| DECEMBER 20, 2011 -- With a recycling rate of 77% in 2010, the Cannon Grange in Cannondale was honored on Friday, Dec. 9, by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency with the 2011 WasteWise Nonprofit Organization Partner of the Year Award. The 77% recycling rate marked a 5% increase from the previous year, according to the press release.
According to Don Offinger, grange president, the bulk of the recycling savings came from a decision to eliminate the use of polystyrene cups, paper plates and bowls, and plastic cutlery, replacing them with china and silverware during the grange’s own events and party rentals. Washable tablecloths are used instead of disposable ones. All of this has prevented 1,500 pounds of waste. According to the EPA, the increase in recycling is the equivalent of saving 161 gallons of gasoline based on CO2 emissions.
Most of the savings has come during the grange’s annual Agricultural Fair, which has about 3,000 visitors. In 2010, the grange also eliminated paper plates during the fair, instead using aluminum foil (which can be recycled) to wrap hot sandwiches. Drinks were only sold in recyclable bottles or cans. The grange also composted or donated more than 500 pounds of food waste in 2010. Unopened packages of food were donated to food pantries, Mr. Offinger said.
“WasteWise is a voluntary program for businesses, institutions, government offices and tribal nations to participate in solid waste reduction,” Mr. Offinger said. Partners must identify ways to reduce their waste footprint through recycling, reusing materials, preventing waste and purchasing goods with recycled content.
When Mr. Offinger worked at Pitney-Bowes, he headed its recycling program and the company belonged to the WasteWise program. He presented the idea and the grange became a partner in the program in 2009.
“We did a baseline audit to see what opportunities we had in front of us,” he said, and those turned out to be the fair, party rentals and grange meetings.
For the future, Mr. Offinger said the grange is planning to compost all food waste at the fair next year and will move to biodegradable plates and bowls. |
