2019 Go Green

WASTE NOT, WANT NOT? A DEEP DIVE INTO THE WONDERFUL, WACK Y WORLD OF ORGANIC WASTE DISPOSAL BY

K ATIE

V E NIT

•

PH OTO S

BY

A ND RE A

PAUL S E T H

MY HUSBAND PAUSED HALFWAY BET WEEN THE TRASHCAN AND KITCHEN SINK, CLUTCHING AN APPLE CORE. “Tell me again what I do with this?”

“Compost.” I pointed to the green compost bin, courtesy of our new trash haulers, Earthbound Environmental Solutions.

He paused. “Why is that better than the garbage disposal?”

“Climate change.”

He paused. He pauses a lot, which I take to mean he is thinking furiously. “Why?” Now it was my turn to pause. I didn’t know.

“I don’t know,” I said, adopting a steely gaze and donning my super researcher cape. Had I reading glasses, I would have equipped them dramatically.

He rolled his eyes, which I took to mean he was cheering internally like a kid at the space shuttle launch. “But I’m going to find out.”

This Epic Journey of Discovery led me to places I never thought to visit (e.g., the wastewater treatment plant) and questions I never thought to Google (e.g., why are farts flammable?) as I investigated the three most common options for apple core disposal in Eau Claire: landfill, garbage disposal, and compost.

OPTION 1: TRASH IT The first option to dispose of that apple core is to stick it in the trash. For Eau Claire, where I live, that means it would end up at Seven Mile Creek Landfill.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, organic materials (waste containing carbon and made from formerly living things such as food, paper, lawn scraps, and leaf bags) make up the majority of municipal solid waste.

Once in the landfill, organic waste decomposes quickly at first thanks to aerobic bacteria – bacteria that need oxygen. These bacteria take in carbon from organic waste and oxygen and release carbon dioxide.

However, as garbage is piled on garbage, oxygen runs out and decomposition slows. After a few weeks or months, the aerobic bacteria die and anaerobic bacteria move in like teenagers at a house party when parents leave town. Also like teenagers, anaerobic bacteria mostly produce methane, which will be emitted from the landfill for 50 years or more as they slowly eat through pizza and chips.

Both methane and carbon dioxide are greenhouse gases that trap heat, but methane is about 30 times more potent. According to the EPA, gas emitted from landfills are the third-largest human-caused source of methane emissions in the United States (natural gas and petroleum production, and agriculture are the first and second largest sources). Project Drawdown, a nonprofit organization that ranks ways to combat climate change based on effectiveness and cost, holds landfills accountable for 12 percent of the methane emitted worldwide.

Modern landfills like Seven Mile Creek mitigate that impact by collecting and burning methane to

EAU CL AIRE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PL ANT

JULY 24, 2019

28

VOLUMEONE.ORG/GREEN

generate electricity. The idea isn’t new.

Ancient Assyrians burned methane to heat their baths in the 10th century B.C.E. In the Victorian era, methane from city sewers powered street lights in Exeter, England. (Anyone who’s ever lit a match after a trip to the loo knows how flammable that stuff is – it would be a shame to waste it.)

When a landfill cell is filled and closed off, pipes are buried in the cell to collect gas and zoom it to a treatment facility to remove moisture, impurities, and other gases. Then they flare the methane to generate electricity to power operations at the landfill, evaporate leachate (“leachate” is fluid collected from the landfill and my favorite new word), and even provide power back to the grid.

Project Drawdown ranks collecting methane from landfills as number 58 in its list of solutions because landfills create so much methane and it can replace fossil fuels. However, it’s not a perfect system. Even the most state-of-the-art landfill cannot nab all the methane released; based on 2016 data submitted to the state Department of Natural Resources, Seven Mile collected somewhere between 45 and 80 percent of the methane generated.

It’s better than nothing, but that apple core could do better.

OPTION 2: FLUSH IT My husband already knew throwing the apple core in the garbage wasn’t the best idea. What he was really asking was why composting the apple core is better than putting it down the garbage disposal. That’s where my Epic Journey

“WE’RE TAKING A PROBLEM THAT HAS TO BE DEALT WITH – THE WASTEWATER – AND WE’RE USING IT TO IMPROVE THE RIVER. ... EVERYONE HERE WORKS REALLY HARD TO IMPROVE THE ENVIRONMENT.” -Ty Fadness, Chemist, City of Eau Claire

of Discovery took me next.

In most municipalities, household drains empty into the same outgoing sewer pipes; water from sinks, toilets, and showers all travel together to the wastewater plant. So if my husband had put the core down the garbage disposal, it would have mingled with poop, toilet paper, and microbeads from facial scrubs in the pipes. From there, cities handle the organic waste differently.

Let’s focus on Eau Claire.

Every day, Eau Claire’s wastewater treatment plant processes 7-8 million gallons of wastewater. Machinery removes rags, sand, and other inorganic trash from the wastewater, which goes to the landfill. As for organic waste, many cities either landfill or incinerate it, but Eau Claire turns it into energy.

Organic waste goes to a tank where it settles into three layers: grease on the top, organic waste on the bottom, and very murky water in the middle. The grease is vacuumed off and landfilled.

The water, which still has suspended waste particles and a lot of phosphorous and nitrogen dissolved in it, is sent back and forth through a series of “selec-

tor zones” (big, open-air tanks that are linked together) that activate bacteria to pull these elements out of the water.

One of the selector tanks that churns with brown frothy bubbles supersaturates the water with oxygen to put bacteria in hyperdrive. Ty Fadness, city chemist, said under natural conditions, it would take 30 days for bacteria to break down organic material, but because the water is so aerated, it only takes 12 hours.

“There are so many concentrated solids in the aeration tanks that if a person fell in, they would float,” he said.

“It’s the same density as the Dead Sea.” As they feed, bacteria pull carbon, phosphorus, and nitrogen from the water and store them as solids by using them to make more bacteria that clump together as they grow. Those clumps settle at the bottom with the rest of the solid waste. This layer, called sludge (official term), is sucked out to be thickened and digested.

