Recycle and Do Your Part - A Poem

Below is a beautiful poem by Fred Johnson, Vice-President of the Bond County Recycling Association. Fred, thank you for your heart.

Recycle and Do Your Part

Islands of plastics floating in the sea,
As we look to cut our forest of trees.
How long do you suppose,
It will take a glass jar to decompose?
They say about a million years,
But that may be the least of our fears.
Bits of Styrofoam little or tall,
Will never ever decompose at all.
Almost to much for us to cope,
But recycling offers hope.
For all cans of aluminum or tin,
Their new home will be a recycling bin.
Plastic jugs with walls thick or thin,
can also be thrown in.
Now there's no need to hoard,
Those piles of paper and cardboard.
So look into your heart,
And do what is smart.
Recycle and do your part.

---- Fred Johnson

Curbside in Greenville, IL !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Those present to see history being made!!







Curbside passed tonight at the City Council meeting in a vote 4-1 in favor of adopting Dave Doty's revised contract to the City.

Dave Willey and Dave Doty were able to work out the details that were changed after last month's City Council meeting.

The bins will be delivered in the next month or so and no later than 120 days from the contract being accepted. Payment for curbside will not begin until the bins are delivered and the service is being provided.



The City will continue to work out details on how to subsidize the additional cost for curb-side for those citizens that may have trouble with this expense. Dave Willey commented that 6 people have approached him, willing to pay additional money for someone else's bill that may not be able to pay. If you are of the same mind, don't hesitate to send in additional funds and mark that it is to go into a fund for this purpose. I know we plan to do this as well!

The Mayor expressed that he had wished there could have been a step before this mandatory one, in which folks could have opted in or out. He feels that there are enough people that this fee will be a burden for, that he had to keep his vote of NO.

I believe that between people giving personally a dollar extra or so on their bills for someone else (or even a larger one time donation), the Bond County Board being amenable to giving some of the tipping fee to Greenville for this aide, and any money that Doty makes from QRS - 10% will come back to the City to help folks out, that there will be enough for all in need.

Recently Carlyle has adopted a curbside recycling program, and I just heard yesterday on the radio that the city of Breese is also trying to get grant money to start a recycling program. It is all around us. People are waking up to the fact that things have to change if we want to continue living on this planet. We have to start taking better care of our trash and we have to start changing how we live. We no longer have the option of being such a throw away society and need to begin thinking about how to live in a more sustainable way. Aren't you glad that Greenville is now one of many towns and communities that are making a move forward to this end?

I'm very proud of my City right now. I know that this was and is a stretch for some people and that the Council has had a long haul with this issue. However, I believe that they will find it benefiting the City in the future as they try to attract more businesses to move here. It will also be a plus for people looking for a place to settle. This issue is not going away anytime soon, and the Council's decision to be proactive was a wise one that will have benefits for us all long term.

Thank you to all who made this possible. You know who you are - my recycling buddies and greenie friends. Thanks for not giving up, for plugging away even when it was very bleak.

Thanks to Dave Willey, City Manager, who worked very hard to make this happen. Thanks to all the Council members who voted this in and fought for this issue to stay on the table: Matt Roadman, Roger Sanders, Will Boyd, Kenny Hampton.

Although I don't see eye to eye with the mayor, I have to thank him for allowing as a whole, people in the community to speak at the meetings no matter what side of the issue they were on. There were some negative letters to the editor recently where folks felt that they had no say in the matter. I would strongly disagree with this. There were at least three meetings where a great amount of time was devoted to this issue by the Council. These meetings were well advertised, and any citizen wanting to say anything could have come and spoken out. I would say that if people felt they had no say, it is on them for not getting out and participating in the very long debate that has been going on.

Our City Council members, our Mayor, and our City Manager have been very fair about this whole issue and have spent a lot of time and energy working on how it would work and who would do what and who would pay what, etc., etc. To suggest that any of them were doing anything less than honorable in their actions would be an untruth.

I know what you are thinking. "Now that Curbside has passed, she can defend these folks." There is some truth there :') I won't lie. If it hadn't passed I probably wouldn't be feeling as many warm fuzzies right now for these people. However, I would like to believe that I would still be able to see that they do work for us, the citizens, and they do take their positions seriously. I think we can be proud of our city employees.

So, on this Tuesday, November 10, 2009, I celebrate that this city that I live in has chosen to do the right thing. We will proceed forward, I'm sure with many stops and starts, but we WILL be moving forward. I celebrate that there is hope for us. That if a small community in Southern Illinois can decide to change (which I know is so hard for some) that more people can also change and that we as a people, a race, can make a difference. I celebrate that a few stay-at-home moms decided to stand up and get a better way of recycling. A few people's small actions and steps led to bigger and bigger steps, until now- we are striding forward in one massive, new step.

I remember being told last year that curbside was out of the question. It was too big and would not be attainable for another 10 years. I was discouraged from dreaming so big. I never gave up on that dream and I'm so proud to say that, tonight, we have curbside recycling. I have to join in with my "Dirty Roots" friends to just reiterate that yes, one person can make a difference! Better yet, two people, and three can begin a movement!! If you remember nothing else, please remember this. I know I will. It's a lie that our actions don't matter, they do!! Our actions change us, they change others, they change our world!!!!







Curbside Jump--I tried this once before when the new Doty bin arrived down by the tracks. We never got a shot of me off the ground.
We finally got off the ground in this photo. It's a fitting end to a long couple of years, where the City finally got off the ground too!

Thanks to my family for putting up with me. It has not been easy, but they were always supportive, understanding, ready to celebrate, fight, and cry with me. Way to go! This is your victory too!

Curbside Vote, Tuesday, November 10!!

Below is a copy of the email I recently sent out to folks that are on the Bond County Recycling Association email list regarding the upcoming City Council meeting on November 10th. If you would like to be on this special list, please let me know and I will add you.

Curbside Vote -

This is a reminder that the Greenville City Council meets this coming Tuesday, November 10th, at 7:30pm at the Greenville Municipal Building. They will be revisiting and voting on the curbside recycling issue.

Yes, last month, the City Council voted 3-2 for curbside, however, they added some changes to the agreement that were not agreed upon by Doty. They will hopefully be voting in the new contract worked out by Doty Sanitation and the City of Greenville. It is SO important that
you be there for this vote. Each time it comes up there is a little more resistance and having the room packed sends a very clear message that there are indeed people that care about this issue in our community - people that want curbside despite the additional cost. Show the person that wrote the last letter to the editor that there are more than just a "shrill few", :') and that we care not just about ourselves, but we care about our community, each other, and this planet!

Please come. I know there is a school dinner of some kind, the Academic dinner, but perhaps you could do both. We will be shuttling back and forth from there ourselves. Bring a friend, tell a friend, and tell that friend to tell a friend!!

Get the word out folks. If you missed the last meeting, here is your opportunity to see history in the making! Be there when Greenville finally goes Green! This is the final vote on the matter (hopefully :') ) so it means showing up and having a sign waving in the air!

Have a great day and I'll see you on Tuesday evening,

Sincerely,

Linda Peters
Bond County Recycling Association
Keeper of the email list

The Curbside Recycling Dance

Fellow citizens,
While I have not heard of any specific details, I am encouraged that the Davids will work things out and our fair city will indeed have curbside recycling. It was officially voted in with some new points that need to be worked out. I believe at this time that things will work out and very soon we will be enjoying curbside recycling.

