When the winter holiday season winds down, what’s left are the warm and fuzzy memories of a joyful time of togetherness with family and friends. What’s also left is the Styrofoam from gift packaging and other holiday trash. Mindful of the threat that these items would wend their way into the landfill instead of being recycled, Beaumont-Wilshire neighbor Laurie Webber stepped forward to organize a recycling event for the neighborhood.
On January 11, with BWNA backing and help from volunteer John Sandie, Laurie and her husband, Geoff Wickes, offered their address as the drop-off point for Styrofoam, foam insulation, batteries, and electronics equipment. The trio then sorted and stuffed bags and boxes of the items into a truck, and Laurie and Geoff delivered it all to Green Century Recycling in Portland.
By day’s end, saved from the landfill were sixteen 45-gallon bags stuffed full with Styrofoam, 50 pounds of batteries, and a full truck load of electronics including tablets, televisions, stereo systems, and non-working appliances.
Exhausted but satisfied, Laurie looks ahead to another such event.
“I’m glad we did this, and although we don’t yet have a date set, we plan on doing this again later in the year.”
To find out what items are accepted by Green Century Recycling, visit greencenturyonline.net.