PLEASE NOTE: The meeting inadvertently ended at 6:35 pm because ZOOM cut us off –as happens when we are using the free zoom service. We hopped back on the same link to complete the meeting!

 

Members Present: Linda Waters, Victoria Perkis, Larry Sharpe, Billie Failor, Colleen Bol, Ginger Toomey, Dennis Wilson, Jill Ungar, Jan Demorset, April Sheeley, Suzanne Noble, Jack Carpenter, Jim Cole, David Bouta, John Schmit, Marte’ Fallshore, Diann Goodrich, Kristin Ashely, Drew Bland, Rowan Utzinger, Suzanne Blakeney, Nelson Janke, Tami Dunlop, Ann

 

Last month’s meeting minutes: Read by Suzanne

 

Financial Report: Current Balance as of Feb 14, 2021 is $2,520.26 as shared by Jack via Ellensburg Morning Rotary Foundation. All donations made to EMRC Foundation are 501c3 tax deductible.

Financial donations are accepted via this QR code link – which adds a small processing charge to the donation.

Donating in the form of a check is preferred.

Write check to EMRC Foundation with note on the check: Glass Recycling Environmental Fund

Address to:

Ellensburg Morning Rotary Club

ATTN: Scott Pernaa, CPA

PO Box 919, Ellensburg, WA 98926

 

 

• DOE Exemption – April shared that she would like to postpone full blown glass crushing operations until the Dept of Ecology permit exemption is finalized. Jill suggested still crushing in a ‘practice mode”.

• Accessing Google Docs: All the necessary paperwork to assist in being the best glass ambassador you can be is in Google Docs. Under Google Sheets, you will find an interactive schedule for planning your glass crushing time so as to not conflict with someone already using the site. April will be inviting you to the EGRC Google Docs in a separate email.

• Training Site and Equipment Updates: We are good to dump the sand outside in the bunkers as we have been doing. It’s okay to leave on paper labels but if you want to take them off – even better. We may be getting a new system (trommel) that will reduce our crushing prep but until then keep removing all plastic and metal – even the metal wrapped around the neck of the corked wine bottle. Thank you so much for your efforts! You are truly ambassadors!

We will be getting garage doors to enclose the shed in the next couple months to keep our equipment safer and keep out the weather.

*To get trained, please contact Jack Carpenter at jandvcarpenter@gmail.com or (509) 929-6103

 

• Collection Updates: April will be attempting to connect those who want to recycle with ambassadors. Contact April if you can add a few more glass donors to your current load. sheeleyapril@gmail.com Larry Sharpe is going to start collecting from the GARD! Dennis may be starting to take glass from THE MULE. Rowan and Drew will probably be collecting from EHS and expand into other school buildings. Suzanne can pick up from Yakima.

• New Business – April made us a website!! Have a look! https://www.ellensburgglassrecycling.com/

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Next Meeting – March 15 at 6 pm via Zoom

 

Community Engagement is part of our mission statement. We are educating the residents about how to recycle responsibly. We need to change mindset about recycling being someone else’s job. We need to encourage local municipalities to use our sand in daily operations such as winter traction, underlay, pipe bedding, pothole fill, filtration, sports field cover and more. Letters to the editor demanding policy changes that require recycled content in procurement is on the table. Incentivizing use of recycled product in projects instead of virgin materials needs to be policy. Currently WADOT accepts a 20% recycled sand sub for virgin sand.

 

The Recycling Recovery industry is rapidly changing. Webinars are happening frequently. Please feel free to announce webinars related to glass recycling on our FB page.

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Happening this week:

 

FREE: Wednesday Feb 17 at 8 am on the BIGMARKER platform: The Jagged Path to Better Glass Recycling

Sponsored by GreenBlue and their subgroup: Sustainable Packaging Coalition – Registration Required

https://www.bigmarker.com/spcevents/Panel-Watch-Where-You-Step-the-Jagged-Path-to-Better-Glass-Recycling?show_live_page=true

 

FREE: Wednesday Feb 17 at 3 PM on WebEx platform: Kittitas County Solid Waste Advisory Committee

Find out what your county is doing to support recycling – will the new transfer station support recycling?

Meeting #: 146 781 1724

Passcode: EPnBxJuj238

https://www.co.kittitas.wa.us/press/default.aspx?prID=11629

 

FREE: Wednesday February 17 at 5:15 PM on ZOOM: Ellensburg Environmental Commission

Find out what your city is doing for the environment. Share what you would like to see happen!

Meeting #: 825 1099 7264

Passcode: 285641

https://ci.ellensburg.wa.us/90/Environmental-Commission

 

$5 charge: Thursday February 18 at 3 PM – platform not stated until registered. Can I Recycle That? Glass and Food Waste Recycling in Utah sponsored by the Utah Society for Environmental Education and Momentum Recycling

https://www.usee.org/events/events-calendar