It is true, and yes, tonight, I have let the joy enter my feet and have FINALLY done the "Curbside Recycling Dance"!!!! as seen in these three cheesy photos taken for your enjoyment. Celebrate with me the great step that Greenville is getting ready to take . . . and get down and do the Curbside Boogie with me!!! :')





"It's curbside, get your groove on, no more trash can, get your trash on...

It's curbside, single stream now, fill your bin now, no more land fill...

It's curbside, do the boogie, rinse your plastics, get your groove on...

Go, go, go, go...go, go...go, go!....

Go curbside, go Greenville, your so green now, get your groove on...

Go Doty, get the bins now, at our curbside, not the tracks now..."

Go curbside, wheel your cans now, do the dance now, get so happy..."

OK. I'm done.

Goodnight Greenville!!!!!!!

ARG, Double ARG and the October 13th City Council Meeting

I don't even know how to begin to describe what I saw last night during the City Council meeting. I, quite frankly, don't want to rehash or relive it either. I will try to do my best of writing something, because I was actually there with a lot of other folks for a very long time. (Got home at 10pm). I was disappointed in the display of certain members of the council and puzzled by the anger that poured out. There were issues brought up out of no where that had never been mentioned before, at least in respect to Doty's new offer for curbside recycling. Why wait until the final hour of voting to bring these issues up and rehash old wounds? If this was really a big concern, why didn't they give Dave Doty a chance to address this earlier than right before a vote? I can only conclude that it was an attempt to scuttle a deal at any cost. It just didn't make any sense.

William Boyd was a beacon of sanity. I appreciate all he did to try and shine some light on faulty logic. As one who has been trying to improve the recycling program of Greenville for some time now, and has faithfully used the bins down by the tracks, who has weathered many controversies and troubles, and who has attended many meetings to get things pushed forward, I find it very funny that our mayor was so worked up about the bins. He had more angst and anger about it than we ever have had. It just didn't make any sense to stop progress forward by such a huge leap over two silly little bins down by the tracks and the woes of the past. At one point Will Boyd figured that for the citizens of Greenville to get back what they are somehow owed by Doty Sanitation for two more years of dumpsters by the tracks it would work out to 25cents a household. Dave Doty even agreed to give that money back somehow in some kind of rebate. That wasn't enough to sway the mayor. Both he and Kenny Hampton wanted those bins to stay put for two years because that was what the current contract stated. At one point Kenny said he didn't care if they were welded shut. Both he and the mayor kept saying they were trying to protect the interests of the community. The community in attendance didn't want to be protected from a shortage of at most a dollar loss, but wanted curbside voted in for the city (signs saying this fact were held up high many times during the meeting). And even if by some chance we are being swindled out of something, I don't care, and I don't think anyone else did either. Curbside is worth a few bucks under the bridge. Forgive, forget and move forward.

The discussion that the council had was long, windy, and at some points, I felt very petty. It's time to move forward. I felt bad for Dave Doty and how he was portrayed last night. I have found him to be a very kind, earnest young man, who is really trying to do the right thing in moving us forward. He took a lot of flack for the bins by the tracks and he has been somewhat of a scapegoat. He provided those bins at his own cost. He bought the newer one for 8,000 even when he knew it would be trouble. We were demanding easy access and we got it. It turns out that Dave Doty was right, however, that easy access ment free dumping, which is exactly what happened. Contamination became a problem which led to the Montgomery facility rejecting our recyclables, which led to the City having to pay extra for Dave to haul our stuff down to St. Louis.

Dave Doty is willing to freeze our rates for 7 more years, rates which haven't increased for the last 5 years. He is then going to provide curbside recycling for $4.25 for those 7 years. He is also agreeing to purchase at his own expense all the bins for each household in Greenville. Folks, it just doesn't get better than that. One bin, no sorting, easy, conveniant, and practically free when you consider the price freeze over the next few years. Why would we not take this? Because the City wants their peace of the pie. What pie? How about forgiveness or thinking about others for a change, or the earth and all the crap that will be kept out of the landfill? It's not always about money. The city revised Matt Roadmans earlier motion to vote for mandatory curbside recycling that in addition there be a penny per pound payoff to the city whenever Dave Doty starts making money. This is what was voted on 3 to 2 and (Kenny and the mayor were the nos, and Kenny mainly because the dumpsters would be removed). This, however, was not part of Doty's earlier deal so even though it was voted in, will Dave Doty go for it? I don't know and that's the rub. It's not time to celebrate just yet folks.

A couple of things:

• Dave agreed that older/elderly people could be free to put their recyclables in a small bag instead of the bin if it would be to troublesome to get to the curb. In fact Dave Doty agreed to lots of demands. He sincerely wants this to work. Yes, he is a business man, but he also wants to do the right thing. That is actually refreshing.
• Dave also agreed to provide bins at the $4.25 rate to commercial people so that if they suffered from the removal of the bins down by the tracks, they could still recycling quite easily.
• A 46 gallon bin would be overflowing in two weeks. The mayor wanted bi-monthly pick up to reduce the cost. If you are recycling correctly, it would be full each week, especially for a larger family, 4 and up.
• I know that people don't think they can fill those bins, but as I said above if you are recycling everything that is recyclable, it will be full.
• The tipping fee was put in place and available through the state of IL to help get programs up and running. It was not ment to be our personal recycling revenue/fund indefinitely. Yes it will decrease as recycling increases. Good! That means it is working. Again, it's not necessarily about making money here.
• When folks go to a council meeting, they will probably want to speak. They will have a hard time watching the council make a motion, second, then look like they are about to vote without having a chance to say anything. If we can't speak to potentially sway votes, then why be in attendance? That was part of the crowds frustration last night. For the record the crowd did eventually get a chance to have their say. Thank you.
  
• The City will get 9% of the 4.25 that Doty is charging for recycling. It is to go for processing fees since Doty is now using the City to do his billing. The city does this billing of Dave Doty's through the already existing water bill.
• The City wants to use the penny per pound money that will come back as, partly, assistance for those who can't afford perhaps the $4.25. This would be on top of money that would come from the Bond Co. Board and the recycling tipping fee. I don't think there are that many people in Greenville that would need this assistance. At one point it was said that 150 people could be helped (If the entire 4.25 paid) or 300 (if 200 paid) . Let's not forget here that if this all did not go through, your trash would go up each year most likely by at least a buck, if not more. This you would also have to pay no matter what, and you certainly wouldn't be asked about this hike.
• Thanks goes out to Dave Willey, City Manager, who kept his cool and was a gentleman the entire evening. He brought up 5 options or recommendations for the council to vote on. They were well thought out and layed a clear path to mandatory curbside recycling. Thanks Dave for your work.
• Thanks to Matt Roadman for his initial motion and for having the guts to just do it!
• Thanks for all the people that turned out to support curbside! The room was packed. Thanks to Cecelia Ulmer for providing all the Recycling signs!!
  

