Travelers. Security. Airplanes. Vehicles. Vendors. And one Aviation Environmental Compliance Manager dedicated to reducing waste at Portland International Airport. Stan Jones has managed the Port of Portland’s PDX recycling program since 2003. And he’s a Master Recycler too, so he proudly shared some the terminal’s processes with Masters Audrey Desler, Felictia Monteblanco, Lisa Clifton, Kelly Bryan, Su-wen Chen, Mitzi Sugar, Gustav Sculptor and Chatten Hayes on April 7th, 2011. Chatten Hayes (Class 44) wrote up this report.
Construction, Remodeling and Demolition Waste
In the metro region, an ordinance entitled Enhanced Dry Waste Recovery Program (EDWRP) requires that dry waste from construction and demolition be processed at a dry waste recovery facility to pull out recyclables before the waste is dumped in a landfill. Portland has additional requirements. For all building projects within the city where the total job cost (including both demolition and construction phases) exceeds $50,000, the general contractor shall ensure that 75% of the solid waste produced on the job site is recycled.
Encouraging Regional Recycling in Businesses
All kinds of businesses throughout the Portland metropolitan area are doing their part by recycling at work. However, during an average year, businesses still send more than 100,000 tons of recyclable paper and containers to our local landfills. Find out the Business Recycling rules that are designed to tackle the problem.
Event Recovery and Master Recyclers
Big or small, community gatherings can generate a good deal of waste and consume large quantities of natural resources. Event organizers may know a lot about organizing a marathon, but not what materials can be recycled, how to create clear signage, and how to order containers for recycling.
Here are a couple of case studies of projects where Master Recyclers have planned, implemented and evaluated recovery at events. In 2010, Master Recyclers offered their expertise in waste recover to help over 15 community organizations green their events, helping recover thousands of pounds of waste and offering public education to almost 11,000 participants.
Radiant and Resourceful
Congratulations to Lane’ Bigsby, née Richards (Class 39), on a super sustainable wedding. There are few places more appropriate then a wedding to pause and reflect on values.
Lane’ showed that being resourceful in wedding planning can have stunningly beautiful results, be sustainable and refocus energy where it is important. Each detail (from the dress to the dishes) had a life and purpose before and after the wedding. She gathered gently used materials to repurpose for the celebration and then ensured that there was a plan for each item after the wedding. This approach is nicely symbolic of how two people came together with their own histories for a wedding celebration and then plan to sustain the relationship long after that day.