Green Matters in Jackson Hole, Spring 2019 Issue

in jackson hole

issue 5

spring ‘19

Inside this issue ADIOS, PLASTIC BAGS HUMANS AS A VECTOR SOLAR POWERING JACKSON RECYCLING GUIDE TEAR OUT MAP KID’S CORNER 1 + MORE

TABLE OF CONTENTS Thanks To Our Sponsors

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

3 LETTER FROM THE EDITOR 4 ADIOS, PLASTIC BAGS

Individually speaking, we do a pretty good job of being conscientious citizens and stewards of this valley. We drive slowly past known moose crossing hot spots, we always stay on trail and pack out even our most unsavoury garbage, and most importantly - we care. Except for that one time at the grocery store when we forgot our reusable bags and opted for plastic instead; or that evening late last summer when we were too tired to rinse off our skiff before its next outing; or when we had packages of left-over food from a company party but tossed it because it made clean-up faster.

Singularly, these moments seem to matter very little. But when we consider that a person might receive one plastic bag per day (the actual estimated number is MUCH higher), and there are around 20,000 residents in Teton County, that equates to 20,000 plastic bags entering our waste stream... every. single. day. Replace that item with straws, with cars, or number of good food items tossed, or with any item or action you wish. Forgetting to dry out your waders or chucking the burrs from your pup on the ground might seem harmless, and it probably would be if it were just you doing it. But gone are the days when we are able to think in “I” and “me.”

6 POACHED MEAT FINDS A NEW HOME 7 CHILDREN’S GAME CORNER 8 TEAR OUT MAP - GUIDE TO GOING GREEN 9 RECYCLING GUIDE 11 JACKSON LAKE LODGE, FLAT CREEK RANCH, & JH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE JOIN THE B.E.S.T. 12 HUMANS AS A VECTOR

15 COME DRINK WITH US #REUSEWILDLY 16 SPRING & SUMMER EVENT CALENDAR

MEET THE CONTRIBUTORS

Cover Photo by Graham Koten

14 SOLAR POWERING JACKSON

As our community (and global society as a whole) evolves, too must our vocabulary from the singular to the plural: from “me” to “we.” As we manage our impact on our landscapes, infrastructure, and resources, we must think of ourselves in the collective, and consider that our individual actions, when compounded, have the potential to undercut the entire community. And like it or not, the “me” we are

most concerned about is very much a part of and reliant on the vibrance and viability of the community for the long term.

In Issue 5 of Green Matters in Jackson Hole, you’ll learn about what you, as a contributing member to this region, can do to ensure you aren’t vector for invasive species, that you are encouraging good habits for our visitors, and that you are practicing saying “no” to commonly offered items like single-use plastics. You’ll find a newly printed Green Map (that we encourage you tear out and hang up!), pointing you to pathways, recycling spots, B.E.S.T. businesses, and START Bike locations. We’ve also answered some of the most common questions we hear regularly.

We are a Valley of business owners, cause leaders, conservationists, outdoor advocates, and creators. We have the potential to influence those who work for us, work with us, and who’s vacation wouldn’t be complete without us. When we function as a collective, we thrive as a community.

We hope you enjoy this issue!

Tim O’Donoghue, Executive Director, Riverwind Foundation

Crista Valentino, Editor

CARRIE BELL

TIM O’DONOGHUE

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, RIVERWIND FOUNDATION

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, ENERGY CONSERVATION WORKS

PHIL CAMERON

DAN LEAMAN

JENNY FITZGERALD

TETON CONSERVATION DISTRICT

Carrie is the Waste Diversion and Outreach Coordinator for Teton County Solid Waste and Recycling. She loves talking trash!

Tim O’Donoghue leads the Jackson Hole & Yellowstone Sustainable Destination Program and its coordination of collaborative community stakeholder sustainability efforts.

Phil has a geology degree from Amherst College and spent six years as a guide, environmental educator, and resource manager before getting into reshaping the way our community looks at and uses energy.

Dan grew up in Lancaster, PA and received a BA in geology from Colby College. On his days off, Dan can be found exploring new fishing spots along the Snake River.