If you feel like I'm spinning here, it's because I am. I could go on indefinitely, and that is exactly what being at the meeting was like last night. I can attest to the fact that this issue of how to handle recyclables and make everyone happy can be maddening. There are no easy answers and don't we know by now that we can't please everybody? Sometimes you just have to say enough, stop beating the horse, and just do something - like take a perfectly brilliant offer for curbside recycling which includes plenty of help for those financially strapped, and just DO IT!!!!!

I don't know if I can take another City Council meeting. I don't know if Dave Doty will go for the new modified proposal. I still don't know if the city of Greenville has recycling. There was a big whoop that went up after the vote was taken, but I just sat there with a sinking feeling in my gut. We'll see...Maybe I'm just pessimistic and it's going to go through, but this gal has been slogging through this stuff for about two years now and I just don't know. I'll believe it when I see it.

Note: I need to work on my gameface! :') I'm a bit too transparent about my feelings and last night was no change. Sorry if my vigerous head nodding, clapping, faces, gestures (of a non crass kind), sign holding, and sighs were too much for you. I really didn't mean to offend anyone. I'm just about played out on this fight. Maybe it's time to put the horse in the barn and let someone else fight the fight - cause I tell you, I'm just to the point where I want to yell, " What? Are you Kidding me?!!!" "What's wrong with you?" That's probably not helpful for anyone :')

For now, I will take my recyclables to the tracks and continue to use the bins. Folks, they are emptied, BTW, on Wednesdays and not Fridays as the Mayor suggested. He was confused as to why they have been full on Saturdays. They have been emptied on Wednesdays for quite some time, which I'm surprised he didn't already know. And BTW, they are full, because more people are recycling!!!!Thus curbside, in which even more will recycle. Take your plastic bags to IGA or Wal-mart, lay off the glass and take what you have to the Edwardsville bin in the Home Depot lot (weekdays), and if you want some money, take your aluminum to Ted's in Mulberry Grove. Try to compost too. Pretty soon, no one will have any trash to put out on the curb :') I can dream can't I?

I think I should stop now because my face is going into a permanent frown and that's not good for anyone. :') Especially someone fast approaching 40.

Look for Jeff Liedel's article in the paper. I'm sure that he can make some sense of what happened.

City to Vote on Curbside Recycling

Dear Readers,

We are definitely approaching a most momentous occasion. Tomorrow night at the City Municipal Building our Mayor and City Council members will be meeting at 7:30pm. On the Agenda is listed, "2. Recycling – Discussion and possible action". It is my hope that tomorrow night might just be the moment we have all been working towards for a couple of years now. The Council members might vote on whether or not to mandate curbside recycling for our community! Seriously!

I think that there is a good chance that most of the members will be for this move, however, there may be a couple of the members on the fence. It is imperative that all for this action come to the meeting and be part of any discussion that will surely take place. There are many opposed to this move, and I'm certain that they will also be in attendance.

I will not belabor the points of why this would be a great move for our community. If you are wondering why this is so, I welcome you to read previous posts. Any non-mandated contract with Doty where folks could opt in or opt out would just not be feasible. The cost would depend on those participating and I'm not even sure how that would work. Would our bill flux each month as participation ebbs and flows? It would seem to me to be a logistical nightmare.

I find myself numb at this point and so drained from the past couple of years, that I'm finding it hard to motivate to be pumped here. Ultimately, it is not my job to pump you up. I'm not Hanz or Franz. I will say at this point in time that I think it's just the moment of action. Either the City goes for it and does Curbside right, or we continue to slowly trickle on toward some future goal of sustainability that might come to be in 10 years. This goes for you folks as well. Either you want it or not. If you want something better for your City, for the Earth, for the future, then you are going to have to act. Come to the meeting tomorrow night. Get involved. Be heard. Make a difference. It does matter, and tomorrow night it will matter who is there and what is said.

If we don't get curbside, we can not fault the City. They have been working to resolve this issue for the City and have given us our time and our chance. If it doesn't pass tomorrow night, the only people to blame will be ourselves. If there was a huge outpouring of a response by citizens, they would have no problem voting mandatory, curbside recycling. So far, it's been a fair response but not that much more than the negative voice saying, "NO." Please just show up. Don't let this opportunity pass you by. If it flies it flies, if it dies it dies, but at least you came and gave it your best support.

Thanks for listening and thanks for reading. I hope the next time I post it will be to announce Curbside Recycling in Greenville.

Yours truly,

Linda

Update on Curbside Recycling

Citizens of Greenville:

I do not think you realize that we are on the brink of something amazing and transforming for this small metropolis that we reside within. There is more than a small chance, or should I say, there is a greater chance than not, or again, there is a definite possibility that at the next regularly scheduled City Council meeting in October, your council members will vote on and pass curbside recycling!!!!! Go back and read that sentence a few times if you need to. Yes, it was long and confusing. But it did state that curbside might be coming to Greenville as early as Oct.

Can you believe this??????? I know that's right (These sentences are to be said using the voice of Veggie Tales Mr. Lunt. I apologize to those that may not have children and do not understand this reference.)

Here are some facts that you may or may not realize:

The bins by the tracks are now single stream. This means you can put whatever recyclables you want, including cardboard, into any of the openings. It is OK to mix these recyclables. I know it feels strange and wrong, but it is OK.

Next, if we do indeed get curbside, it will also be singlestream. This means you will not have to sort at all, but simply dump your recyclables into your 46 gallon tub of love. (for the planet)

If we do get curbside, the bins by the tracks will go away. I know that other folks from other communities drive in and use these, however, they are maintained by the city and intended for City use. The increase in recycling by community members will more than make up for this loss of people recycling from outside the city.

For those outside the city, the Bond County Board will hopefully be using some of that tipping fee for these people. Hopefully, once Greenville gets clear on how it will proceed, the Board can move forward to help provide better and closer recycling facilities to other communities in Bond Co. So everyone will win and move ahead a bit.

Currently there is about 2,000 pounds of recycling a week going to QRS from the bins by the tracks. If we move to curbside, it is estimated that there will be not 2,0000 but 20,000!!! pounds of recycling going to QRS and not to our landfill.

Yes, this will decrease the amount of money that the Bond Co. Board receives in tipping fees. As less trash gets put in the landfill, less revenue will come. However, the revenue was put in place to help forward recycling, which is what it will be doing. So that would be good news. It was not put in place just to have revenue for the County, indefinitely.

The City is paying $75 every time the bins are being hauled down to St. Louis (QRS) to be emptied. So...we as citizens are already paying for recycling. Many just don't realize this fact. Now, some opponents say, "why can't we just keep doing what we are doing and empty the bins more often?" The more you empty the bins, the more it will cost the city. In fact, if recycling increased and the City emptied the bins once a day, yes, it might equal about 20,000 pounds of recycling, but it would also costs about the same as curbside. When you factor in the fact that despite good intentions, the bin doesn't always get emptied like it should, and that we are all burning gas to come to and fro, and that more folks would recycle if they had the convenience of doing it at home, it's just better to go curbside.

Let's not forget the contamination factor. It's a lot easier to throw in a TV or carpet, or hypodermic needles when the bins are down by the tracks, than it is to put it in a tub that will be picked up. It would be much easier to track, and fine offenders for this type of thing. Also, we wouldn't have to see trash and plastic blowing around by the tracks anymore.