Up until now, only a little greenhouse gas has been released because carbon has been captured by the bacteria rather than turned into carbon

EARTHBOUND ENVIRONMENTAL

WISCONSIN DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES

JULY 24, 2019

29

VOLUMEONE.ORG/GREEN

dioxide. However, now the sludge is sent to giant, million-gallon anaerobic digester tanks that look like squat silos. These tanks are heated to 95 degrees Fahrenheit for a few weeks as anaerobic bacteria break down the last of the waste. All that activity produces a lot of methane, but the tanks are covered so gas can’t escape.

It’s collected and burned to power the plant and heat the digesters.

Using large methane digesters like these to generate electricity sit at number 30 on Project Drawdown’s ranked list. Humans are the ultimate renewable resource; as long as we use toilets and put apple cores down the disposal, we’re going to have to deal with the end product. Might as well make it work for us.

That’s not the end of the line for the sludge. Every year, the city donates 9 million gallons of the stuff to a pool of 25 local farmers. It’s a potent fertilizer with concentrated amounts of phosphorus and nitrogen.

“It’s a good trade-off for us,” said Lane Berg, Eau Claire’s utilities manager. “We produce sludge and we have to get rid of it, and farmers provide us with that opportunity. It works out well for all of us.”

“There are so many great resources here,” Fadness said. “We want to make sure we put them back in the system and reuse them.”

As for the water that was separated from the solids, it’s filtered, bleached, then cleaned of the bleach, and pumped to the Chippewa River.

The treatment plant tests the water to make sure it’s safe. In one test, they take a bucket with processed water from the plant and another with river water and put minnows in each. Guess which bucket the minnows do better in.

(Hint: It’s the water that used to have

your poop in it).

“We’re actually improving the river water when we discharge into it,” Fadness said. “We work really hard towards our mission, which is to preserve all life around the Chippewa River for the natural wildlife and people in the Chippewa Valley and downstream.”

“We’re taking a problem that has to be dealt with – the wastewater – and we’re using it to improve the river,” Fadness said. “We’re taking the biosolids and creating a powerful fertilizer. Everyone here works really hard to improve the environment.”

OPTION 3: COMPOST IT Which brings us to the third option, the newfangled method that was befuddling my husband and me as we struggled to figure out what to put in our new green composting bin.

Composting, or using decaying organic matter to improve soil, has been around for thousands of years. It fell out of favor when artificial fertilizers were developed in the 20th century because buying fertilizer seemed easier than

making it from scratch. And it is. To be honest, I don’t have it in me to be a backyard composter. Nope, if my family is going to compost, we’re going to do it the lazy, First World way: pay someone else to do it for us. That someone else is Earthbound Environmental Solutions.

They pick up bagged organic waste in separate compostable bags, along with trash and recyclables. We put it all out for weekly curbside pickup. (You can also hire them to just pick up your compostables.)

Zacharious Pappas, owner of Earthbound, says it’s great that Seven Mile Creek Landfill generates electricity from the methane it collects but that methane is basically a product of laziness. “Food shouldn’t be going into the landfill,” he said. “Organic waste shouldn’t be going into the landfill.”

Project Drawdown ranks composting at number 60 on its list. Why? It goes back to bacteria. In the aerobic environment of a compost pile, bacteria make carbon dioxide, not methane.

But wait, you say, isn’t carbon dioxide also a greenhouse gas? That’s the one always on the news! Yes, but carbon dioxide produced through decomposition is a natural part of the carbon cycle.

Plants absorb carbon dioxide from the

JULY 24, 2019

air and use the carbon to grow. When they, or the animals that ate them, decompose in an aerobic environment, that carbon hooks up with oxygen and is released back into the atmosphere where it started. Aerobic decomposition is a net-zero operation.

The problem with the anaerobic decomposition of a landfill is that rather than sending that carbon back into the air as carbon dioxide, which plants will absorb and start the process over again, it produces an unnatural amount of methane, which plants can’t do anything with, and, as mentioned above, methane is a much more powerful greenhouse gas.

The key ingredient for aerobic decomposition is, of course, air. Earthbound adds a bulking agent to promote airflow and blows fans through the pile.

They also use a compost calculator to identify what type of material is going into the composter: green or brown waste, food scraps or leaf litter, nitrogen or carbon. The calculator creates a recipe to ensure the compost pile stays hot enough – 150 degrees F, even in winter – to support the aerobic bacteria. In summer, they water the pile to maintain 50 percent moisture.

“We don’t just have food sitting around and decomposing,” Pappas said.

30

VOLUMEONE.ORG/GREEN

“We promote microbial activity, so it’s actually microbes composting the material faster than it would if it were just sitting around. The bugs are working through the material at a faster pace, and the food just isn’t sitting there long enough to create methane.”

On top of that, much of the carbon is sequestered in the compost; it isn’t all emitted as carbon dioxide. The result is a potent natural fertilizer and a lower carbon footprint.

I reported my findings to my husband.

“Huh,” he said, which I took to mean, “This is very interesting; you should probably win a Pulitzer, hint hint, editors of Volume One.” As for me, I no longer view organic waste as trash. Now I see it as a tool that has the potential to help or hurt the climate. I’ll keep composting with Earthbound and will make an extra effort to put tissues and paper towels in the compost bin to keep as much organic material out of the landfill as possible.

But I’ll also stop giving my husband dirty looks for plunking an apple core down the garbage disposal.

The best thing we’re going to do is reduce our food waste – buying more intentionally so less of what we do buy goes bad. Project Drawdown ranks reducing food waste at number 3 on its list for combating climate change. In high-income countries, over a third of the food grown is never eaten. Being more intentional about food production and consumption is better for our pocketbooks, it will reduce emissions in the growing and decomposition processes, and my husband will have fewer vegetables taking up valuable cheese space in the fridge. Win. Win. Win.

9

2019

JULY 24, 2019

31

VOLUMEONE.ORG/GREEN

ZERO WASTE, ONE PROBLEM THE ZERO-WASTE LIFEST YLE FEELS IMPOSSIBLE. LOW-WASTE? NOW THAT’S A START.

BY

RE BEC C A

ME NNEC K E

•

PH OTO

BY

A ND RE A

PAUL S E T H

IN THE UNITED STATES, 30 TO 40% OF FOOD GOES TO WASTE, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

“It’s crazy, the amount of waste that we generate,” said Zacharious Pappas, the co-owner of Earthbound Environmental Solutions, a local waste management company.