Jenny is a wildlife biologist that graduated from Cornell in 2011. Her passion for sharing the natural world with others has led her to working in sustainable tourism and art that inspires people to preserve and protect wildlife and wild places.

Since 1946, Teton Conservation District has worked with the community to conserve and steward natural resources through local projects, partnerships, research, and education.

WASTE DIVERSION AND OUTREACH COORDINATOR, ISWR

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DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS, HOLE FOOD RESCUE

DOER OF THINGS, JH WILDLIFE SAFARIS, RARE EXPEDITIONS, GALLERY WILD

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ADIOS, PLASTIC BAGS

What can I do to support the ordinance?

By Carrie Bell, Teton County Integrated Solid Waste and Recycling On January 7, 2019 the Town of Jackson’s Town Council unanimously voted in support of the Plastic Bag Reduction Ordinance (PBRO). The effective date for large grocers and retailers was April 15th, so plastic bags are no longer available for bagging groceries or purchased items.

Paper bags are available for purchase, but ideally you are just bringing your reusable bag - right? Let’s jump into the who, what, and why to break down this ordinance.

well as promote a major shift toward the use of reusable bags. This sends the message that the Town of Jackson takes sustainability and community improvement very seriously. This “lowhanging fruit” has been considered a no-brainer for many communities across our nation and around the world, and the simple shift is actually about changing habits when it comes to the consumer’s waste stream.

Recognizing how much trash can be created from one shopping trip is a great way to recognize other wasteful patterns in life. Creating trash is easy,

the Town of Jackson, have opted for a fee-based incentive. Historically, these are the programs that are most successful in drastically reducing plastic bag consumption and encourage the most change in consumers. Bring your reusable bags with you when shopping or pay a $.20 cent plus tax per bag fee. Communities that have passed similar ordinances but without the fee see a much higher plateau of paper bag use, thereby just creating more single use paper that needs to be recycled.

The fee is the incentive that reminds people to bring their reusable bags.

· Start NOW! Bring a reusable bag with you whenever you leave the house. Bringing a bag with you will become a habit - a habit that you will be happy to have when you randomly decide to make guacamole that night, already have a bag, DON’T have to pay the $.20 plus tax and you aren’t contributing anything extra into the waste stream. · Bring plenty of reusable bags with you to the grocery store. ISWR will be handing out thousands of bags around town during the implementation of the ordinance. If you need another one, make sure to find us!

· Want to volunteer? ISWR is currently searching for a gaggle of volunteers to assist with the small retailer ordinance effective date of November 1, 2019. Volunteers will be trained and assigned tasks such as: reusable bag distribution, meeting with small retailers that have requested assistance, and more. · Notice a retailer outside of the Town of Jackson that is voluntarily not distributing single use plastic?

Make sure to tell them how much you appreciate it. Customer feedback goes a long way, especially the positive kind.

up. Straws are out of vogue, but a lot of restaurants still serve them automatically. Be sure to say “no straw, please” if you don’t want one. Look for other reusable items to include in your life that create less waste. · The new R in RRR is Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle. Refuse to purchase products packaged or wrapped in unnecessary plastic. Easier said than done, but it’s the only way to tell the manufacturers what you as a consumer wants.

· Think about other single use plastics in your life and consider a break

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FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE PLASTIC BAG REDUCTION ORDINANCE, FAQS, & RESOURCES FOR RETAILERS, PLEASE VISIT ROADTOZEROWASTEJH.ORG/PLASTICBAGREDUCTIONORDINANCE

Photo by Becky Kiefer

Who does the ordinance affect?

All grocers and large retailers in the Town use plastic bags TETON COUNTY’S TRASH IS TRUCKED 100 MILES Single of Jackson, as well as became prevalent in everyone who shops the early 1980s. Since TO THE BONNEVILLE COUNTY LANDFILL, WHERE there. All tourists, then, around a trillion THEY SPEND $50,000 CORRALLING AND CLEANING single use plastic bags business owners, and locals will be asked to used each year UP BLOWING TRASH. WANT TO GUESS WHAT THE are change their habits at worldwide. Plastic the register - or more bags are notoriously MAJORITY OF THAT BLOWING TRASH IS? realistically, a change hard to recycle as they YEP, PLASTIC BAGS. of habit before leaving tend to clog and tangle home. On November machinery. Even when 1, 2019 the ordinance will go into while creating zero-waste habits takes collected separately for recycling, as effect for all small businesses within a little time, a little planning, and a lot is the case in Teton County, plastic the Town of Jackson. This will take of awareness. bags and film have less than ideal some retraining of the brain for many markets. Teton County’s plastic bags people. As intuitive as it is for many Why point the finger at plastic bags? and film usually go waste-to-energy of us to take reusable bags when Why charge a fee?