The current trash rate you are now paying would be frozen for another five years if curb side recycling is added to the trash. Yes, that's an extra 4.25 per month, but no increase in trash for five more years. That covers the rate of inflation normally occurring. Don't forget what was mentioned above, that you are already paying for recycling in your taxes and such, as the City pays for the bins being emptied that are by the tracks.

I've not gone into any moral implications of our actions or creation care, but tried to just stick with some of the facts. Folks, it's just the right thing to do and to support. If you haven't already, contact the council members and let them know that you are on board. (find names and emails for council members in my Aug. 15th post) They are trying to move this city forward. Let's support them, this community, and the planet.

Questions anyone?

Is anyone reading this stuff?

Note posted on FaceBook

...at the Greenville City Council Meeting (8/11/09) it was mentioned that the council members were at first hearing more positive than negative comments about the proposed mandated curbside recycling program for our city. Now it is about 50/50. They want to hear from their constituents in the next month. If you are a person that DOES want to recycle without having to deal with the drama of the tracks, then I urge you to get on the phone to your council members or email them and let them know how you feel. This is a case where complacency will affect outcome. If the entire town of Greenville starts recycling it would have a massive impact long term on the state of our landfill, at the very least.

Below is a copy of a letter that I just sent to our council members in reply to one of the negative comments made last night. I don't want to be pushy about this recycling stuff, but I just want everyone to know what is at stake for our city. If you care, one way or another, then you need to make yourself be heard. Obviously, I would prefer if you call in for curbside and not against - that's no secret. However, if the voices of what I believe to be the fewer are heard and louder than the many that just don't call in or email, then we may lose this chance to improve our lives and this planet.

Emails are as follows:
Kenny Hampton - khampton@greenvilleillinois.com
Will Boyd - wboyd@greenvilleillinois.com
Matt Roadman - mroadman@greenvilleillinois.com
Roger Sanders - roger.sanders@sbcglobal.net
Dave Willey - dwilley@greenvilleillinois.com
Alan Gaffner - agaffner@greenvilleillinois.com

These email addresses can also be found on the City web page along with meeting times and agendas at www.greenvilleillinois.com then click on City Council.
You can also get updates on whats going on at www.begreeningreenville.blogspot.com (that is if I'm not totally depressed about what is actually going on in greenville and decide not to blog :'))

You can also call your city manager, Dave Willey, or any of the other council members at 664-1644.

You can mail them a response at: City of Greenville, Municipal Building, 404 South Third Street, Greenville, IL 62246.


August 12, 2009

Dear Council Members,

I know you know where I stand regarding recycling and curbside recycling for Greenville. This letter is just in response to Jack Chism’s claim that recycling and environmental issues are only for the middle class and the wealthy and are of very little help to the poor, who have no money or time to think about such things. I wish I could have been faster on my feet last night and responded right away to this inaccurate claim. Unfortunately, when I get upset, my mind goes to “brain freeze.” Below are some of the thoughts I wish I had been able to convey last night that I thought you needed to take into consideration:

1. One of the main reasons I feel so passionate about environmental issues is because of the poor. This population of people will always be the first impacted by the negative effects of our environmental choices. The debate about global warming in our scientific community is over. We, the human race, are changing weather patterns and causing or aiding in global warming. We will continue to see more devastating weather changes as these patterns are more disrupted by our lifestyle. When you look at what population of people was devastated the most by Katrina, you realize that our actions and how we live becomes a moral question. The poorest of the poor in third world countries are even more devastated by these extreme weather changes. Drought and famine are more common these days and will continue to get worse as our planet responds to our massive emissions of waste. It is precisely because of the poor that it is imperative that we change how we are living.

2. Where are landfills, generally, located in a community? I think it would be safe to assume that in most communities they are found by or next to the impoverished part of town. No one wants to live by a landfill. Only those that can’t afford to live elsewhere would live there. Again, the health of the landfill matters for these people. If and when pollutants begin to leach out of the landfill into the ground water, these people will be affected first. Unlike the wealthy/middle class, they can not afford to buy a supply of bottled water until any crisis is over, and they probably can’t afford to buy filtration systems either. Again, for this reason, it is our responsibility to ourselves and these folks to stop living in ways that will bring nothing but harm to us all.

3. Our country is one of the greatest polluters and users of stuff. We throw away so much stuff. We are consumers that like very much to consume. This chain of consumerism doesn’t just affect us, but also has great impact on many poor and unfortunate people in other countries and along the whole consumeristic chain. Again, it is the poor folks that take the brunt of all the negative effects of this chain. I challenge each of you to watch the online movie, “The Story of Stuff.” It is 20 minutes long and can be found by going to google.com and typing in “The Story of Stuff.”

4. I realize that $4.25 will be a burden to some people. I also think that we have a tendency to only think about the here and now. It is imperative that we think about the future in this case. If we don’t start turning things around now, it will have even more devastating effects on the impoverished in our community and abroad. These are the people who won’t be able to pay for whatever is proposed as solutions to get through any coming environmental crisis. So, while it may seem like a high price to pay now, it is worth it for the future. Also, without a rate freeze these same people will have to pay this amount in a few years anyway only without all the benefits of recycling.

Finally, I just want to end by assuring the council members that my husband and I care deeply about the poor, both in this community and over seas. It is one of the reasons that we started Jubilee House, a NFP that is run right out of our home. We realize the need that others have financially and are doing our best to help eliminate this need through our services. We do not take these issues lightly, and I was a little offended that my views on the environment and recycling were somehow counter and irrelevant to the needs of the poor. I wanted to make sure that you as a group know that this is not the truth. Poverty and the environment actually converge and because of this, I believe that it is a moral issue not to act on environmental care. We have an obligation to this earth that sustains all of us no matter what our income is. We have an obligation to those more unfortunate folks here and in extreme poverty overseas to begin to change the way we live. We may not be able to control a lot when it comes to poverty, but we can control our own actions and how we choose to live. We need to live in a more sustainable way that doesn’t have such a negative impact on the poor.

Please consider these things above and do not let the emotional pleas of a few distort the facts of the future. Get on-line and do your own research on global warming and how it impacts the poor or global warming and our health. Again, it is the poor that will suffer most with increasing health problems, such as asthma. This is not an issue that is going away. You can deal with it now or later, but we must find a way to fix this problem. I hope that you will help our community start now rather than later.

Thanks again for considering this option. I know it is not easy and there are many variables. I appreciated your respectfulness last night to all present and believe that you are doing your best to come up with the right solution at this time for our community.

Sincerely,

Linda M. Peters
(address not included here)
(phone number not included here)


I hope this letter motivates you to respond to your council members. I do believe that they care about our city and what we think and desire. They genuinely want to hear what you think. Please let them know. Help make a difference.

For those of you who may not yet know about the proposed plan, it would be $4.25 extra on your trash bill each month. You would receive free of charge a 46 gallon tub with wheels that you would put to the curb once a week. You could place everything in it but glass, singlestream. That means no sorting at all. Doty Sanitation has frozen trash rates the last five years. He proposes to freeze his rates for another five years if curbside is accepted. Normal increase would be around two dollars a year without the rate freeze. So if curbside does not pass and Doty gets the current bid for our city contractor, then your trash bill would most likely increase any way.

