Washtenaw County: Zero Waste Week - Tips You Can Use To Make Less Waste

Dexter MI

20 September, 2021

4:04 PM

Description

Press release from Washtenaw County: Zero Waste Week – Tips You Can Use For Sustainability Follow us on Facebook @WCWRC for more tips all week or check out the resources below. Zero Waste Tips - The 5 R's Refuse Refuse unneeded or unwanted items such. Also, refuse to purchase single-use plastics and items that cannot be later reused or recycled. Check out the article How To Stop Junk Mail from the Federal Trade Commission to get started! Reduce Reduce consumption of harmful, toxic, or single-use items. Want to reduce the number of toxins in your home? Bring them to our Home Toxics disposal center or check this list of alternative cleaning solutions. Reuse Get creative and reuse items instead of throwing them away. Shop at thrift stores and donate your unwanted belongings. View our Turning Trash into Treasure Guide for more information. Recycle Recycling items that cannot be reused offers them a new life. Most areas in Washtenaw County offer some form of recycling service. Check out our Home Recycling Resources. Rot Allow food to decompose in a compost bin instead of a landfill. This process rewards you with nutrient-rich soil that can be used around your yard. View more composting resources here. Zero Waste Washtenaw Zero Waste Washtenaw is a County program that encourages and assists local event participants, organizers, vendors, and attendees, to minimize their environmental footprint through zero waste practices at community events. Additionally, it exposes event-goers to recycling and composting and increasing their awareness of diversion possibilities for the items they use. Each event partnership is unique, resulting in a varied range of waste collection and disposal opportunities. Zero Waste Washtenaw meets organizers where they are and provides resources, zero waste stations, assistance with volunteer training, assignment of staff support, and other zero waste supplies where necessary. In 2019, Zero Waste Washtenaw partnered with 29 events reaching over 30,000 community members. These efforts diverted over 2,700 pounds of materials from landfills! In total, 913 pounds of material were recycled, 6 pounds were reused, and 1,800 pounds were composted. Since 2015, the Washtenaw County Solid Waste Division has collaborated with Recycle Ann Arbor to expand the reach and impact of zero waste events throughout Washtenaw County. 2019 Zero Waste Community Events Event Estimated Attendance Recycle (lbs) Compost (lbs) Trash (lbs) Diversion Rate Local Food Summit 230 36 67 6 94% Washtenaw County Environmental Excellence Program Ceremony 150 0.5 12.3 1.5 90% City of Ann Arbor's Earth Day Festival 1,500 16.5 55.75 8.25 90% Ann Arbor Farmer's Market Food Truck Rally 3,000 10.2 144.7 44.3 78% St. Joseph Hospital Chelsea, Heart & Sole Walk/Race 5.8 11.2 3 85% Rudolf Steiner's Pentathlon 500 55 121 32 85% Huron River Day 1000 4 5.25 3.5 73% Leslie Science Center's MayFly Fundraiser 150 27 24 9 85% Lawton Elementary Ice Cream Social 500 39 158.45 11.75 94% Ann Arbor Farmer's Market Food Truck Rally 3,000 11.8 166.8 50.6 78% Ypsi Pride 10,000 Data unavailable Grillin' for Food Gatherer's 1,400 294.04 220 74.2 87% City of Ann Arbor's Mayor's Green Fair 1,000 8 10.25 1.5 92% Ann Arbor Farmer's Market Food Truck Rally 1,500 10.2 150 45.6 78% 4-H Horse Camp Youth Show Data unavailable Piper Partners Client Picnic 100 5.05 18.9 3.55 87% Ann Arbor Pride 1,500 149.25 19.95 62 73% Ann Arbor Farmer's Market Food Truck Rally 600 14.2 124.6 26.8 84% Saline Summerfest 2,000 120.8 37.4 n/a n/a Washtenaw County Health Department Block Party Data unavailable Ann Arbor Farmer's Market Food Truck Rally 500 5.2 120.6 25 83% Daycroft School Fall Social 150 2.6 43.4 0.4 99% 5 Healthy Towns Farm to Table Annual Event - Dexter 150 12.4 116.8 3 98% Ann Arbor Farmer's Market Food Truck Rally 125 3 22.2 10.2 71% Lawton Elementary's Run-A-Thon 250 19.7 38.3 14.1 80% United Way of Washtenaw County Cornhole Fundraiser* 70 0.9 8.8 0.4 96% Zion Lutheran Church Chelsea - Annual Sauerkraut Farmer's Supper 280 55.9 61.1 73.4 61% Steiner Winter Festival 1200 15.5 68 18.5 82% TOTALS: 30,855 906.8 1,758.8 510.1 84% Waste Reduction Programs Composting County Clean-up Days Home Recycling Resources Home Toxics Disposal Medication Disposal Waste Knot Program Waste Reduction Sponsorships Zero Waste Washtenaw This press release was produced by Washtenaw County. The views expressed are the author's own.