All Wrapped Up

Christmas is a wrap. Gifts have been given and received. The "thank you" notes/emails written. Family back to their homes and jobs. Life begins returning to normal with the exception of the upcoming New Year's festivity.

One of my Christmas Day "jobs" is to gather the trash/recycling for a run to the county dumpster the next day. Our family, like yours, is part of a huge infusion of trash, much of it packaging, into landfills. Folks who crunch the numbers, such as the stats reported in Aboxalypse Now, say that from Thanksgiving to the end of the year Americans produce an additional one million tons of trash each week. Nearly 1/3 is packaging - boxes, plastic clamshells, twist ties, cardboard, etc. - and that less than half of packaging gets recycled.

Now, we're not perfect, but we do try to recycle as much as we can. All bows, some wrapping paper and bubble wrap, and some boxes are saved for next year. Christmas cards are saved to use as tags on next year's gifts. Speaking of cards - we send and receive far fewer cards than just a few years ago. Most of our holiday greetings are sent by e-cards which saves us money and the planet trees.

We break down boxes so they will be easy to put in the recycling bins provided by the county. Some of the wrapping is readied for the paper recycling that we routinely do. Ditto for some of the plastic. But, much of the foil paper, plastic, and other packaging just isn't recyclable. As a consequence we take a couple extra trash bags (about the amount we'd generate in two weeks) to the dumpster. Despite yucky weather on the day after, the trash/recycling collection site was busy. Sadly, I saw lots of cardboard and other recyclables in the trash bin - some people just don't get it or can't be bothered. The attendant said the waste company would make four pickups that day - compared to one on a typical day.

Besides doing our best to recycle this packaging, I'm not sure what individuals can do to reduce this avalanche of packaging waste. But, it is in society's interest to do so - packaging adds up to 10% to the cost of the product. It gobbles up landfill space that costs tax dollars. It can be a challenge and a downright hassle to open that Barbie Doll - she is encased in over 900 square inches of cardboard, nearly 600 square inches of plastic, plus wire, tape, and rubber bands.

Shopping online and by mail order complicates the issue as the product is put in an additional box or bag usually with some sort of cushioning. So, buying local not only boosts the local economy/jobs, it probably saves a little on waste. When you have the opportunity, request minimal packaging and environmentally responsible products - popcorn or recycled cushioning products rather than bubble wrap; use paper rather than non-recyclable foil products for wrapping those gifts. Day-to-day shopping offers opportunities to cut back on waste too - those single-serve snack packs create more waste and cost 2x to 3x more per ounce than regular packages. Drink tap water. Save some green. Be green.

Play it again... and again

The Department of Environmental Quality just released the Virginia Annual Recycling Report that contains a mixture of good news, not so good news, and some so-so news. Statewide, Virginians recycled/reused 3,661,027 tons of material out of a 9,542,428 tons of solid waste generated, or about 38.5%. (see the report for details of the calculations). While to some that may sound pretty good, after a couple yeas of positive increases, the percentage rate has been flat since 2006.

No surprise that recycling rates are generally a few percentage points higher in urban/suburban areas where curbside recycling is available and lower in rural areas where folks have to take recycling to collection points. Rural curbside isn't cost effective and the long routes burning fuel would probably be more damaging to the environment than the lower recycling rates. Kudos to the Greater Richmond area that topped 50% for the second year and to Fredericksburg that got very close. On the flip side are places in our region like Botetourt Co. that only managed a 13.1% recycling rate. Caroline Co. earns my "Who Gives a Crap About the Environment" award for a dismal 10.4% rate.

In the CCC region, the rates are okay, but could certainly be better - Rockingham is 26.5%, Harrisonburg is 28.3%, and Augusta/Staunton/Waynesboro combined is 27.6%. But, Rockbridge, Lexington, and Buena Vista do a great job - 39%. Maybe other localities ought to recycle some of Rockbridge's ideas for boosting participation!

Perhaps recycling/reusing rates are actually higher than the DEQ numbers indicate? For example, plastic and oil recycling are available in my county but not convenient to where I live. So, I take oil to stores, like Advance Auto, where I buy it and take most plastic to a commercial recycler not located in my county. I also take high value aluminum to the commercial recycler - at least it pays for my gas to get there. Wood from projects and limbs from pruning are used as kindling in our efficient Jotul stove (I'm always amazed at the perfectly good firewood that is dumped at the landfill). We compost. Are those numbers factored in the DEQ statistics?