One of the ways curbside recycling will help improve our community. This won't be at the tracks anymore.

Wouldn't you enjoy being able to place your recyclables in a container, single stream, no sorting, where it all fits? I wouldn't miss having to cram things into the bins and chase them down when the wind catches them, OR having to turn around with all my stuff in the van to come back another day hoping the bins aren't full.

First we had one bin that would get stuffed and overflow. Then we got two bins that continue to be stuffed and overflowing. If we had three or four or even five, they would be stuffed and overflowing. This is why we need curbside. The more available means, the more people will recycle. Just think about all that stuff going to the landfill that wouldn't have to go there. Please write or call your City Council members and tell them you want Curbside.

Curbside on the Agenda for 8/11/09 City Council Meeting

This is just an alert to inform everyone that tomorrow night at 7:30pm, there is a City Council meeting at the City Municipal building. On the agenda is Curbside Recycling for Greenville! There is a chance that this issue will be voted on tomorrow night.

If you have any desire at all to obtain such a service for this city, then please come and be counted as "for" this issue. Your presence would be greatly appreciated. If you, however, do not feel that this service would be an improvement for our city or the earth, then by all means, stay at home :')

I hope to see everyone out and about supporting this issue.

Remember to stay cool . . .and to do that you need to be a "greenie" in the ville. Where else is it so right to be so green? No other place but the city of trees!!

See you there!

Emergancy Public Service Announcement

Dear community, curbside recycling is currently being considered for our community. The editor of the Advocate, Jeff Leidel, has issued a challenge for all citizens to let their voices be heard on this important matter. City Council members are waiting to hear from the community. The main controversy is that it would be mandatory and 4/5 extra dollars on your trash bill (just like trash is mandatory). This issue will be on the August 11 city council meeting agenda. Please let your voices be heard on this matter however you feel. Now is our chance to create great change for Greenville and for the health of our selves and our planet. Be involved, it matters what you think – and do.

We may not get a chance like this again to effect so much change for our community!
We need to convince the City Council that people in Greenville really are interested in recycling!

• Things you can do:
• Send emails to David Willey and Council Members
• Call David Willey, City Manager
• Walk in and ask to speak with David Willey or any council members
• Talk to your mayor, Alan Gaffner, email or send a letter
• SHOW UP AT THE AUGUST 11 CITY COUNCIL MEETING! 7:30pm, MUNICIPAL BUILDING
  
• Write a letter to the editor of the Advocate, Jeff Leidel
• Talk to your friends and neighbors

Alan Gaffner, Mayor - agaffner@greenvilleillinois.com

Kenny Hampton, City Council Member - khampton@greenvilleillinois.com

Dr. Will Boyd, City Council Member - wboyd@greenvilleillinois.com

Matt Roadman, City Council Member - mroadman@greenvilleillinois.com

Roger Sanders, City Council Member - roger.sanders@sbcglobal.net (this one may bounce)

David Willey, City Manager - dwilley@greenvilleillinois.com
David Willey phone # 618-664-1644 Cell # 267-1643

Your Local Greenie Emerges Again to Blog

Hello all of my 10 fans and followers! It's been a while since I've posted at all, but you can be assured I was working for you out there in the trenches. Also, I was starting a NFP. Just a little busy. I realize this is no excuse for my hermit like behavior and I recommit to blogging regularly, along with getting to bed earlier, drinking more water, and exercising daily.

I have news, well, huge news, that might get you very excited, and it contains the words "curbside" in it. YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I said it, curbside, curbside, curbside!!!!!!!!!!!!!

OK. Here is the scoop which I can give to you since it was somewhat dished out already at the last City Council meeting on the 14th. David Willey has been working hard on getting a contract together with someone (don't know if I can say since he didn't say) for curbside recycling. I do know most of the details, but as not to put the kibosh on any negotiations, I will stick to information given at said meeting. The curbside would be weekly, for about 5/month on your trash/water bill. You would be given at no charge, a 46 gallon bin with wheels for your recyclables. This bin would be used to single stream everything but glass! OK, now you may pause to do a recycling shimmy or gig or rock step! If you were watching this meeting on channel 3 (which, hello, I didn't even know they televised) you may have seen some dancing from myself and Andrea, my recycling buddy. NOTE: It's healthy and appropriate to express our emotions when they can not be contained, by using appendages such as arms and legs to move in various directions, often to imagined beats, conveying that there is feeling within ourselves that must be released.

Before you get too excited, negotiations are still going regarding commercial facilities in town. Also, this item would then be advertised and put on the agenda for community discussion, then voted on the next month. There will be opposition for this! We must band together to send letters to the editor, write letters of appreciation to the city manager, and in general let our voices be heard that it is a good and much needed service for our community and the world.

The good news is that a core 401 Greenville College group did a survey of our community and the results were in favor of recycling and curbside. Also the stats were high for those willing to pay for this service. I just happened to have a copy that I gave to Dave Willey to use for his publicity facts. He did so during the meeting. . . so Yeah Core 401!!

Now is the time for prayer, AND action. Look for some kind of splash about this news in Tuesday's paper! Now is the time to get motivated and act and make your voice heard. Let's push this through together!

Remember what is at stake. and . . .

What if . . . you had curbside, single stream recycling! Get going!! Get, and go get your pen and paper!!

Public Works Day

Well, Greenville City's very first Public Works Day is officially over and ended. Did you come out and see what was going on at the Fair Grounds? If you weren't there, you missed out on some real educational opportunities! My children and husband especially enjoyed their tour of the city's Water Treatment plant. They also liked very much the big Doty Dump trucks that were on site. But most of all, my two lovely children were pretending to be Shaggy and Scoobie, and going straight to the food booth.

Here's a little run down of how my day went.

First, I arrived at 8:00am and set up my half of the Recycling booth. I quickly ran out of things to do and proceeded to read a book that I was glad I had brought with me. Then, what I can only imagine to be a bird, pooed on my book and phone. It was out of no where and very yellow. I didn't realize that bird poo could be yellow. A fine citizen informed me that it could be just about any color of whatever it had been eating. Like I said, educational.

Next, my friend and co-activist, Andrea, showed up with her half of the recycling display and the recycling toss game. It was a very slow morning and it rained a few times. We discovered that we had a leak in our pavilion. Luckily, we had access to the many jars I had brought as part of my Upcycling display, so we were prepared for the drippages. The jars also made great weights to put on our fliers so they didn't blow away.

Eventually, people did come out, and we got to have some very nice conversations with several Greenville citizens. We were able to pass along recycling tips and information on where to recycle during this time of crisis with our Doty bins. We also had several people sign our petition for curb side recycling. So far, everyone that signed, checked the yes box for their willingness to pay an extra $6 a month on their City bill if it meant curb side recycling.

Andrea's recycle toss game was a great educational tool, as she had planted about 4 or 5 "tricky" items that could not be recycled. Most of the participants failed at these items. I am proud to say that my daughter was one of the very few that knew to not recycle the brittle plastic spoon and fork that had no recycling triangle. Go Olivia!!

The highlight of the afternoon for me was getting to speak a little bit with one of our new City Council members. I was pleasantly surprised to hear of the interest that he has with recycling in the city, and was assured that the City does want to find a solution to our current recycling crisis here in Greenville.