Many individuals around the country have opted to follow a “zero-waste lifestyle,” or a way of life dedicated to eliminating any kind of waste. But, there’s one problem: it’s incredibly difficult to be zero-waste in a world where plastic and fossil fuels dominate nearly every aspect of life.

“The name ‘zero waste’ has me concerned,” said Marnie Keilholz, the owner and designer of House Blend Lighting and Design in Chippewa Falls.

“If it seems hard, people don’t do it.”

Rather than changing everything about their lifestyles, sustainability advocates around the Chippewa Valley shared one piece of advice: less is more.

Cutting back on waste is a step in the right direction.

“I’m practical,” said local hobby beekeeper Bill Korb. “I’m pragmatic. … Obviously I’m not advocating that we go back to the Stone Age and live the way our progenitors did. …

We can have the society that we have, and we can still have nice things, and we can still continue to advance. We just have to be responsible with the way that we do that.”

FOOD FIRST “I honestly encourage people to start with food,” Keilholz said. “When you’re feeling healthy, you want the environment to be healthy.”

One way to have less waste is to shop local. When it’s local food, it lasts longer, said Jen Hebert, a produce manager at Eau Claire’s Just Local Food Co-op. Thus, it ultimately leads to less waste.

Just Local Food Co-op in Eau Claire is just one option. They buy from 134 local farms within 100 miles of the store, said Nik Novak, a Just Local Food Co-op manager.

There are other ways to cut back on food waste, too.

Arthur Kneeland, the faculty advisor of the student sustainability organization GreenSense at UW-Stout, said he chooses groceries that likely no one else

STEVEN & ELLEN TERWILLIGER’S SOL AR-POWERED HOME IN EAU CL AIRE

ENERGY INITIATIVES

will want so they won’t go to waste.

“Since I am going to cook it in an hour, I know it will be good enough,” Kneeland said. “That way, the grocery store hopefully throws Sustainability doesn’t stop with food away less food.” waste; being sustainable also means conKnowing what to do with food waste sidering energy waste. The Terwilligers use solar panels to power their home is also critical, said Ellen Terwilliger, with the goal of an Eau Claire creating as much resident. The energy as they answer comes use. They also in the form of use a geothermal composting. system to heat Composttheir home to ing involves a eliminate fossil nitrogen and fuel or natural carbon element, gas use.

Terwilliger “The geothersaid. Sources of mal is basically nitrogen include tapping into the -Bill Korb kitchen waste fact that the Earth – if you go down and green clipeight feet below pings, and the ground here in northern Wisconsin – it’s carbons include dried materials and 55 degrees, and it stays 55 degrees yeardead leaves. Combine at a 2:1 nitrogen round,” said Steve Terwilliger, a professor to carbon ratio, turn it occasionally, and emeritus of art at UW-Eau Claire. “So, in about three months to a year, it will basically, during the winter, the house is be the perfect fertilizer for a garden. heated by the temperature of the Earth.”

For individuals who don’t have the And, it works more effectively, outdoor space to compost, Terwilliger Terwilliger said. “It’s very even,” he recommends Earthbound, which spesaid. “You don’t have that sort of blast cializes in compost collection. of warm and then cooling down, blast. It “It’s a movement; it’s not a serjust stays even temperature year round.” vice,” Pappas said. “It’s just a comJan Erdman and her family, plement to peoples’ lifestyle. People Menomonie residents, began their jourwant to be sustainable.” ney with renewable energy 45 years ago

“WE ONLY HAVE ONE EARTH. AND IT’S A BIG PLACE, BUT IT IS FINITE.”

JULY 24, 2019

32

VOLUMEONE.ORG/GREEN

when they used hand tools to build their first house in Tomah. In addition to their solar panels and Wind Power-brand wind turbine from the 1930s, they also drive an all-electric car, a 2013 Nissan Leaf.

Korb also drives all-electric in a Model 3 Tesla and has a home with solar panels. He said studies show electric vehicles, such as his Tesla, cost less money in the long run over gasoline-powered vehicles. They’re also more eco-friendly.

“Between my solar panels and the three hydro plants that are within 10 miles of my house, I’m guessing that my electric car is mostly running on renewable energy,” Korb said.

But living a low-waste lifestyle doesn’t have to mean investing in solar panels or installing geothermal heating. Lauren Becker, director of the Student Office of Sustainability at UW-Eau Claire, offered easy steps to cut back on waste: use bar soaps, use powder toothpaste, swap out for a compostable toothbrush, use cloth napkins, take advantage of natural light, use reusable water bottles, take shorter showers, wash clothes in cold water, bring reusable bags to the grocery store, compost, and – above all – reuse.

“We only have one Earth,” Korb said. “And it’s a big place, but it is finite. Sooner or later things are going to run out if we’re not careful about how we use them. And so it’s really important that we – every one of us – do what we can to make sure that this place is better when we leave it than it was when we got here.”

XCEL: CLEAN ENERGY HELPS HOLD DOWN RATES Xcel Energy is crediting its investment in “clean energy” for a recent agreement it reached with several consumer groups that would keep utility rates below 2018 levels through 2021. The proposal, which will be the subject of a July 25 hearing before the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin, was announced in May. “Under the agreement, typical residential electric bills will be approximately 5% less in 2020 and 1% less in 2021 compared to January 2018,” Xcel said in a media release. “Typical residential natural gas bills will be approximately 5% less in 2020 and 2021 compared to January 2018.

Business customers will see similar savings based on their rate class, usage characteristics, and type of service.” The proposal was reached through negotiations between Xcel and the Wisconsin Industrial Energy Group, RENEW Wisconsin, and the Citizens Utility Board. It still requires approval from the Public Service Commission, the state government agencies that regulates utilities. The savings were made possible in part by 2017 federal tax cuts that benefited Xcel. The utility company also announced earlier this year that it had reduced carbon emissions by 38% from 2005 levels and was aiming to deliver 100% carbon-free electricity by 2050. Steps toward that goal include closing as coal-fired power plants in the Upper Midwest by 2030. –Tom Giffey

FOCUS ON ENERGY A WIN FOR WISCONSIN Wisconsin’s statewide energy efficiency and renewable resource program, Focus on Energy, was recently identified as the most cost-effective initiative of its kind in the nation. A federal study conducted by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory compared programs in 41 states, and found that Wisconsin’s initiative only spent one cent on every kilowatthour saved. A third-party evaluator, Cadmus, also found that small-business participation in Focus on Energy increased by 46%, rural residential participation increased by 29%, and savings from heating and cooling technology nearly tripled between 2015 and 2018. “The ranking is a testament to the amazing people who work at Focus on Energy and who constantly look for ways to help Wisconsinites save energy and money, while also positively contributing to the state’s economy,” said Focus on Energy Program Director Erinn Monroe-Nye. “We knew we had a cost-effective program, but it’s nice to know we are leading the other states.”

