8A | SATURDAY, APRIL 3, 2021 | SIUSLAW NEWS
Closing the Loop: A conversation with EcoGeneration
Be a part of the solution:
• Use a refi llable water bottle.
• Bring your own to-go cup to coffee shops.
• Keep reusable utensils and straws
in your car, offi ce and purse.
• Shop with reusable bags instead of plastic bags.
• Bag and store fruit and vegetables in
reusable produce bags.
• Trade your shower pouf for a washcloth,
scrubbing towel or bamboo scrub brush.
• Look for tablet or powder-based cleaning products to
dissolve in refi llable containers,
or make your own cleaning products.
• Switch to bamboo toothbrushes.
Reduce, Recycle,
Reuse
“Thank you for
doing your part!” -
Dave
COAST DIS
AL
IL E
M
IC
02-7
1) 9 55
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Save the Date!
BIG IMPACT
L
SA
PO
With that said, what
are the different plastic
waste streams you
collect?
• Number 1 drink bot-
tles and jugs anything
with a screw top lid. No
caps please. Labels okay.
• Number 2, 4 and 5 –
bottles, jugs, tubs and lids
– prescription bottles go
here. No labels– please
check the website for
more details on how to
sort these. www.ecogene-
ration.org.
• Personal Care Items –
shampoo, makeup, soap,
lotions, pumps, caps. La-
bels okay.
• Health and Nutrition
Items – vitamins, supple-
ments, lids, blister packs.
Labels okay.
• 1 gallon-size bag of
caps, 6 inches or smaller,
all types.
• 1 grocery bag of plas-
tic film and bags – same
items collected at the gro-
cery stores.
• No Styrofoam packing
materials will be accepted
at these events.
Small Changes
x Billions of People
RV
SE
What do you see as the
greatest impact you
have made for Lane
County and what is the
key to your success?
Gardiepy: Over the past
two years, EcoGeneration
has taken in over 30,000
pounds of plastic waste
in Lane County. Our big-
gest impact is the fact that
we have cleaned up our
communities and kept a
variety of plastics out of
our oceans and waterways
while building awareness
about reducing plastic
waste.
At each of our three-
hour events, we typically
have more than 150 recy-
clers who take the time to
sort and clean their plas-
tics and wait in line to
process their recyclables.
That speaks volumes for
the community members
What should
the residents of
Florence know
about the upcoming
events and how to pre-
pare their recyclables?
Gardiepy: The main
objective of these 2021
events is to make sure we
collect reusable plastic
that will be accepted by
the various vendors who
remanufacture this plas-
tic. People should remem-
ber three words when re-
cycling — clean, dry and
sort.
Cleanliness is the most
important. If it isn’t clean,
we cannot accept it.
Everything must be dry
so there is no mold or
slimy residues, because
vendors need pure plastic
without contamination.
Sorting the plastic into
the different types is also
very important.
People should be pre-
pared to wait in line. It
takes time to process the
various recyclables and
we are a volunteer orga-
nization. Thank you in
advance for your patience
and understanding.
Details on what we col-
lect and how to sort the
different plastics is avail-
able at www.ecogenera-
tion.org.
At
EcoGeneration’s
Recycling Take Back
Events on May
2, Aug. 1 and
Oct. 3, the
first
hour
will be for
residents
who are
65 years
of age and
older.
There
will also be
an opportu-
nity to Pur-
chase a “Fast
Track” pass for
$35 prior to the event
(only 10 passes available,
first come, first served)
which will allow residents
to process their clean, dry
and sorted plastics with-
out waiting in a long line.
When you purchase this
pass, you will also have
the opportunity to recy-
cle one quart size bag of
used clean face masks and
plastic gloves – in an ef-
fort to keep our landfills
free from this pandemic
wastestream.
Sponsorships and dona-
tions are always welcome.
People can visit www.eco-
generation.org for more
details.
Stay tuned next month
for Part II of this inter-
view series with EcoGene-
ration’s founder. Gardiepy
will discuss where these
different waste streams of
recycled materials end up
and how they are being
reused.
Got ideas for future
articles? Need more in-
formation about closing
the loop? Have questions
about your recycling ef-
forts? People can contact
britte.kirsch@gmail.com
or visit Waste Wise Lane
County at www.lanecoun-
tyor.gov/wastewise.
CEN
TR
David Gardiepy started
EcoGeneration in 2017 via
Facebook while becoming
a Lane County Master Re-
cycler. In 2019, he estab-
lished a Recycling Center
in Cottage Grove followed
by organizing Recycling
Take Back Events in five
different communities in
Lane County — including
Florence.
There will be three Eco-
Generation Recycling Take
Back Events in the area on
Sundays, May 2, Aug. 1
and Oct. 3, from 11 a.m. to
2 p.m.
This is Part I of a two-
part interview series Mas-
ter Recyclers had with
Gardiepy about his pas-
sion to protect our envi-
ronment and the impor-
tance of these community
events.
and their commitment to
protecting our plan-
et. That is the key
to our success.
We couldn’t
do it with-
out
the
dedicated
commu-
nities and
their fi-
nancial
support
and volun-
teer efforts.
(54
By Britte Kirsch,
Lane County
Master Recycler
E W I TH A S
Call us today for prices
541-902-7554
The only locally owned
& operated garbage
company in Florence.
We provide full service
trash & recycling removal
for commercial &
residential accounts.
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June 5, 2021
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