Please stay positive even in these tough times. Change of this magnitude comes slowly and baby steps are required, but change will come. Keep in mind that quite often it is only after conflict that we find resolution.

Thanks to the City for inviting Andrea and I to participate in the Public Works day 2009. We got to hand out lots of literature, advertise for our Association meeting this Tues, 26th, 7:30pm at the courthouse (Shamelessly advertising again :') ), spread the word about the Doty dumpster being out of service for a while, eat free hotdogs, get a free t-shirt, listen to some cool 70s songs, and discover interesting, unknown facts about the digestive system of our local fowl. It was a great day, and I look forward to Greenville City's Public Works Day 2010.

YIKES and all that!

Well fair citizens of Greenville. . . Alas, our Doty Bin situation reached a critical point, and we have officially been banned from the Montgomery County Recycling Facility in Hillsboro, IL. The cause cited was that of contamination coupled with the sinking prices of recyclables. The facility could no longer pay their employees more time to sort through our contaminated bins. :(

I can't say that I blame them either. We've all seen the state of things down there and it isn't pretty! Clearly, education is a key factor in this recycling game, and we need to work harder at getting the word out about proper recycling.

Although this feels like yet another major blow to our efforts, it doesn't mean that you can quit! I don't want to hear anything about quitting, right? Right!

We must continue to recycle, because it's just the right thing to do. There are many other places that you can take your stuff depending on where you are headed. We all make trips around our county, and all you have to do is bring your stuff along.

Please check out my "where to recycle" link at the top of the page for all your recycling options. They are many.

In the meantime, lets roll up our sleeves and get to work. Come to our Greenville Recycling Association meeting on Tuesday, May 26, 7:30 pm at the Bond Co. Courthouse. We need to take advantage of this time of crisis and change and make the City Counsel aware that we want recycling and we want it bad! :')

Change and growth often come after crisis points. Don't give up and don't get frustrated, and if you do, turn it into change by taking action.

See you at the Courthouse!!!!

Earth Day 2009

I think it's great to have an Earth day, because it reminds us all of what we have and what there is to do to improve on what we have. But. . . it is a little absurd to have a day for the Earth when every day we are on it, walking around receiving it's bounty, receiving the oxygen, getting help with the whole gravity thing and actually staying on the ground. Thus every day is Earth Day. Anywho. . .

In case you were wondering what I was doing on Earth Day, I'll just tell you. I decided in the late morning to just make it a day to do errands for the Earth. So, I squeezed in some "to dos" that had been languishing about in my "to do" pile, that had everything to do with this earth.

These tasks were the kind, you know what I'm talking about, that you don't really want to do, because you aren't too sure how it will go. But, being Earth Day, I felt galvanized to proceed despite all manner of insecurities or negative thinking.

First, I took a trip to our local paper, the Greenville Advocate (to Advocate) (I always have to say that, because for some reason I get pleasure out of this and think it's funny - don't know why). I boldly entered there in and asked for a spot in which to have some kind of regular post about recycling and Greenville, a way to disseminate information to the public. Well, I was met with lukewarm energy. Apparently they did not know about this Earth Day energy that I had discovered. I was asked to leave my name and number.

Next, lightened somewhat by getting a long, overdue task done, I decided to do something else. Later that morning I walked over to our fine (no sarcasm here. I LOVE this place!) local library. The front desk was uncharacteristically unmanned, so I watched the security cam until I located the librarian. I proceeded to said librarian and boldly asked for a spot/shelf/space in which to place information about local recycling. The response was much more welcoming, which was very exciting, and I was told of a shelf in the entery way. I excitedly went to see this new beacon of promise that would help our community. I'm not sure, but I think it ended up being the metal stand when you come in the door, that already contains other flyers/pamphlets/various things. I had a twinge of disappointment, mainly because I had never noticed this stand before at all and I go there a lot. But then I said to myself, "No, self. This is a fine spot and people will find information here." Also, I thought about the old foot in the door thing. Perhaps a reading list, or bookmarks, or fun projects to do with trash could be placed there until we were graciously asked to come in and have an inner shelf! It could happen.

So, two down, several more to go. Alas, I ran out of time on this Earth Day 2009, but since the Earth will be here tomorrow, and it will be sustaining me then too, I can do my tasks tomorrow and still feel the Earth Day energy! Yeah!

As a side, I did watch Opera's Earth Day show while exercising. So that counts some too, doesn't it? She showed footage of the floating plastic the size of Texas in the Pacific. Yep. It was astounding.

As the day winds down, and I am just now wrapping up this post at almost 10:00pm, I am feeling sadness for our consumption rate, for our high turnover rate of products to trash, and for the devistation that goes on each and every day in the name of progress and economy and rights to happiness and whatever else we might want, right now!

I am also, however, filled with hope. You see, if I can be changed in one day, re-energized to act, just by a rememberance of the glory and blessing all around us that the earth provides each and every day, despite us, then others can be too. The problems we face are monumental, but not so big if we would all just take little tiny steps. We can be an army when we are arm and arm together.

Finally, I feel the feeling you get when you spend a night camping outside, or watching a sunset, or when you hear the crickets at dusk on a warm summer's night. It's the "I love this earth" feeling, it's the "warm in your bed with a book" feeling, it's the "smelling your child's wet hair after a bath while they are giving you the world's biggest hug" feeling. It's just an awareness, I guess, of how much we have, how much we are blessed, how much we are held and carried on this planet by God, through nature. . .

Good night on this Earth Day 2009

Global Warming Debate - Both Informative and Entertaining

Is Global Warming a Crisis?

This was the title of the debate last Thursday night between Jack Chism and Daryl Iler, as they met in the upper union with faculty, students, and community members.

I attended this match, and thought both parties presented their ideals well.

Dr. Iler stated that, yes, climate change is real and that, yes, we are partly causing this change. He cited the findings of the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) as a core group of 1300 scientists from 100 nations, that have concluded that this is true. Also, NASA, has said that there is evidence of a warming trend and that humans are part of the source of this trend. Dr. Iler went on to state that these are reputable scientists, and that they have no agenda other than finding out the facts. He said that it is time to take action to slow down our carbon emissions. Also, Dr. Iler commented that even if the situation weren't as bad as we first thought, it is a "win win situation" in that by taking action we will gain cleaner air quality, find new, renewable energy sources and thereby lessen our dependence on foreign oil.

Mr. Chism questioned the validity of these scientific findings, as well as the IPCC Summary report. He stated that there were dissenters in the ranks and that some scientists left the panel because of these disagreements. He asked the questions: Is there climate change? If there is climate change, can we stop it?, and what would be the cost? His final analysis went something like this: there is no evidence that the climate change we are seeing isn't more than just cyclical. If there were, could we stop it without loss of life style, damage to our way of living and life? If we couldn't stop it period, or without such danger to ourselves and our lives, then why would we do anything? Perhaps, he even purported, our very taking action might do something damaging to the planet that was unintended. Basically, there would be large costs to us, with tiny benefits. He also brought up that there have been alarmists for centuries, but that the causes change with the times. Most of these causes want to limit us in some way. Climate change is to him, just one more of these alarmist ideals that people bring up to limit our way of life that is unnecessary and not supported by scientific fact.