Rebecca Valcq, chair of the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin, adds, “Focus on Energy has made Wisconsin a national leader in energy efficiency and we look forward to supporting its continued success.” Focus on Energy was formed in the early 2000s to promote in-state economic development, manage rising energy costs, and protect the environment. It is funded by utilities across the state. More information about the program and its history is available at focusonenergy.com and https://bit. ly/2Y9GcMK. –Lauren Fisher

UW-STOUT STAYS GREEN WHILE MOVING OUT Couches, futons, televisions, and more find new homes or get recycled at the end of the school year when Habitat for Humanity, Dunn County Solid Waste, and UW-Stout team up for the Spring Move Out in Menomonie. Members of the Student Athlete Advisory Council and the Sustainability Steering Committee staffed the event while the Menomonie Police Department promoted the event to landlords. Marketing was handled by the university’s sustainability office. “This year’s Spring Move Out was one of our best yet,” said Sarah Rykal, UW-Stout sustainability manager, who noted the event has been held for about a dozen years. “Our students were really thankful for a place to drop off items they no longer needed, and we were happy to be able to donate and recycle a number of them.” Items in good condition were donated to Habitat for Humanity for resale. The proceeds from these sales help the organization build homes for families in need. Computers, electronics, and scrap metal from the event will be recycled, and VCR tapes, DVDs, and CDs will be converted to energy. “This is a great thing to have for students,” Kelsea Goettl, a senior studying environmental science, said of Spring Move Out. “When students are leaving they don’t have a lot of time to drop their items off at different places. All the community participants are right here in one easy, accessible place. It’s a one-stop shop.” –Lauren Fisher JULY 24, 2019

33

VOLUMEONE.ORG/GREEN

E-CYCLE UNWANTED ELECTRONICS SURVEY FINDS MORE OF US ARE DOING IT, BUT MUCH E-WASTE REMAINS IN STORAGE

BY

W I S C O N S IN

D E PA RT ME N T

O F

N AT UR A L

RE S O URCE S

A SURVEY BY THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES confirmed that most Wisconsin residents are managing unwanted electronics responsibly, but many are still unsure how to recycle electronics or face other barriers to recycling old devices.

The report highlights how many electronics are in Wisconsin households as well as trends in consumer awareness and electronics recycling behavior. The survey, conducted last year, showed the number of unused electronics in Wisconsin households continues to grow and a large share of households are storing devices they no longer use.

Of the estimated 26.3 million devices in Wisconsin households, 9.3 million devices were not in use – about 22% of TVs, 30% of computers, and 50% of cellphones.

“Our household surveys have consistently shown that not knowing where or how to recycle electronics is a significant barrier to someone successfully recycling,” says Sarah Murray, E-Cycle Wisconsin coordinator for the DNR. “Now is good time to look for options, since more collection events are hosted in the spring and summer. Our list of collection sites gets updated as sites provide dates of events.”

In Eau Claire County, the next electronics disposal event is Saturday, Sept. 14, from 8am to 1pm at First Choice Computer Recycling, 525 Park Ridge Court, Eau Claire. Discounted rates will be offered at the event for Eau Claire County and City of Eau Claire residents.

Murray says the DNR has conducted five statewide household recycling surveys since 2010, when Wisconsin’s electronics recycling law took effect. The law included a disposal ban for certain types of electronics and established E-Cycle Wisconsin, a manufacturerfunded program administered by the DNR that helps support a statewide network of electronics collectors and recyclers. As of 2019, households and schools have recycled nearly 300 million pounds of electronics through E-Cycle Wisconsin.

In the 2018 survey, among households that had a device they no longer wanted, the most common action was to put it in storage. About two-thirds had stored unwanted cellphones and computers and about half had

O T C

g w n c t I t c s h E stored unwanted TVs during the previous 12 months.

Nearly all households that did not store an unwanted device opted to recycle or reuse it. Only a small percentage reported putting a cellphone (2%), computer (3%) or TV (4%) in the trash.

The most common reason respondents cited for being unable to recycle a device was not knowing where or how to do so. About one-third of respondents overall said they did not know where to recycle electronics.

Respondents also cited cost as a key barrier to recycling electronics. While many collection sites still take some items for free, most charge a fee to recycle some items, including TVs and monitors.

“Responsible electronics recycling has a cost,“ Murray says. “Recyclers must properly manage the hazardous materials and lithium-ion batteries found in many electronics, and protect data security. Manufacturer funding covers some of that cost, but consumer fees help make up the difference as well as cover collection and transportation costs.“ To help address the issue of cost and lack of convenient collection sites in some areas, the DNR launched an online list of free manufacturer mail-back programs in January. The mail-back program information is part of the interactive E-Cycle Wisconsin collection sites list, which allows residents to map nearby collection sites or look up locations by county.

“OUR HOUSEHOLD SURVEYS HAVE CONSISTENTLY SHOWN THAT NOT KNOWING WHERE OR HOW TO RECYCLE ELECTRONICS IS A SIGNIFICANT BARRIER TO SOMEONE SUCCESSFULLY RECYCLING.” -Sarah Murray, E-Cycle Wisconsin coordinator for the Wisconsin DNR “The DNR will continue to look for ways to work with communities, share recycling information, and support responsible recycling,” Murray says. “We’ve had many program successes and will continue to address barriers and challenges to recycling.”

The list and the full 2018 statewide household survey on electronics recycling can be accessed through the DNR website at dnr.wi.gov, search “Ecycle.“

s

c i t y n e – T y C

M

H b t s o

w c t t a w p g a

m ( p c o b s o d b l b H n JULY 24, 2019

34

VOLUMEONE.ORG/GREEN

A SHIFT IN GLOBAL MARKETS HAS MADE IT HARDER AND COSTLIER TO RECYCLE IN THE CHIPPEWA VALLEY BY

TO M

GIF F E Y

OVER THE YEARS, RECYCLING HAS GOTTEN EASIER FOR MOST OF US IN WISCONSIN. Gone are the days of sorting glass by color, of bundling newspapers with twine, of carefully crushing aluminum cans and toting them to a recycling center to be weighed. Curbside collection has made recycling a no-brainer: If a material looks recyclable, we just toss it in the bin for our trash hauler to collect. This single stream process is simple and gives us the warm glow of having done something good for Mother Earth. Could it be any easier?