(WTE). Certainly, WTE is better than grocery shopping, it’s not as intuitive Plastic bags get the finger pointed at the landfill, but WTE is low on the when shopping at your favorite store them first because they are the easiest EPA hierarchy of best practice when downtown. Bridging that gap and target. Plastic bags cause difficulty dealing with waste. Teton County faced making the change before leaving in the solid waste industry, clogging a hard choice, as there were no other home will be critical. equipment and becoming airborne buyers for plastic bags or film because litter. They also can wreak havoc on they have little to no value.

What will the ordinance really do? the natural and man-made environment By eliminating single use plastic bags - getting caught in trees, blocking Teton County ISWR captures only a from large and small businesses in the storm drains, being mistaken as food small percentage of plastic bags that Town of Jackson, millions of plastic for wildlife, and littering our creeks, are distributed in the county, meaning bags will stay out of the waste stream. lakes, and rivers. Many times, plastic that the vast majority are heading to The intent of the PBRO is to significantly bags are also a jumping off point for the landfill or end up as litter. reduce the environmental and communities around the world that community impacts related to single-use are slowly eliminating other single plastic and paper shopping bags, as use plastics. Most communities, like

5 A plastic film/bag bale weighs about 750 pounds, and contains tens of thousands of bags. ISWR stores and collects plastic film/bags for weeks at a time to have enough for a single bale.

POACHED MEAT FINDS A NEW HOME

By Dan Leaman, Hole Food Rescue Hole Food Rescue had its second successful hunting season of partnering with the Wyoming Game and Fish Department and Matt’s Custom Meats to distribute meat from illegally harvested animals to community members in need of food assistance.

Throughout the past two hunting seasons, Hole Food Rescue received two moose, thirteen elk, two deer and one bison from the partnership. Rather than waste the meat coming from poached animals, Ben Wise of the Wyoming Game and Fish Department came up with a better idea, saying, “This program makes the best of a bad situation. Typically, when WGFD takes possession of an illegally harvested animal, we have limited options as to how to distribute the meat throughout the community. With the continued financial support provided by the Community Foundation of Jackson Hole and the partnership between WGFD, Hole Food Rescue, and Matt’s Custom Meats, we have developed a solution to an ongoing, and oftentimes difficult, situation.

DID YOU KNOW?

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Matt’s Custom Meats processes and packages the game meat and Hole Food Rescue uses their local network to equitably and efficiently distribute the meat throughout the community.”

CHILDREN’S GAME CORNER

Hole Food Rescue relies on volunteers for its portion of the program. Volunteers pick up hundreds of pounds of rescued game meat at a time. This meat is later distributed to community members that may lack the means to acquire game meat without the assistance of this program.

Beneficiary organizations, such as Pioneer Homestead apartment complex and the Senior Center, distribute rescued game meat to nearby residents. Both of these organizations offer no-cost grocery programs where residents are encouraged to pick up an elk steak to go along with their weekly share of rescued potatoes, micro-greens, or whatever else happens to come through the doors of Hole Food Rescue.

HFR rescues food from 6 locations 7 days/week HFR delivers food to 30 local agencies helping our neighbors in need HFR has 55 volunteers every week HFR prevents over 25,000 lbs of food every month from entering the landfill!

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TO GTNP WILSON GATE north u.s. hwy 89/191 to grand teton national park:

elk refuge inn flat creek ranch grand teton lodge company

JACKSON HOLE MOUNTAIN RESORT

JACKSON

THE ASPENS

National elk refuge

teton ave

king

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center

CACHE

deloney ave

deloney ave

ST. JOHNS HOSPITAL

CACHE

aspen

hall

karns

vin

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RODEO GROUNDS

nelson dr.

pioneer ln.

gros ventre

jean hansen

karns meadow dr.

