This article was originally published in Teton Valley News on July 4th, 2013. It is reposted with permission. If there is one thing that I have learned during my time as the director of Teton Valley Community Recycling, it is that people want to recycle plastic. It is easy to see why. Plastic consumption has…
This article was originally published in Teton Valley News June 6th, 2013. It is reposted with permission. Have you ever changed the oil in your car, sprayed for noxious weeds, stained woodwork, or cleaned your house? If the answer is yes, you probably have hazardous waste in your home. Many common household items are considered…
This article was originally published in Teton Valley News on May 2nd, 2013. It is reposted with permission. “Why do I have to take my recyclables to the transfer station, and why do I have to go through the scale house when I only have recyclables?” As the director of the nonprofit organization, Teton Valley…
This article was originally published in Teton Valley News on April 4th, 2013. It is reposted with permission. For the past year, I have entreated readers of this column to Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle. With spring weather coming out in full force, the impending doom of spring cleaning is getting harder to ignore. In the…
This article was originally published in Teton Valley News on March 7th, 2013. It is reposted with permission. What is zero waste? Fifteen years ago you might not have found an answer to that question. Today, a Google search will yield more than 40 millions results. On February 21st, a crowd gathered in Jackson’s Home…
This article was originally published in Teton Valley News on February 7th, 2013. It is reposted with permission. Kids who are seniors in high school today know a world where televisions have always been flat screen, Britney Spears is classic rock, thermometers have never needed shaking, and groceries have always been bagged in plastic. Prior…
This article was originally published in Teton Valley News on January 3, 2013. It is reposted with permission. They say it takes 21 days to form a habit. New Year’s resolutions are a great way to form new habits, but not all of them make it to January 21st. The key to a successful resolution…
This article was originally published in Teton Valley News on December 6th, 2012. It is reposted with permission. ‘Tis the season for snuggling by the fireplace, spending time with family, and experiencing the magic of the holidays. It’s also the season for surging utility bills as we attempt to heat, illuminate, and decorate our homes.…
This article was originally published in Teton Valley News on November 1st, 2012. It is reposted with permission. By now, most people in Teton County know that we can recycle plastic bottles, aluminum and steel cans, cardboard boxes, and glass, and that paper recycling will be up and running soon. Many residents also know that…
This article was originally published in Teton Valley News on October 4, 2012. It is reposted with permission. Once upon a time, I left my rural hometown and set out to explore the world. I lived and worked overseas for six years as a student, a teacher, and a research scientist before the economic downturn…