As you can imagine, this debate brings out the emotions in all of us, no matter on what side you land. I don't think it's any secret what side I embrace and believe to be true. After all, this is a "green" site. I tried to listen as openly as I could with my biases, but still think that the evidence of the scientific community is real and clear and beyond the debating point. Climate change is real and we are partly responsible for this change.

Even if Mr. Chism were right though, I still believe there is a reason to change even if it doesn't produce the amount of change we need to fix anything. We act anyway, because it is not only the planet that changes with our actions. We are changed by our actions. It does matter if we throw away our trash on the ground and do not pick it up. It eats at our soul and leads to a sad state of affairs where nothing is worth anything. If we believe that this planet is created by God and glorifies God in it's very being, and that we are caretakers of this planet, then we need to care for it, despite the effects of our actions' increasing or decreasing carbon dioxide.

I also chafed at this idea that we all must not be bothered by anything that might cut into our accustomed way of life. There is nothing wrong with the benefits we have here in the US, clean clothes, food, a roof over our head. However, somewhere along the way we have crossed over into a selfish existence, one of greed and excess, and dominance. There are other people sharing this planet with us. We do not need to use all the resources just for us, so that we can live in the way that we are accustomed to living. Mr. Chism said that the only way of helping people in extreme poverty over seas is by bringing in industry and business, which also means simple fuels that are cheap, like coal. He said that this, above any NFPs or any charity giving, would be the only way to lift people out of poverty. There would be no need for concern over this use of cheap coal if you didn't believe that climate change were real or that we were causing it.

I sat and listened to all of this, knowing that it was wrong, but not being able to articulate or even to put my finger on what was so wrong about this idea of the poor needing to become like the other, richer, industrialized nations before they succeed. Aren't we finding ourselves today in a big mess because of our current life style? Things need to change here as well as in places like Africa and India, and the right change isn't necessarily them becoming more like us. What if we thought outside the box? What if the US were willing to cut back a bit and not be so consumeristic? What if we didn't take up all the resources in the world just for our cows or our grains? I happen to believe that there is enough on this one planet for all of us, if we would just share and just slow down, and not be so stinking greedy.

Cutting back on life style and energy use does not have to mean automatic dip in life style, or life satisfaction, that leads to "grinding poverty" as Mr. Chism stated. We still have soooooooo much more than so many, even if we didn't opt to build a McMansion, or we chose not to have a bathroom for every member of our family, or a car for every member of our family for that matter. What if we rode our bikes more and walked? Would that cut into my happiness or your happiness? Perhaps our current economic times might shake us up a bit and help us to re-prioritize our lives.

I don't know...there is so much to this issue that keeps going on and on and splitting off into other issues... like a great big web...

I don't know what it is you believe. I would suggest praying about it, and being aware of how it makes you feel when you throw away something you know can be reused. Does it feel wasteful? Then it probably is. How do you feel when you leave your car idling for 1/2 hour just so you can be a little bit more warm or comfortable on that cold winter's day. Does it maybe feel like your spewing toxins into the air? Maybe you are and maybe it's OK to be a little cold in the winter. After all, it is winter. Maybe it's a simplistic view, but the truth is sometimes just there despite all the facts for or against something. What is God telling you about your lifestyle. That's what I would listen to, and that's what I'm trying to listen to myself.

If you are interested in getting more facts about the findings of the IPCC, you can go to this site for their FULL report. Good luck.

http://www.ipcc.ch/

Hang Tough for What you Believe!

OK Greenville friends and residence. This has been a very bleak last month on the recycling front for our fair city. Some of you may be asking, "What is going on?!" or "What just happened?" I know. I KNOW!! Harsh right?

First, all the Green Fiber bins have been removed from everywhere, and second, there is chaos down at the tracks. George and I have a new word after our vacation, and that is, boondoggle. I'm going to use it here, and just say that what we have going on here is a bit of a boondoggle.

Perhaps we should just change our perspectives and view this as growing pains. I'm not exactly sure of what is going on with the Doty bins, because they are in various stages every time I go to recycle. I do know this: Doty was planning on taking the new bin back to it's manufacturing birth place to get it repainted. I'm sure you have noticed all the paint peeling off. If you are like me, you would cry out, "please, please don't take our shiny new bin away, the one with the opening doors!" However, it was not shiny, it was peely. Also, it is still under warranty, so we can all appreciate that Doty Sanitation wants to get it fixed while they still can. Now, of course, with just one bin again, it is filling up fast and therefore, has to be emptied. That is why some times you go down there, and nothing is there. Fear not, the old trusty "hole" bin will be back, and eventually our new one will be back as well.











Growing Pains
Let's focus on some good things for a second. One, more people are recycling. That is very clear in the volume of recyclables in BOTH bins. Hurray for that, right? Also, when the second bin is back and brand spanking, shiny new, the old bin will PROBABLY be used for cardboard. That is a move forward.

Now for the lecture. I know that it is hard to find places to recycle when you live in Greenville, IL, USA. Let's rejoice in the fact that we can recycle most things. A lot of communities here in Bond County don't have anything at all, and have to haul all of their stuff here, or some other place. Of course we want to continue to grow and improve and make things easier, but for now I'm imploring you to hang tough. So you have to drive to Mulberry Grove for a while to take your paper and cardboard there. You can do it! At least there is a spot that we can do that for now, and we all make that trip sometime to go to Wal-Mart, or Aldi's, or to eat out. Don't let this set-back take your sights off the goal. The earth is worth saving and caring for and deserves better than our thoughtless trashing.

I went to the tracks yesterday with my three bags of recyclables, and yes, it was a pain to get them loaded with all the other errands I had to do, while being accompanied by a "helper" that is not quite 5 years old. I drove to the spot, and there were no bins. I cringed inside and immediately felt inconvenienced. But then I was quickly moved to anger when I saw the load and the pile of recycling sitting there, blowing in the wind - recycling that was now trash. At that moment a car drove up and an older couple were inside. The woman got out and proceeded to open the back door. Now I was setting there trying to take a picture of the state of things, and decided to drive on up and say hello.


I informed the woman that if she left her stuff there on the ground, that it would indeed be thrown away. She asked, "Won't the bin be back?" I informed her that it would, but that all the stuff on the ground would not be loaded into the bin but that I knew for an absolute fact it would be thrown out in the garbage. She paused with her hand on the door, and I could see she wanted to do it anyway. I did not budge, I did not move my vehicle, and I sat looking at her, and she at me. After about 10 seconds, she very reluctantly got into the passenger side and they slowly drove away. I sat there, parked for a while, just amazed at this incident. I was convinced by their rate of speed, that they would just circle around and dump their stuff when I was gone. And here is the kicker: this couple were not alone. By the size of "trash" pile sitting there, many more people had made the same exact decision.

What has happened to us? When has convenience taken over our ideals? This was a person who took the trouble of saving her stuff from the trash, and loading it up, and driving all they way to the tracks, because I assume she believes in recycling. But when met with a road block, she caved and said to herself, "Oh well, it's trash, but I want it out of my car." So rather than take it back home, unload and wait for another day, it's just easier to pitch the stuff. Why do it in the first place if at the slightest problem you give up? I don't get it. I wonder what it is this woman actually believes in, or what is compelling her to act, but then cave?