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buffal

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rancher dr.

flat creek dr.

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snow king ave.

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TEAR OUT MAP GUIDE TO GOING GREEN

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JW GROCER

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JACKSON HIGH SCHOOL

russ ga

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RECYCLING LOCATIONS

pathway

SNOW KING RESORT

START BIKE LOCATION EV CHARGING STATIONS

south park loop rd. / hwy 221

high scho

crabtree ln.

JACKSON MIDDLE SCHOOL gregory

blair

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BIKE PATH SLOW FOOD FARM STAND 3 creek

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B.E.S.T. BUSINESSES

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JACKSON LAKE LODGE, FLAT CREEK RANCH, & JACKSON HOLE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE JOIN THE B.E.S.T.

TETON COUNTY

RECYCLING GUIDE INTEGRATED SOLID WASTE & RECYCLING

Y ES

GLASS BOTTLES & JARS Blue, Green & Clear Glass Rinse/remove caps

By Tim O’Donoghue, Riverwind Foundation

GLASS BOTTLES & JARS Brown Glass Rinse/remove caps

#1 PLASTIC BOTTLES Rinse, remove caps

#2 PLASTIC BOTTLES Rinse, remove caps

PLASTIC WRAP & GROCERY BAGS

ALUMINUM FOIL & PIE PLATES

STEEL FOOD CANS

ALUMINUM CANS

Jackson Lake Lodge, Flat Creek Ranch, and Jackson Hole Chamber of Commerce are the next three sustainability leaders in Jackson Hole to reach the Business Emerald Sustainability Tier (B.E.S.T.) level of sustainability performance. The standards in the B.E.S.T. program are comparable to the world’s most rigorous and comprehensive environmental, community, and economic sustainability criteria. These three join the Elk Refuge Inn as the first businesses and organizations to achieve a third-party sustainability certification by the Riverwind Foundation, the originator of the B.E.S.T. Program. The B.E.S.T. program was created to provide an opportunity and platform for those Reduce, Reuse, Recycle (RRR) Business Leaders that want to elevate their sustainability practices to higher levels of environmental stewardship, social responsibility, and economic vitality.

NO NEWSPAPER & INSERTS

PLASTIC FOOD CONTAINERS Like yogurt cups & clam shells

MAGAZINES & CATALOGS

#3-7 PLASTIC

Special Items Collected At The Recycling Center

OFFICE PAPER Includes a wide range of papers

PLASTIC OR PAPER CUPS

CORRUGATED CARDBOARD Boxes (w/ridges) & Brown paper bags

PAPERBOARD Like cereal boxes & 6 pack containers

ELECTRONICS: TV’s, Computers, etc.

BATTERIES: Alkaline, lithium & rechargeable BOOKS: Hard & softcover & phone books / donate locally first Textiles, Shoes, Belts, and Purses: Clothing, linen, etc. Donate locally first FLUORESCENT LIGHTBULBS

EGG CARTONS

Alex Klein, VP and General Manager of Grand Teton Lodge Company states, “Continuous improvement of Grand Teton Lodge Company’s environmental sustainability practices has always been a primary goal and core value for our company. The B.E.S.T. certification

TETRAPAK Tetrapak containers

BEAR SPRAY SCRAP METAL: Bin behind recycling center / No appliances CAMPING PROPANE CYLINDERS BIKE TIRES & TUBES HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE: Contact 307-733-7678 or tetoncountywy.gov/recycle for appt.

2 RODEO GROUNDS PARKING LOT

5 THE ASPENS The Aspens Market

3 RECREATION CENTER Parking Lot Gill Ave.

6 TETON VILLAGE Maintenance yard East of Ranch Parking lot

7 NORTH OF TOWN Spring Gulch Rd., North of Gros Ventre River Bridge 8 HOBACK JUNCTION Adjacent to Roundabout

Call 733-SORT (7678) tetoncountywy.gov/recycle & roadtozerowastejh.org Text questions and photos to (307)200-9308

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4 ALBERTSONS LOT 105 Buffalo Way

“As a business owner striving for sustainable practices throughout all aspects of an operation can be challenging” says Shelby and Trey Scharp, Managers of Flat Creek Ranch. “We offer a unique perspective operating entirely off the grid, so sustainability is particularly important.

