November 2023 Newsletter
Cohort 2 graduates stand proudly with their badges in front of the Woodburn Chemeketa Campus mural. Pictured left to right: Michael, Pattie, Careylynn, Ivania, Chalyce and Natalie. Graduates not pictured: Drew, Erika, Jenny, Josie, Randi, Cruz, Susan, Xóchitl. Marion Resourcers Cohort 2 Graduates!
Huge congrats to the second cohort of Marion Resourcers to complete the volunteer training! The course was held in Woodburn to continue building community connection to resources around sustainability in North Marion County. Additionally, this is the second year the training took place in Woodburn with a majority of participants hailing from the area. In total, 14 community members graduated. From teachers to community advocates, this talented group of volunteers is ready to use their newfound knowledge to serve their communities.
Food Waste Prevention at Group Gatherings This Season
We’re entering the season of family gatherings and with more holidays means more delicious food! While these gatherings can bring connection, a sense of togetherness and eating-induced sleep comas, it also means more food waste! As we know, food waste as a material has large environmental impacts when produced so its essential we eat our food, leaving nothing to waste. While finding a home for leftovers can be challenging, never fear! Reducing food waste is a goal of Marion County as well as the State of Oregon. To learn more about Marion County’s food waste saving tips, check out the extended article here.
Reuse Seattle Exemplifies a Circular Economy In Action
This year I had the pleasure of attending the Association of Oregon Recyclers Sustainable Oregon 2023 Conference and was incredibly inspired by the efforts of our colleagues to the north around Reuse. Seattle Public Utilities, the local government body in charge of waste and water management in Seattle, has been hard at work building deep and long lasting reuse infrastructure in their city.
The Reuse Seattle program is not just a website or campaign, but an intentional move towards paradigm shifts in how the city hopes its communities view waste and materials. Some of the movement’s main goals are:
Encourage local businesses to switch from single-use items to durables through powerful incentives in the form of rebates for businesses purchasing durable service ware for example.
Encourage BYO (bring your own) for in-house dining and take-out operations through apps, messaging and business network buy-in.
Aim to make reuse easy, scalable, interconnected, everywhere, affordable, accessible, and long-term.
Make accessible even for temporary Seattle visitors (traveling, business). Use of apps and messaging appeals to international travelers.
Reuse systems are standardized and universal for businesses as well as public. Digital signage, washing systems and take-back systems.
Reusable service providers network grows to accommodate need and promote reuse culture all throughout the city.
Waste Reduction Video Series
Folks may have noticed a series of waste reduction videos produced by the Waste Reduction team surfacing on the Marion County Facebook page in previous weeks! The aim of these videos is to offer a behind the scenes look at Marion County’s solid waste management and recycling system as well the efforts towards waste prevention in our operations. Entitled, “The Story of Trash,” the series will include 7 videos in total. Videos with a link have already been released, so check them out! The videos will cover:
Disposal of Trash
Construction and Demolition MRRF (Marion Resource Recovery Facility)
Tune in each Friday here. We plan to release a video each week over the next month. Please let me know your feedback on videos!
Volunteer Opportunities
Co-Present with Dakota at a Waste Reduction and Recycling Workshop November 8th
PAYBACK HOURS: 1.5 hours + pre-event prep time
I’m in search of a volunteer to come help me deliver a waste reduction and recycling workshop at Salem Library Wednesday November 8th from 4:30pm-6pm. The idea is to teach folks about durable, reusable item swaps they can make in their daily lives and also lead a group recycling game with participants. If you’re interested in lending me a hand, please send me an email 😊
Stayton Ecycles Collection Event Nov. 9th
PAYBACK HOURS: 2+ (DEPENDS ON how long you would like to table)
Come check out the Stayton Ecycles collection event November 9th at Stayton Community Center from 6am-5pm! Bring ecycles program items (computers, laptops, monitors, tablets, keyboards, computer mice, TVs and printers) all day from 6am-5pm for free recycling.
As a reminder, Marion County offers free ecycles recycling drop off at either the Salem Keizer Recycling and Transfers station (Salem) or North Marion Recycling and Transfer Station (Woodburn) year-round.
If you would like to hold an ecycles event for your community or help with this event on the education side, reach out to the waste reduction team at environmentalservices@co.marion.or.us to think about planning a collection day!
TOY SWAP WITH CITY OF KEIZER DECEMBER 10TH
PAYBACK HOURS: 2-4 HOURS (DEPENDS ON SET-UP AND CLEAN-UP)
The City of Keizer is hosting this FREE Toy Swap to spread some joy and waste reduction spirit to the Marion County community this holiday season! Last year (2022), 140 people attended and received 880 gently used toys representing a huge impact for the community.
We are in need of Marion Resourcer volunteers to help with toy swap operations like organizing toys at intake, supporting families find toys, feeding other volunteers, and helping with our reused wrapping station!
From November 1st to December 2nd bring any gently used, clean toys or games to any of the following locations:
· Keizer City Hall (930 Chemawa Rd. NE Keizer, OR) Hours: Monday -Friday 8:00am – 5:00pm
· Salem Public Library (585 Liberty St. SE Salem, OR) Hours: Tuesday-Thursday 10:00am-7:00pm,
Friday and Saturday 10:00am-5:00pm, Sunday 1:00pm-5:00pm
Then on Sunday, December 10th, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., attend the Toy Swap at Keizer City Hall where you can shop for free to find toys, games and gadgets.
Please take only what you need and help keep this a Waste Less Event.
We will not accept the following:
· Dirty, broken, ripped, chipped, ragged, chewed, marked items
· Baby gear (car seats, strollers, cribs, play yards)
· Anything with missing parts or in disrepair
· Items with possible cutting, choking, or lead hazards
· No clothing will be accepted
· Oversized items may be accepted at our discretion
According to Medium, approximately 80 percent of all toys end up somewhere on a trash heap. There are many reasons why toys get thrown away, but most of them center on the fact that parents don’t know what else to do once their children have outgrown them.
Swaps are a great way to share materials and connect with the community. Swaps enable us to avoid throwing usable items away and helps showcase how fun reuse can be.
To learn more about this event and volunteer, contact Jenny Ammon at City of Keizer, 503-865-3447 or email ammonj@keizer.org
Request for educational articles from Marion Resourcers!
PAYBACK HOURS: 1+ depending on interest
Want to earn payback hours by writing mini-articles around sustainability issues you’re passionate about?
I'm looking for Marion Resourcers to write short or medium articles (100 words or more) on sustainability subjects related to materials and waste. From the giant plastic oceangyres of the Pacific to examples of community reuse in action here or abroad, all topics that center materials and the environment are fair game. These articles would then be featured in the monthly newsletter.
Please email me with interest or article ideas, I would love to hear from you! Any time spent preparing to write the article + writing the article count as payback hours. I can't wait to center volunteer voices and interests through this process.
Interested in Translating Articles from English to Spanish? Writing Spanish articles?
Payback hours: 1+ Depending on time and interest
A goal of the volunteer program moving forward is to offer more language-specific resources on sustainability in materials to Spanish-speaking communities. Marion County demographic data shows that 25% of residents in the County identify as Hispanic/Latino with a large proportion of monolingual and bilingual Spanish speakers represented. If you have a background in Spanish translation, are a native and/or non-native Spanish speaker and want to create more resources with these communities in mind, please send me an email.
