Lyon County Environmental Educator
By the time you read this, another America Recycles Day will have passed. (If I had a nickel for every time I've thought/said that time speeds by anymore I'd have a whole lot of nickels at my disposal!) Of course, every day should be "recycles day" but Nov. 15 has been the day set aside since 1997 that's intended to bring to our attention the important role that recycling/waste reduction plays in environmental care. Now, we all know that reducing, reusing, recycling and buying recycled isn't the panacea ("Oh brother, she must have found a thesaurus!") for the environmental concerns we're faced with. But we also know it's definitely an essential part of the whole earth-care picture. After all, how could conserving resources and energy, reducing air and water pollution and creating jobs be bad for the planet or for us? That's right - it couldn't!
Anyway, with that said let's switch over to our annual list of less waste/no waste holiday ideas. (Oheven though time goes by way too fast I still look forward to Christmas - the trees, lights, music and all is good for my heart!) *Donate to a Charity (Sharing is always good!) *Gifts of your Time - special activities with children/spouse; offering to teach a skill you have such as cooking, sewing, financial planning, gardening, etc.; commit to extra chores, e.g. housecleaning, lawn/garden work, etc.; free babysitting; volunteer time to a worthy cause in your area; homemade dinners delivered to the recipient; a monthly lunch date with an elderly relative or friend; and the list goes on. *Gifts of Experience - pay for dance/music lessons; pay for golf/tennis lessons; tickets to a movie/concert/play; tickets for sports events; etc. *Reusable Gift Ideas - water saving showerhead/faucet; durable toys; durable tools; cloth/canvas shopping bags; bird feeder and seed; solar watch or calculator; give a garden - seeds, gloves, tools, etc.; house plant/s; etc. *Recycled products *State park stickers *U.S. savings bonds *Giving a gift certificate for bike repair to someone who bikes a lot encourages a non-polluting way to travel. *Gift certificates for balancing and rotating car tires or for tune-ups/oil changes which help keep a car as efficient as possible. *Offer to do repair jobs for someone who can't do it themselves. *Membership to a museum/club *Contribute to or start an Education IRA *Bus passes *Recycled stationery and envelopes for a letter writer *Art supplies/lessons for an upcoming Picasso *Soy or beeswax candles *A gift certificate for a tree that can be planted come spring. *Solar lights for outside lighting. *Hand-cranked radio or flashlight. Here are a few no-cost gift-wrapping ideas: *Old posters and maps *Old sheet music *Pages from a child's coloring book taped together (Fun idea.) *Sunday comic pages *Wallpaper/fabric scraps. Please keep in mind that there are many more tips included in my files, so give me a call if you'd like additional ideas.
The Hazardous Waste Facility accepts computers/monitors, TVs, printers, fax machines, VCRs and DVD players. Fees charged are the same as those charged at the landfill. Call our office for details.
Remember to reduce, reuse, recycle and buy recycled! For more info or if your club is interested in a presentation (free) regarding recycling/waste reduction and hazardous waste disposal, call the Lyon County Environmental Office at 532-8210. Oh, and depending on when you read this, here's hoping you have, or hope you had, a Happy and Blessed Thanksgiving!