Having recognition of our continued actions to do the right things is greatly appreciated. The B.E.S.T. certification demonstrates the hard work of our entire staff as well as our love and respect of the place we live. This program quantifies, at exceedingly high standards, what sustainable practices look like and make the goals

tangible for other local companies to follow suit.”

Anna Olson, President and CEO of the Jackson Hole Chamber of Commerce states, “At the Chamber we want to lead by example and show our members this path is achievable. We are committed to business sustainability and sustainable tourism in Jackson Hole and Teton County, Wyoming.

Throughout the process to become B.E.S.T. certified, we have learned the best practices to minimize waste, expand our knowledge of being green, reduce in-office air pollution, and make changes that affect our footprint as an organization.”

Consistent with their long-term philosophy and practice of environmental stewardship, Jackson Lake Lodge, Flat Creek Ranch, and the Jackson Hole Chamber of Commerce have demonstrated a strong commitment to the triple bottom line. By achieving B.E.S.T. certification, these entities have established themselves as leaders in sustainable tourism and send a message to the community that environmental and social responsibility is good business.

JACKSON HOLE GOES FOR SUSTAINABLE DESTINATION CERTIFICATION

COMMUNITY RECYCLING BIN LOCATIONS 1 THE REC YCLING CENTER 3270 S. Adams Canyon Dr.

for Jackson Lake Lodge represents an important milestone for us on that path, and we are proud to be among the first companies in Jackson Hole to have achieved this comprehensive standard. We commend the work of the Riverwind Foundation in helping local businesses improve their practices and contribute to the overall sustainability of Jackson Hole and the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. We look forward to continuing to work within the B.E.S.T. program to improve and promote sustainability in this special place that we all work and live.”

2012

2013 – 2018

NOW

The Global Sustainable Tourism Council provided the community and destination of Jackson Hole with a baseline evaluation of our environmental, social, and economic sustainability performance

Jackson Hole strengthened local stakeholder collaborative efforts toward community goals and international standards for sustainability

Jackson Hole is going for sustainable destination certification with EarthCheck.

For more information on the Jackson Hole & Yellowstone Sustainable Destination Program, the Destination11 Certification Project, and how you can engage, go to: www.sustainabledestination.org/destination-certification or call Tim O’Donoghue of the Riverwind Foundation at (307) 690-3316.

HUMANS AS A VECTOR

By Teton Conservation District

If you’ve spent time enjoying nature, you’ve probably heard the saying “take only pictures and leave only footprints.” But what if our footprints are leaving something behind? Our shoes, clothing, and gear spread invasive species and diseases that can throw off our ecological web’s delicate balance. Here are some steps you can take to prevent diseases and invasive species from tagging along with you on your adventures.

White-nose syndrome White-nose syndrome (WNS), a disease caused by a fungus (Pseudogymnoascus destructans), is devastating North America’s bat population. Not all bats hibernate, but those that do are incredibly sensitive to disturbances. The extra energy they use when something wakes them up— like a human entering their cave or a fungus growing on their nose—is often enough to keep them from surviving winter. Since it was first identified in 2006, white-nose syndrome has spread through 33 states and by 2016 it had killed more than 6.7 million bats. The disease arrived in Wyoming last year, but hasn’t yet been confirmed in Teton County. Protecting our local bats now will buffer against the effects of whitenose syndrome, if, or when, it reaches our valley.

If you explore caves or mines, don’t be the vector for white-nose syndrome.

The disease is spread both by the movement of infected bats and by humans entering hibernacula—a place of hibernation—with contaminated shoes, clothing, and gear. After you go caving, submerge your clothing and other washable gear in hot water (>131°F) for at least 20 minutes. Some washing machines have a “sanitize” cycle that will maintain a high enough temperature. If you can’t submerge certain gear in hot water, such as a climbing rope, you should dedicate

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gear to be used at only one site.