No, it couldn’t. In fact, recycling should probably be harder.

A combination of consumer complacency, misinformation, and a changing international marketplace mean that the presumably recyclable materials you set on the curb on trash day may not be getting recycled at all. They may end up making a costly trip to a landfill – just like all your non-recyclable trash.

The reasons are literally as close are your own kitchen and as far away as China.

MEET THE MRF “This is a nationwide issue,” said Heidi Boxx, co-owner of Eau Clairebased Boxx Sanitation. “We tried so hard to make recycling easier for people. We said, ‘Put it all in the same container, err on the side of thinking it’s recyclable.’ ” Over time, this attitude has led to what those in the industry call “wish-cycling” – putting non-recyclable items in the recycling bin based on the assumption that they can be recycled. If No. 1 and 2 plastics can be recycled, we figure, why not those labeled No. 6? Why not plastic shopping bags? What about that greasy pizza box? It’s cardboard, after all!

The trouble is that these items – and many others – aren’t actually recyclable (or at least not at the curbside). Yet we put them in our recycling bins, whose contents get mixed in with the contents of everyone else’s bins. All this wouldbe recycling is loaded onto a truck and sent to a materials recovery facility, or MRF. There, loads of recycling are dumped onto conveyor belts and sorted by humans and machines, some of the latter using lasers that can differentiate between different kinds of materials.

Human sorters try to remove contaminants, which can cause machinery to

MICHAEL BARERA / CREATIVE COMMONS 4.0

h

REJECTED RECYCLING

A MATERIALS RECOVERY FACILIT Y IN MICHIGAN grind to a halt.

Plastic bags and film are especially problematic, said Jamie Pappas, coowner of Earthbound Environmental Solutions in Eau Claire. Such plastics are recyclable in Eau Claire County, but not at the curbside: Instead, consumers should set these aside and drop them off at stores, such as supermarkets, that accept them. “Many times our supporters go above and beyond when it comes to waste separation, but there is still a long path ahead of us,” said Pappas, whose company offers curbside trash, recycling, and compost collection. “We continue to see non-recyclable items in the recycling waste stream so we continue to educate folks so they make the right choice.”

recyclables. Motivated in part by a desire to better recycle its own trash and partly by the increasing levels of contamination in those loads of foreign recycling, China banned 24 kinds of foreign waste and tightened contamination limits to 0.5 percent, according to a Public Radio International report.

And this is where Americans’ cavalier attitude toward curbside recycling comes in. All that “wish-cycling” means we’re throwing lots of trash into our recycling bins, and if it isn’t weeded out by workers or machines at the MRFs it’s being bundled up with actual recyclables.

As a Waste Management official told Waste Dive, an industry publication, last year, materials coming into MRFs may be 15% to 25% contaminated. If a load of recycling is too contaminated, the MRF can’t handle it, a waste hauler must pay to have it disposed of in a landfill – a cost that may be passed on to consumers.

Furthermore, in the past trash haulers were more likely to be paid for the materials they recycled, which meant that recycling was actually a moneymaker for them. However, as overseas markets have dried up, now they are more likely to have to pay the MRF to take it off their hands. These prices have risen, too: A couple of years ago, Boxx Sanitation was paying $5 or $10 per ton of recycling. By last month, the fee had risen to $85 per ton.

“It’s classic economics – supply and demand,” Heidi Boxx said. “If we have an overabundance of newspaper to recycle … they’re not going to pay as much as they did before to take your newspaper.”

THE SWORD FALLS Once recyclable materials are sorted and baled, they are shipped from the MRF to another processor who might, for example, turn all those plastic bottles into picnic tables.

Until a couple of years ago, many of the processors receiving America’s recyclables were overseas, primarily in China. Shipping containers that arrived at U.S. ports full of Chinese-made good were returned to the Far East full of bales of recycled plastic.

But, beginning on Jan. 1, 2018, the Chinese government enacted a new policy – dubbed “National Sword” – that severely restricted the importing of JULY 24, 2019

35

VOLUMEONE.ORG/GREEN

WHEN IN DOUBT ...

So what can be done? Considering that recycling is a national and global issue, we can hope that investment in America’s recycling infrastructure will increase – and, reportedly, that’s already happening. Closer to home, Boxx offers an oft-repeated bit of advice: “When in doubt, throw it out.” That non-recyclable item you put in your bin could end up gumming up the machinery at an MRF or tainting a large load of recyclables, causing all of them to be buried into a landfill.

Boxx also hopes that Americans focus on reducing the among of trash we produce. She points to efforts to eliminate single-use plastic items, such as drinking straws. “I think people want to do the right thing,” Boxx said of our recycling habits. “They want to recycle, they want to contribute to that cause.” The key is doing it the right way.

“Misunderstanding and overall consumption are the two biggest challenges that we face,” agreed Pappas of Earthbound Environmental. “The rate at which we consume resources to create such waste is alarming, and then on top of that a significant amount of this waste ends up in the landfill due to not being disposed of properly. Consumers making conscious decisions about the products they are purchasing is a significant step to helping this issue.”

SO WHAT CAN BE RECYCLED? Want to know what you can recycle?

The best place to start is with your county recycling program. In Eau Claire County, go to www.co.eau-claire.wi.us and type “Recycling” into the search bar. There, you’ll find a recycling guide listing materials that can – and cannot – be recycled, as well as information on annual Clean Sweep events, electronics recycling, and more.

Because recycling guidelines may vary from trash hauler to trash hauler, you may also direct questions to the private company that picks up your trash. In the Eau Claire area, private trash haulers include Advanced Disposal, Boxx Sanitation, Earthbound Environmental Services, and Waste Management.