Have we become a society of softies that can not be bothered, can not feel pain, can not wait for more than two seconds for anything, and can not stand strong for what we believe in? I hope not. I have to believe that this isn't true.

Please continue to recycle despite the setbacks of our community recycling program. I know it's hard, it's hard for me as well. But I believe in tending to this planet that God has given us. I believe we live on holy ground. Please hang tough, be inconvenienced, but don't give up, don't give in, and don't throw away your recyclables in the trash. It will get better, it already has. There are more of us now than even last year, who are standing up and saying that this matters. Hang tough!!

Musings on My Journey

There is a lot of talk these days about “going green”. I know that it’s hip to be green, and it is definitely the politically correct thing to be. Our environment is in peril from us. For me, however, this journey into green-ness wasn’t an intellectual decision, but a heart decision. I felt a deep sense of conviction to live my life more consciously and deliberately. I was convicted of a lot of things that were off balance within my every-day patterns and habits, not just the environmental ones. Ultimately my view of who I truly serve in this world had to change. I got rid of some consumerist idols, like money and trusting in money for security. I realized that I wanted to bow down to God in every aspect of my life and to have the heart of Jesus. I wanted, and craved, action within my Christian walk. I needed something more to my life than being saved and being ready to go to heaven. I felt a call to do, to put God’s word into everyday life. This shift in my thinking and feeling has altered how I interact with the world.

Whether or not you believe in global warming or in any attempt to “green” the planet, the choice to live more mindful of each other and our planet is just the right thing to do. We don’t trash our houses or put waste where we live and be, so why would we trash the very thing that holds us, sustains us, and allows us to breathe? If we trash the earth, we are trashing each other, we are trashing ourselves, and we are trashing God.

Green living goes so far beyond just Reducing, Reusing, and Recycling. It reaches into our hearts and tells us to stop wasting our money on stuff while millions die each day from lack of food or medicine. It grabs our faces and allows us to look at what harm we have already done to each other and our world. Perhaps we begin to see what our choices mean a little clearer. "Does what I buy to eat impact others around the globe?" It hands us tools so that we can begin to work, and it brings forth a desire to do more and more, and to change. It’s not too late. We are God’s instruments of change. God can transform our hearts and minds, God can transform this planet with our help, and we can all be transformed by God - through our trash. Isn’t it always this way? - The paradox of healing coming through our wounds and our brokenness? Christ’s brokenness on the cross is the ultimate example of healing and life, through death. May we all continue to hunger after the heart of Christ, so that we too can provide some healing for our land and for ourselves.

Heads Up on Some Important Happenings in the Greenville Recycling Scene

Well, this has been a real roller coaster ride lately here in Greenville, IL. Emotions are high with the arrival of the long awaited second Doty bin. However, the paint is coming off already and there may be a need for it to go back to the manufacturer for repair while still under warranty. I personally requested that it could be held off until the end of winter, but we'll see. I just wanted to give you all a heads up.

Also, while we are on the subject of the Doty bins. There was a big, front page picture of the bins, and the caption said that the older bin would be used now for cardboard. It turns out that the Advocate was a bit premature on that news. Doty had planned on dragging that bin up to Ted's new location in Mulberry Grove, however, Ted's is not set up or ready for such a delivery. For now, the old bin is to be used as always, with plastics, tin and aluminum cans, magazines and newspapers. Please, I repeat, PLEASE do not take your cardboard down to the bins by the tracks. It will just get thrown away.

Lastly, and perhaps the most tragic news, is that the Green Fiber bins that are all around town that we have been enjoying for some time, are being removed. The corporation is closing the division that serves our area.

For now, my suggestion would be to take your cardboard products to Ted's Recycling in Mulberry Grove. While they don't have space right now to accommodate a big dumpster of cardboard, I believe they still do take it from average citizens. Directions are as follows:
1164 Mulberry Grove Rd., Mulberry Grove, IL
South of the interstate.
Going east on 40- turn right at 4-way stop,
go over interstate and it's on the left.
I will call Ted's tomorrow to make sure they are still taking cardboard since their move.

Hang in there everyone. Baby-steps. Whatever you do...just don't throw anything away. :') We can find places to take our stuff.

Doty's Second Bin Has Come!!!

OK. For those of you who have been hard core recycling for a while, and who have been using the current bin with the cut out holes, you know how big this is. Can I get a "Woo Hoo?"

If you haven't already spotted and used the new bin that Doty so kindly provided, then you need to get down to the tracks and test it out pronto. You'll think you are in recycling heaven when you swing open the doors and just let those plastics fly! Truly, very lovely.

I apologize for my tardiness on this late breaking event. I was trying to get the perfect picture to reflect how big a deal this is for our community. I wanted someone to be airborne. Well, things did not work out, and then that someone was going to have to be me. After several attempts at catching "airborne" with our camera, the battery went dead. See below my attempts to convey our great joy over this improvement of our recycling facilities here in Greenville. I'm still going to need an airborne shot before I can put this phase of progress to rest.

Enjoy the bin!!!!!!!!!

The Mystery of the Glass Dumpster Has Been Solved!!

I know that this title sounds intriguing, but I'm afraid you may be disappointed with the actual excitement level of the post. However, before you get too bummed out, do know that to our family it was a great mystery, and there was much joy upon it's solving!

I have been telling everyone to take their glass recyclables to Edwardsville and place them gently (na, you can chuck them too) into the bin in the Home Depot lot, close to the highway. We, in fact, had done this on more than one occasion, but to our great dismay, the next three times we hauled our growing supply of glass up to Edwardsville, the dumpster - alas - was not there!

We were devastated, dejected, depleted, and discombobulated. What could have become of this dumpster? Where did it go when it wasn't there? Did it travel to different spots? Was it a game? What cruel twist of fate could tear away the one place to recycle glass after such a short time of enjoying it's bountiful bin-ness?

OK - I'll get to the point. We were going to Edwardsville again, and again I loaded a lot of glass into our van. Then it occurred to me, "call someone." It was a great moment in mommy thinking. So after calling Home Depot, then the City Clerk of Edwardsville, then Allied Waste, I had my answer. It was a gripping response that made me exclaim, "Oh."

The bin that recycles glass belongs to Madison Co. and it is placed in the Home Depot lot M-F, but NOT, I repeat, NOT on the weekends. The mystery was solved.

BTW - Nice folks in the Clerk's office in Edwardsville and at Allied Waste. They referred me as well to their site, www.madisoncountyrecycles.com, in which they list all their recycling opportunities, where they are and when they will be available. They also list what is acceptable at their drop sites. I love that they have to put "no dirty diapers" on their site. Yuck! They also have a kids recycling page that is a must to check out with your kiddos. It features Rikki, a recycling raccoon, mascot of the Madison County Recycing Program. Look for other events as well - like computer drop off days, etc.

PS - You can take those energy saver light bulbs, the ones with mercury in them, to the Home Depot while you are recycling your glass. There is a box near the registers in the front of the store that you put them-also very gently (for real). Ask for help if you can't find the box.


This is George excited by the answer to the Glass Mystery! "It's solved, solved I say!!!!!!!"

(It's not him saying that, really. It's just a stock "crazy photo" of my husband that has come in handy for lots of different things. :') I'm such a good wife.)