Recycling offers so many advantages - conserving resources, saving landfill space (tax $), and in cases like aluminum real production cost savings - it amazes me that everyone is not on board. But, I frequently see folks tossing card board, paper, cans, etc. that - with about 20 steps - could go into the recycling bin. I bite my tongue figuring that is better than a whoopin', but always wonder what whack on the side of the head it will finally wake these hardheads up.

The folks in Rockbridge probably have some great suggestions to boost rural recycling, but here are a few of mine:

• KISS - keep it simple stupid. Forcing folks to do an inordinate amount of separating things like different types of paper probably means less recycling. My county accepts mixed paper and mixed glass - a good thing.
• Make it convenient - recycling needs to be available at all waste disposal sites across the county. I my case it generally is, but plastic and used oil for example, is only accepted at the landfill.
• Set the example - all government offices and schools should recycle on-site. The cost and manpower of collecting recycling from schools should be bore by the locality, not by the schools. Many teachers encourage recycling but a school-wide emphasis from grades K through 12 would send a strong message to families.
• Rural or not so rural - most of our "rural" counties have larger subdivisions, small towns, and suburban areas that, if they aren't doing it already, could benefit from efficient curbside recycling.

Thirty-eight percent statewide is good, and slightly above the 33% nationwide average, but we ought to be shooting for 50%! And when we get there... 60%. We'll never achieve zero waste, but my personal experience and common sense tells me that 75% or more is quite doable. It is a matter of will, of leadership, and of the common good.

Earth Day update

Earth friendly things I did today:

• Took plastic for recycling. Since my locality doesn't collect plastic at trash collection sites, I have to go to a commercial place, but I partnered the trip with other errands. Had two big bins of plastic saved over several months.
• Planted 6 red raspberry canes.
• Improved my compost bin.
• Picked up trash along a short stretch of a rural road.
• Bought synthetic motor oil. I'm hoping it will deliver the promised fuel economy improvement and allow me to lengthen the change intervals to 5,000 - 6,000 miles (I've been kind of a fanatic about the 3,000 mile change) thereby creating less waste oil. Yes, I recycle all my used oil (and paper, cardboard, cans, glass).

And, something I did because of the environmental consequences of intensive farming in parts of the Shenandoah Valley... I ordered a UV water disinfecting system and filtration upgrades to better treat our well water. Limestone, fissures, animal poop, pesticides.... you never know what is seeping into the aquifer.

I hope you did something nice for Mother Earth today!

Cluck, cluck, cluck

Three stories caught my eye today - each about a different, but perhaps overlapping political/economic trend affecting the Virginia and the Shenandoah Valley.

Cluck No. 1

According to the Tax Foundation, the state/local tax burden on Virginian's has crept up to its highest level in about 30 years. Virginia currently ranks 18th out of 50, which according to the foundation, places the state firmly in the middle. In 1993 the commonwealth had its lowest ranking at 35. New Jersey is No. 1 followed by New York. On average, Americans pay 9.7% of income in state/local taxes, in Virginia it is 9.8%.

Republicans will probably squawk about the new numbers and attempt to use them for political gain against Mark Warner and in next year's House of Delegates and gubernatorial races. But, their cackling will probably sound hollow considering that Virginia ranks high in per capita wealth, the state gets high marks for sound fiscal management, and enjoys a record for keeping the tax burden fairly stable. Some state's have wild swings from year to year depending on the economy. 

Tax burdens can vary widely by locality with huge differences in land values and tax rates. I suspect the tax burden in most of the Valley of Virginia is among the lowest in the commonwealth.

Cluck No. 2

The value of Virginia farmland far exceeds the national average and is the highest among neighboring states. The average agricultural acre in Virginia is valued at $5,900 (includes improvements) while the U.S. average is $2,350. In North Carolina it is $4,800 and West Virginia lags the region at $2,700. Various factors can influence values which can differ widely in different parts of the state. Some acres are simply better for crops or pasture than other acres. Analysts also point to high crop prices, favorable tax rates (land use taxation in Virginia), and lower interest rates. Prices are also driven up by development - in Virginia's northern Piedmont and Chesapeake Bay regions and parts of the Valley growth is certainly impacting values. Pretty basic supply and demand - eggs get more expensive when the hens aren't laying.

Cluck No. 3

The Rockingham County Fair is going green with recycling receptacles for aluminum and plastic, a "Green Tent" with recycling displays and information, and just outside of gate 4, the nonprofit Computer Recycling of Virginia will accept computers and small electronics for free. TVs and larger appliances will not be accepted. Recycling is one the easiest things the average family can do to protect the environment - the fair's emphasis on going green is something to crow about. Good job Rockingham County Fair!