JULY 24, 2019

36

VOLUMEONE.ORG/GREEN

GO GREEN AND KEEP GOING! EVENTS, GROUPS, PROJECTS, PROGRAMS, AND BUILDERS KEEPING THE VALLEY SUSTAINABLE

HAZARDOUS WASTE PICKUP EAU CLAIRE COUNTY RESIDENTIAL CLEAN SWEEP & Sep. 14, 8am-noon • WRR En-

vironmental Services, 5200 Ryder Road, about 1/4 mile south of Interstate 94, Eau Claire • co.eau-claire.wi.us Clean Sweep is a program sponsored by Eau Claire County for the safe disposal of hazardous household wastes generated in resident’s homes. Consult their website to determine which items are taken for free, and which have fees.

CHIPPEWA COUNTY HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE CLEAN SWEEP Oct. 26,

8am-noon • Northern Wisconsin State Fairgrounds, 306 Jefferson Ave., Chippewa Falls • (715) 726-7999 • co.chippewa.wi.us Chippewa County is making it easy for residents to get rid of household hazardous waste. See contact info for the full list of items you may or may not bring.

COMMUNITY GARDENS CHIPPEWA COUNTY COMMUNITY GARDENS • (715) 726-7950, ext. 5 • fyi.uwex.

edu Presented by Chippewa Falls Parks, Recreation, and Forestry and University of Wisconsin – Extension Chippewa County. Bloomer, Chippewa Falls, and New Auburn each provide unique gardening experiences for the garden enthusiast. See contact info for details.

DEMMLER COMMUNITY GARDEN • lau-

rajlash@gmail.com • thirdward.org A communal garden is also available to those who wish to garden but will not be renting a plot. All plot holders are greatly encouraged to (and many do) donate some of their produce to the hungry at the Community Table.

FOREST STREET COMMUNITY GARDEN • (715) 495-2451 • eauclairecommuni-

tygarden@gmail.com • eauclairecommunitygardens.com Featuring shared and individual garden plot options.

Sixty gardeners garden together and put in volunteer hours in the shared plot. There are 50 rental plots in the individual garden. Shared garden: $20 for individuals or $30 for a family. Individual garden plots: $35 single plots, $60 double plots. Extra produce is regularly donated to the Community Table.

JEFFERS ROAD COMMUNITY GARDEN • ela-

saive@gmail.com • http://eauclaire.uwex. edu/horticulture-2/community-gardens/ The Eau Claire County extension office offers garden plots for rent plus a small 8’x12’ greenhouse for seedlings in the spring and to extend the growing season with cold crops in the fall. Garden plots measure 20’x45’ and will cost $35 per plot. Greenhouse space available for up to 20 individuals. Visit online for the full details.

KIDS GARDENS: NORTH RIVERFRONTS NEIGHBORHOOD PARK & MCDONOUGH PARK • (715) 839-4712 • eauclairecom-

munitygardens.com The County Extension office sponsors a free kids’ garden for all school-aged children during the summer months. Community Youth

co • startsomewhere.co/home.html Dedicated to lowering heating costs using solar thermal, waste oil heaters, and biomass pellets. CVAE services include Solar PV sales, design, accessories and installation, solar site assessments; used-oil heater parts, repair, troubleshooting, rebuilds and accessories; pellet mill sales, accessories and more.

Gardens are located at McDonough Park and North River Front Park. This program has many partners such as the SNAP Educators (formerly known as Wisconsin Nutrition Educators), Master Gardener Volunteers, local greenhouses, and local youth organizations.

LAKESHORE PARK COMMUNITY GARDEN •

(715) 833-0550 • hsmiar@yahoo.com • eauclairecommunitygardens.com Located near the pavilion, 14-16 15’x15’ plots are available and cost $25 (reduced rates available for low-income individuals and families). Water hookup and hoses available. Lakeshore Park Garden is operated by the Historic Randall Park Neighborhood Association. Plot renters are encouraged to donate some of their produce to the Community Table.

ENERGY CONCEPTS 2349 Willis Miller Dr.,

Hudson • (715) 381-9977 • energyconcepts. us Energy Concepts provides turn-key commercial and residential solutions for all your renewable energy project needs—including wind, solar and highefficiency Garn wood-burning boilers.

HERITAGE BUILDERS N6160 370th St.,

MENOMONIE COMMUNITY GARDEN located just South of Phelan Park on 9th St. (County Rd Y), Menomonie • (715) 2321328 • MenomonieCommunityGardens. com The 2 acre garden is subdivided into plots of 25’x20’ or 500 square feet. A full plot rents for $30 and half plot $15.

Street south of South Middle School, Eau Claire • southsidegardenec@gmail.com • eauclairecommunitygardens.com This garden features at least 24 plots. Plots are 10’x20’ for $25 or 20’x20’ $35. Water onsite with hoses to share. Garden will be enclosed with a nine foot deer fence.

• nextenergysolution.com/about/ Next Energy Solution was created with the belief that simple and affordable energy solutions should be obtainable for everyone.

Expanding on this fundamental belief, they now feature an innovative way to offer solar energy to everyone and all clients. Now featuring the patented NES modular grid design system.

eauclairewi.gov/parks Neighborhood associations or groups interested in starting a community garden in Eau Claire can contact Eau Claire Parks and Recreation.

NEXT STEP ENERGY SYSTEMS 612 Wagner

St., Eau Claire • (715) 830-9337 • nextstepenergy.com A full service installer of renewable energy, high efficiency radiant heating systems and more recently urban design. Specializes in consultation, creative design and installation of solar electric, solar thermal and unique heating systems. They have provided service for over thirty years to the greater Chippewa Valley region of Western Wisconsin.

GREEN BUILDING ADG: ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN GROUP 800

Wisconsin St. (Banbury Place Bld D4, Suite 202), Eau Claire • (715) 832-4848, (715) 832-4850 • adg-architects.com With over 20 years of experience, Architectural Design Group (ADG) has grown to become a leader in architectural and sustainable design. Theirstudios specialize in business, energy & technology, government & public safety, health & wellness, learning, living, and spiritual facilities.

RED CEDAR STEEL 4621 Domain Drive,

Menomonie • (715) 235-0618 • redcedarsteel.com/project/solar Red Cedar Steel does solar power assessments as well as installations across the Midwest.

SDS ARCHITECTS 7 S. Dewey Street, Eau

Claire • (715) 832-1605 • info@sdsarch. com • sdsarch.com This LEED-certified architectural firm specializes in higher education, K-12 education, industrial, commercial, community, religious, health care, and government projects, while focusing on energy conservation and sustainable design.