Don’t forget to clean electronics with a disinfecting wipe too. You can find more detailed instructions for proper decontamination at www.whitenosesyndrome.org.

You can also reduce stress on local bats from your backyard by turning off outdoor lights at night and by installing bat houses this spring to provide habitat for bats as they come out of hibernation or return from their migrations.

Chytrid fungus Chytrid fungus (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis) lives in water and can lead to a disease called chytridiomycosis in amphibians.

Observed symptoms include lethargy, behavior changes, weight loss, and red splotching or sloughing of skin.

Ultimately, the disease can kill our cold-blooded friends by inhibiting their ability to breathe through their skin.

Chytrid fungus has been a suspected driver of major worldwide declines in amphibian populations, and even extinctions.

Individual amphibians can be tested for chytrid with a simple swab sample.

In 2017, Teton Conservation District staff tested boreal toads, boreal chorus frogs, and Columbia spotted frogs at four randomly selected sites in Teton County. Of the 26 toads and frogs swabbed, 14 individuals tested positive for chytrid. Across the state, nine of Wyoming’s twelve amphibian species have tested positive. The good news is that our Wyoming boreal toads have shown to be hardier against chytrid than their Colorado counterparts. Plains spadefoot, Great Basin spadefoot, and tiger salamander have not yet tested positive.

Chytrid fungus is invisible to the human eye, meaning we can spread it and

we’d never know it. The fungus can’t survive outside of water and sunlight kills it, so all you have to do to reduce the risk of spreading chytrid is dry out your boots and equipment in direct sunlight between trips to a wetland, lake, pond, creek or river. Take this into consideration especially when you’re moving from one watershed or drainage to another. Amphibians should never be moved from their habitat and it’s best to just avoid touching them all together.

TAKE THE TIME TO CLEAN SHOES, CLOTHES, GEAR, AND PETS AFTER EACH ADVENTURE. YOU MIGHT BE WHAT STANDS BETWEEN A NATIVE ECOSYSTEM AND AN UNWANTED INTRUDER. Terrestrial invasive species Unbeknownst to us, seeds often hitch a ride on our stuff. When we accidentally introduce a non-native plant into an environment where it doesn’t have natural predators, it has an unfair advantage over native plants and can take over. As stewards of our landscape, it’s our responsibility to clean our gear as we leave and enter recreation sites. You can commit to preventing the spread of invasive species by taking the “PlayCleanGo” pledge at playcleango.org.

PlayCleanGo reminds us that after playing in the outdoors, you should clean your gear thoroughly before you go.

Aquatic invasive species “A nasty aquatic invasive species to keep an eye for is New Zealand mud snail (Potamopyrgus antipodarum).

It’s a tiny (about the length of a grain of rice!) but very aggressive macroinvertebrate that was found in Fish Creek last year. It doesn’t have any natural predators here, so it has the potential to proliferate and push out native snails and insects that fish depend on for food. It can also live outside of water for up to 24 hours or on a damp surface for 50 days. This means they can survive between boat or fishing trips by hiding in a crevice in your boat or a fold in your waders.

Two recognizable invasive species that get caught on our gear all the time are cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum) and houndstongue (Cynoglossum officinale).

Cheatgrass, also known as downy brome, dries out in the early summer before most other grasses. When cheatgrass gets ahold of an arid hillside, it can alter fire regimes and restructure native plant communities that are critical forage for wildlife. Houndstongue is another weed that often hitches a ride on our stuff and is toxic to dogs, livestock, and wildlife. When you are picking these sticky seeds off of your shoes and pets, remember to throw them in the trash rather than on the ground so they don’t continue to propagate.

Another aquatic invasive that recently appeared in the valley is yellow flag iris (Iris pseudacorus). It’s a pretty flower that was introduced as an ornamental in people’s gardens and has now spread into the wild.

In addition to producing seeds, it propagates when parts of its rhizomes break off and take root elsewhere downstream. If you see yellow flag iris, report it to Teton County Weed and Pest and avoid walking through it so you don’t break off any rhizomes.

