybe you live in the Valley and you are too busy enjoying the sic snow and are just too busy ripping it up.

TETON VALLEY IS IN THE BIG TIME!!!  We have curbside pick up....whattt, you ask??  Do we live in downtown Chicago or something??  We have what???  Yes, we have curbside pick up!  This is a serious community amenity people!  Check out their website.

SMALL PRINT:  (but I'm not actually going to make it smaller!)

Teton Valley Community Recycling supports The RAD Recyclers!!  But we want you to understand that TVCR is its own non-profit organization and is not direcly affiliated with RAD!  We completely support their mission of providing a curbside pick up service (along with all the generous education and community service they provide with their own free time) while we continute to advocate, assist the County with their recycling mission, provide community education and over all work towards TRANSFORMING WASTE TO RESOUCES!!!!  "It takes a village" and I am glad we are all working together!!

HA!! My father's response to yesterday's blog

My dad is the strong silent type, a man who does not waste any words on superfluous conversation...as in, I can hear his voice start to twitch after the 5 minute mark passes during a phone conversation....so when he got a hold of my blog yesterday and responded with the following you can, perhaps, understand why i actually spit out the water i was drinking in a fit of surprise:

Hey, what's the deal? You mention your mom and not your dad in the article. Your dad is far greener than your mom.

Mom                                                                Dad
Drives an inefficient SUV                                        Rides very efficient motorcycles
Drinks bottled water                                                Tap water  - no ice
Demands new appliances                                        Recycles (repairs) old appliances (everything) forever
Drinks bottled beer (a lot)                                        Drinks canned beer (very little)
Wears new boots and clothing (poor animals)                        Has not added to wardrobe in years
Manufactures disposable plastic and aluminum products                Works for worlds most efficient transportation company
Uses excessive exotic hair care products                        Requires no hair care products

And, the list could go on and on and on.

HAHA - well said dad, well said!

Look ma....

Look-I'm pretty sure I didn't say the words "flower" and "child" and "hippie" that many times, and maybe I got a lot of credit for stuff that really is coming from the County or from the preceeding TVCR executive directors, but all in all, it was a lovely article by the Valley Citizen...And I get to send it to my mom and make her day!!

Gonna be famooouuuuusss!!

Just got done with meeting with Jeanette, TVCR is gonna be the Valley Citizen for this week's paper!  We went out to the Transfer Station to take my photograph with the recycling bins.  I hope she got my good side!

Check out the paper, then bring some recycling in to the Transfer Station for recycling, and say HI to Jennifer on your way in, she is the friendly weighmaster in the scale house!!!

Cheers

Jamie

ps, click on the recycling link and scroll way down towards the bottom....hint, the tipping fee for up to 5 bags of sorted materials, aka RECYCLING, is $0.00....yep, free, so give it a whirl and take yours in!!!! 

Trash Bash 2011 - Feb 26

Put it in your calendar, Trash Bash 2011 is on Feb 26th!  Its going to be the best ever!!!

Trash Bash 2011 is being planning right now, if you wish to help, please email me at tetonrecycling@gmail.org.

My first order of business is to figure out the best avenue of promoting reuse of materials...the "trashion show" or birdhouses made of reused materials.  I am very fond of the idea of birdhouses because I envision a valley of stunning birdhouses with tiny nest of birds each year, coming and going, growing up and moving on.  I envision these birdhouse works of art living on in peoples yards for years to come.

Please let me know what you think.

Cheers

Jamie