BADGER STATE INC. 2507 Fortune Drive,

Eau Claire • (715) 874-7777 • info@badgerstateinc.com • badgerstateinc.com/ index.php This plumbing and heating contractor now offers residential and commercial solar water heating.

BUBBLING SPRINGS SOLAR 408 Red

Cedar St. #5, Menomonie • (715) 2311885 • bss@wwt.net This family owned Menomonie business offers solar thermal collectors for hot water.

SPACEGROWER Menomonie • (715)

231-6174 • info@spacegrower.com • spacegrower.com Provides interior and architectural green design services.

Interior services include furniture, recommendations, lighting, and layout.

Architectural services include drawing,

CHIPPEWA VALLEY ALTERNATIVE ENERGY • (866) 460-8656 • info@startsomewhere.

JULY 24, 2019

WRR ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES 5200

NEXT ENERGY SOLUTIONS • (715) 416-3022

WANT TO START YOUR OWN EAU CLAIRE COMMUNITY GARDEN? • (715) 839-5032 •

37

WATER SOURCE HEATING & COOLING 3650

JIM ERDMAN • (715) 235-8941 • jiminwis@

Claire • (715) 832-5680 • info@mepassociates.com • mepassociates.com This consulting firm specializes in designing sustainable mechanical, electrical, plumbing, medical gas, and geothermal systems.

SOUTH SIDE COMMUNITY GARDEN On Hester

Street (P.O. Box 44), Chippewa Falls • (715) 723-6777 // (866) 944-6777 • contact@tiryengineering.com • tiryengineering.com Among other services, Tiry Engineering provide clients with conservation designs that take the environment into careful consideration.

Services include dams, erosion control, water supply, wetland delineation and restoration, air dispersion modeling, and anaerobic digestion services.

Greenway Street, Eau Claire • (715) 8339001 • watersourcegeothermal.com Services include geothermal heat pumps, radiant floor heating, solar PV systems, geothermal loop systems, and ductwork, air filters, and humidifiers.

MEP ASSOCIATES 2720 Arbor Court, Eau

com Get involved with the Phoenix Park community garden on Forest St. by networking with Andrew Werthmann.

TIRY ENGINEERING 220 1/2 North Bridge

Menomonie • (715) 235-7910 • info@heritagebuildersmenomonie.com • heritagebuildersmenomonie.com This home repair, remodel, and builder from Menomonie is dedicated to making homes more energy efficient. They also do drywall art. yahoo.com A certified site assessor, Jim will survey your property to find out if wind or solar energy systems could work.

PHOENIX PARK COMMUNITY GARDENS • (715) 495-2451 • andwerth@gmail.

modeling, site layout, space programming, design, documentation, sustainable material research, and more.

VOLUMEONE.ORG/GREEN

Ryder Road, Eau Claire • 800-727-8760 • wrrstaff@wrres.com • wrres.com Serving the community and the environment with services including solvent recycling, fuel blending, wastewater treatment, hazardous waste collection, hazardous material spill response, site remediation, chemical processing and more.

GREEN ENERGY EAU CLAIRE ENERGY COOPERATIVE • ecec.

com A locally operated, energy efficient, member owned cooperative. Provides renewable energy in the form of solar, wind, and geothermal to its members.

ENERGY AUDITS • xcelenergy.com Xcel

Energy offers a Community Conservation Program in which small businesses and area residents can audit buildings to check heating, air conditioning, lighting, windows, doors, and air filtration for energy efficiency.

FOCUS ON ENERGY • 800-762-7077 •

Focusinfo@focusonenergy.com • FocusOnEnergy.com Works with eligible Wisconsin residents and businesses to install cost effective energy efficiency and renewable energy projects. Its efforts help Wisconsin residents and businesses manage rising energy costs, promote in-state economic development, protect the environment and control the state’s growing demand for electricity and natural gas.

GREEN INTEREST GROUPS CHIPPEWA VALLEY TRANSIT ALLIANCE (CVTA) • (715) 835-4835 • chippewa-

valleytransitalliance@gmail.com • facebook.com/chippewavalleytransitalliance CVTA is a united voice for transit riders, bicyclists, and pedestrians in Eau Claire and neighboring counties of West Central Wisconsin. Meets monthly.

Check Facebook for more.

JULY 24, 2019

38

VOLUMEONE.ORG/GREEN

CITIZENS CLIMATE LOBBY - EAU CLAIRE CHAPTER • (715) 829-8620 • eauclaire@

citizensclimatelobby.org • citizensclimatelobby.org A non-profit, grassroots advocacy organization focused on national policies to address climate change. Trains and supports volunteers to reclaim their democracy and engage elected officials and the media to generate the political will for solutions that will stabilize the Earth’s climate. Check Facebook for schedule.

CLEAN WISCONSIN • (608) 251-7020 •

info@cleanwisconsin.org • cleanwisconsin.org Clean Wisconsin protects Wisconsin’s clean water and air and advocates for clean energy by being an effective voice in the state legislature and by holding elected officials and polluters accountable. Find Clean Wisconsin on Facebook.

EAU CLAIRE AREA MASTER GARDENERS ASSOCIATION • (715) 839-4712 • Erin.

LaFaive@co.eau-claire.wi.us • eauclairemastergardeners.weebly.com This UW Extension volunteer group provides horticultural education, community service and environmental stewardship. The Eau Claire Master Gardeners community invites you to join its efforts to educate and beautify the area. They organize several events, seminars, plant sales, garden tours, and manage public gardens for all to experience.

EAU CLAIRE CLIMATE ACTION NOW (CAN) • (612) 220-1970 • eauclairecan@gmail.

com • facebook.com/EauClaireClimateActionNowcan CAN’s mission is to organize to fight climate change through education, advocacy, and bold proposals that sharply reduce fossil fuel extraction and emissions by fostering a clean energy economy and creating sustainable communities. CAN takes on the moral responsibility to use their collective power to influence the city, county, state, nation, and world to respond appropriately and end climate change.

EAU CLAIRE GARDEN CLUB • facebook.

com/ecgardenclub The objectives of the Club are to educate members in all phases of gardening and to promote the enjoyment of gardening among its members and other people in the community Organizes plant sales, garden tours, guest speakers, and more.