It’s also a good reminder that when planning a garden, plant native species. You can check out our website, www.tetonconservation.org to find a native plants list.

Our local Teton County Weed and Pest District is an excellent resource to learn more about problematic invasive species in our valley. Check out their website at www.tcweed.org.

A western (boreal) toad sampled for chytrid fungus. Note the non-powdered vinyl glove. Chemical residues from soap, lotions, or sunscreens are harmful to amphibians.

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SOLAR POWERING JACKSON

By Phil Cameron, Executive Director, Energy Conservation Works In December, Wyoming’s first shared solar array came online just south of Jackson at the Town’s wastewater treatment plant. The array is the largest in the state, twice the size of anything that came before it. It is the first virtually net-metered solar project in the state and is owned jointly by the Town of Jackson and Teton County, WY. It provides each partner with a share of the produced electricity based on their investment.

The goal of virtual net-metering is to make solar more accessible, particularly to those that would not have access due to living circumstances or cost. Residents simply buy into the off-site solar and receive a credit on their monthly electricity bill for the power their share generates, offsetting their own consumption.

It’s a case study for both the hard costs - the infrastructure - and the soft costs - agreements, partners, and financial aspects of this type of project in our state. Virtual net metering is a new concept and this will allow Lower Valley Energy to familiarize themselves with the technology.

ASK GREEN MATTERS Q: Why do I need to sort my recycling? When I visit other cities, I just throw everything in one big bin.

A: There are generally two different styles of recycling out there, single stream (putting everything into one bin) and source-separated (separating materials into different bins).

Many big cities across the United States have opted for single-stream recycling to aide in convenience for you at home. To turn a long recycling story into a short answer, single stream recycling creates very very dirty recycling, that currently has almost no market (if a recycling center can’t sell it, it’s probably being landfilled). Source-separate recycling, what we do here in Teton County, creates clean, uncontaminated materials that we are still able to sell and have recycled. We only accept high value recyclables here in Teton County, which is why you can’t put all plastics in our bins. Teton County ISWR would never accept a material to just turn around and landfill it - that costs us money!

ISWR collects very specific recyclables and you do a little extra work which creates an extremely successful recycling program - keep up the good work!

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The project’s completion highlights the unique partnership that makes up ECW - a joint powers board between the Town of Jackson, Teton County, and Lower Valley Energy. It was through this leadership that such a progressive project was able to succeed and it lays the foundation for future shared solar projects. $500,000 from each the Town and ECW SPET Funds, plus an additional $250,000 from the County combined for a total budget of $1.25 million. Creative Energies completed the the project under budget, allowing the addition of more cells. The estimated annual generation exceeds 750,000 kilowatt-hours, equivalent of switching 50 homes in Jackson to solar.

THE SITE’S RIBBON CUTTING IS PLANNED FOR JUNE 27TH. EMAIL INFO@ENERGYCONSERVATIONWORKS.ORG FOR MORE INFORMATION.

Q: I don’t like throwing away food waste. Are there any options to compost food scraps from my kitchen?

A: Haderlie Farms is now offering a home composting service called WyoFarm Composting. WyoFarm Composting collects food scraps from individuals and businesses and brings them to Haderlie Farms to become beneficial compost that helps grow nutrient dense food for animals and humans. To get started, area residents can schedule weekly compost pickups from their home, collected in a 5 gallon bucket supplied by the business. An added bonus - get a discount on the compost fee by ordering farm fresh food from Haderlie Farms delivered in conjunction with the compost pickup. www.wyocompost.com Q: Is food safe to eat after its “expiration date”?

A: Expiration dates have nothing to do with food safety and only loosely relate to quality. They’re the manufacturer’s best estimate of when the product is at its freshest or “peak quality.” Many foods will stay good to eat days, weeks, or even months after those dates, depending on the food type.

Except for infant formula, dates are not an indicator of the product’s safety and are not required to do so by federal law. Use your eyes and nose; for the most part, you can trust your senses to know when food has gone bad.