GREENSENSE • studentorgs.uwstout.

edu/org/greensense GreenSense is UWStout’s student environmental organization since 1990. GreenSense cleans up Galloway Creek, participates in an Adopt-a-Highway program, cleans up

SUSTAINABLE DUNN • sustainabledunn.

the campus, and manages annual events at UW-Stout including RecycleMania, Earth Week events, a film festival, and they sponsor environmental speakers.

org This grassroots organization is devoted to promoting decisions that meet the needs of the present without compromising the needs of future generations. Monthly programs are held covering a variety of sustainability topics. Its website includes “green” news, a discussion group, and more.

JOINING OUR NEIGHBORS, ADVANCING HOPE (JONAH): ENVIRONMENTAL TASK FORCE • jonahjustice.org JONAH’s

Environmental Task Force aims to live together in a mutually sustaining relationship with the Earth so the integrity for all is preserved and honored.

They educate and inspire others to get involved in preserving our quality of life in the Chippewa Valley.

TAINTER MENOMIN LAKE IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION, INC. • rverdon@att.net •

tmlia.org Atively engaged in activities to promote Tainter Lake and Lake Menomin, along with those bodies of water which are immediate to the lake, namely the Red Cedar River and the Hay River. Their aim is to support the protection and improvement of Lake Menomin and Tainter Lake waters by providing educational information on water quality and environmental issues affecting these bodies of water and their corresponding watersheds.

LOWER CHIPPEWA RIVER ALLIANCE (LCRA) •

(715) 835-4829 • ellewolf1@hotmail.com • Find the LCRA online HERE Supports the conservation, preservation and stewardship of the Lower Chippewa River and Lower Chippewa River Basin extending from the Dells dam in the City of Eau Claire to the Mississippi River. LCRA organizes two educational open-car train rides into the Tiffany Bottoms each year, the proceeds from which are donated to prairie and oak savanna restoration, invasive species eradication, and scientific research projects.

UW-STOUT SUSTAINABILITY OFFICE • (715)

232-5254 • rykals@uwstout.edu • uwstout. edu/sustainability/ Fosters a community of sustainability at UW-Stout. Coordinates the campus’s sustainability priorities &initiatives, works with local, regional, and national organizations, and promotes UW-Stouts efforts in the area of sustainability. Oversees the UW-Sprout campus garden, CSA market garden, and Volunteers for Veggies program. Makes weekly donations to the Stepping Stones pantry.

THE PRAIRIE ENTHUSIASTS: CHIPPEWA SAVANNAS CHAPTER • stahland@centu-

rytel.net • www.theprairieenthusiasts. org A chapter of The Prairie Enthusiasts, a non-profit grassroots conservation organization. Works throughout Dunn, Eau Claire, and Pepin counties, to restore remnants of prairie ecosystems still remaining in the Chippewa Valley that have not already been lost to development or habitat degradation.

THE UWEC CONSERVATIONISTS CLUB •

uwec.c.club@gmail.com • facebook.com/ uwec.c.club The purpose of The Conservationists is to strengthen ecological awareness and environmental ethics in the community and campus. The primary goal is to work with the community and university in restoration, conservation, and management efforts.

RIVER COUNTRY RC&D • (715) 579-5229

• Info@RiverCountryRCD.org • Find it on Facebook Known for collaboration and grassroots efforts among private citizens, land-owners, government agencies and businesses. They work with land-owners to cut through red tape and implement programs that improve land-use, foster resource development, and enhance habitat value and beauty of the region.

UWEC STUDENT OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY • (715) 836-4646 • sos@uwec.edu •

uwec.edu A Student Senate commission responsible for allocation of the UWEC “green fund” to make UWEC a more sustainable campus. Funds projects, programs, and events addressing the various sustainability areas of transportation, energy, waste, climate change, water, food systems, campus ecology, education, and outreach.

SIERRA CLUB - CHIPPEWA VALLEY GROUP • (608) 256-0565 • john.muir.chapter@si-

UWEC WATERSHED INSTITUTE FOR COLLABORATIVE ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES •

(715) 836-4175 • watershed@uwec.edu • uwec.edu/watershed/index.htm Its core goal is for UWEC students to develop an increased environmental awareness, vital ecological literacy, a commitment to conservation and sustainability, and a respectful, appreciative, and ethically intentional relationship between human society and the natural world in the Lower Chippewa River Watershed and beyond.

WISCONSIN BIKE FED • info@wisconsin-

bikefed.org • wisconsinbikefed.org The Wisconsin Bike Fed, celebrating 27 years of bicycle advocacy in 2015, is a statewide organization representing thousands of members across Wisconsin and has staff based in Eau Claire.

Its mission is to inspire, motivate, and unite a strong community of civic, business and political leaders, motorists and bicyclists to move bicycling forward in Wisconsin.

WISCONSIN GREEN BUILDING ALLIANCE •

(414) 224-9422 • info@wgba.org • usgbc. org/usgbc-wisconsin This organization’s mission is to promote ecologically sustainable development practices and provides resources such as an annual conference, educational forums and site visits to demonstration projects.

WISCONSIN LEAGUE OF CONSERVATION VOTERS - EAU CLAIRE • (715) 225-3344 •

info@conservationvoters.org • conservationvoters.org A nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to electing conservation leaders, holding decision makers accountable and encouraging lawmakers to champion conservation policies that effectively protect Wisconsin’s public health and natural resources.

WISCONSIN NETWORK FOR PEACE AND JUSTICE • (608) 250-9240 • info@wnpj.

org • wnpj.org Founded in 1991 as a coalition of activist groups and citizens of conscience within Wisconsin.

WNPJ facilitates activities, cooperation and communication among Wisconsin organizations and individuals working toward the creation of a sustainable world.

erraclub.org • Find it on Facebook This is a local chapter of the international environmental group based in San Francisco. Programs include slide presentations of trips, talks about environmental issues, guest speakers & seminars, and suggestions & campaigns for action.

FIRST CHOICE PROVIDES ELECTRONIC DATA DESTRUCTION SOLUTIONS TO BUSINESSES, INSTITUTIONS AND THE PUBLIC

525 PARK RIDGE CT, EAU CLAIRE

JULY 24, 2019

39

VOLUMEONE.ORG/GREEN