COME DRINK WITH US #REUSEWILDLY

By Jackson Hole Wildlife Safaris

Jackson Hole Wildlife Safaris hosts around 10,000 guests per year. Guests drink, on average, 1-3 bottles of water per day. If each of our guests stays in the Jackson area for 5 days on their visit and drinks an average of 2 bottles of water a day in their reusable water bottle provided during their trip, that amounts to 100,000 water bottles a year kept out of the landfill. From the inception of Jackson Hole Wildlife Safaris in 2007 we realized that cutting out disposable plastic bottles was something that we could do reduce the impact of our guests and our company on the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, and ever since then, we have been providing our guests with high quality reusable water bottles that they can keep at the end of their trip.

This discussion with our guests, about limiting the use of disposable plastic water bottles, can have a far-reaching impact if everyone takes that message to heart and makes it a priority.

#REUSEWILDLY | @JACKSONHOLESAFARI

We have always wondered where our souvenir water bottles go after leaving Jackson Hole and have heard from guests who still have their bottles years later. We are excited to announce our #ReuseWildly Instagram campaign to track the life of a Jackson Hole Wildlife Safaris water bottle.

Each bottle has #ReuseWildly @jacksonholesafaris printed on it so that guests can share the adventures of their water bottle on Instagram, whether it’s used at home or work, the backyard, or makes it to extravagant places around the world!

This is a fun campaign for us, but more importantly, we are encouraging each of our guests to contribute to sustainability long after they’ve left their vacation behind. Snap a picture of your bottle and post it to Instagram with the hashtag #ReUseWildly or look it up to see everyone’s adventures!

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SPRING & SUMMER EVENT CALENDAR 6 - 8PM

10:30AM - 12:00PM

MAY 14 | JUNE 11 | JULY 9 | AUG 13

MAY 25

REPAIR CAFE

OLD WEST The Repair Café is an open shop DAYS PARADE and tool share for community members to come to the Teton Habitat ReStore with projects, broken household items, and creativity to be fixed or completed.

Enjoy Mountain Men, vintage vehicles, covered wagons, and the legendary gathering of gunslingers of the West during one of the last and best horsedrawn parades of the Old West!

TETON HABITAT RESTORE HABITAT FOR HUMANITY

PARADE ROUTE AROUND DOWNTOWN JACKSON

8AM - 12PM

EVERY SATURDAY BEGINNING JULY 6

1 - 5PM

11AM - 6PM

4 - 7PM

MAY 29 - SEPT 18 EVERY WEDNESDAY

SLOW FOOD IN THE TETONS PEOPLE’S MARKET

SLOW FOOD FARM STAND

The People’s Market is a familyfriendly farmers market that offers locally and regionally produced food, delicious prepared meals and a variety of artisan goods. With live music and a festive atmosphere, it’s an ideal afternoon activity.

The Slow Food Farm Stand sources super-fresh, local, and regional produce sold on behalf of small-scale farmers. Find berries, peaches, fruits, greens, and all sorts of vegetables throughout the Summer and Fall.

SNOW KING PARKING LOT

JUNE 19

TETON FOOD TOUR

ALLIANCE ANNUAL MEETING

Every Saturday morning, the Farmer’s Market features fresh produce and music; until late September.

The Teton Food Tour is family friendly bike ride from R-Park to Teton Village. Riders make stops along the way to enjoy delicious bites and drinks from local restaurants under beautiful Teton views.

Anniversary version! Getting the gang back together with a board / staff / volunteer alumni party and storytelling. Come and bring your fellow Alliance people!

RENDEZVOUS PARK, WILSON

NEXT TO TWIGS IN THE MOVIEWORKS PLAZA

AUGUST 29

HOLE FOOD RESCUE’S 5TH ANNUAL MILLION Alliance Annual Meeting - 40th POUND PARTY

TOWN SQUARE FARMER’S MARKET

THE LAWN AT THE CENTER FOR THE ARTS

890 US-89

6 - 9PM

5 - 7PM

MAY 25

THURS & FRI | JUNE 2 - LATE SEPT

OLD WILSON SCHOOL HOUSE

Join HFR for a family friendly, community celebration of rescued food. Local chefs will compete for the best pork dish using Haderlie Farms pork and rescued produce. Adults $20, kids under 12 are free!

CENTER FOR THE ARTS