Extraterrestrial Recycling

This is obviously a great idea!

DARPA Building a Gigantic Space Net to Clean Up Space Junk in Space

http://gizmodo.com/5614110/ 

Check it out!

Public Hearing, Draft of the Solid Waste Master Plan, MassDEP

Today I attended the preliminary Public Hearing on the Draft of the Solid Waste Master Plan at the Mass Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). It is so motivating to hear the powerful women and men fighting for our state, our cities and towns, our environment, our public voice and to hear those who believe in the truth of REUSE, REDUCE, RECYCLE!

Below I have broken down what the draft focuses on, and what the advocates were suggesting as changes to the draft on record, during the hearing.

This is taken directly from the DRAFT - MASSACHUSETTS 2010-2020 SOLID WASTE MASTER PLAN, from JULY 1, 2010 titled "Pathway to Zero Waste"

Solid Waste Master Plan Focus

• Dramatically increase recycling and re-use and provide assistance to cities and towns;

• Maintain moratorium on additional municipal solid waste combustion (aka incinerators). Begin to develop new performance standards for existing waste-to-energy facilities that require higher recycling rates in waste collection areas, lower emissions of greenhouse gases and other pollutants, and higher efficiency in energy recapture;

• Seize green economic opportunities to build markets, jobs and firms in recycling, re-use, and related waste management efforts;

• Increase producer responsibility to reduce waste that needs to be recycled or disposed of by municipalities and eliminate products containing toxic chemicals from disposal; and

• Develop integrated solid waste management systems that minimize the amount of material that must ultimately be disposed of.

Major Issues With The Draft

Condensed and summarized from testimony of appx. 15 speakers from different organizations, governmental divisions, waste management companies, non-profit groups, advocacy groups, activists, volunteers etc.

• The time line. This draft proposes that we will be able to reduce annual solid waste disposal 30% by 2020, from 6,550,000 tons of disposal in 2008 to 4,550,000 tons of disposal in 2020. AND that by 2050, Massachusetts should reduce the amount of waste residents and businesses dispose of by 80%, and virtually eliminate products containing toxic chemicals from our disposal facilities.
This is too long, it's been proven from MANY other places in the commonwealth (Nantucket) and the country (CA) can reduce their waste to these numbers in under 5 years, so why do we need 50?

• The Title "Pathway to Zero Waste" was decidedly considered a poor title for this plan because the steps delineated did NOT suggest a way to get to an actual level of ZERO. The opposition felt that it should be called some other title that would accurately reflect the goals, OR to change the goals to make ZERO WASTE feasible.

• Success? Massachusetts had a previous Solid Waste Reduction Management Plan that the commonwealth did not come close to meeting its goals. The opposition wanted to know why there was not a specific section in the draft that said how this plan would be different in its ability to be successful.

• Loopholes! This draft contains several sections that allow for loopholes to occur - primarily with the wording for the section on municipal solid waste combustion (aka incinerators). The wording allows for alternate types of incinerators to be built and they are currently on the way in places like Taunton. We CANNOT allow for this draft to be finalized with wording that encourages loopholes!

You can Help fight this! Head over to MASSPIRG to read more on the Zero Waste Solution or to make a pledge now.

Here is the link to the MassDEP's site where you can see the draft for yourself, as well as updates, hearing times and contact information.
http://www.mass.gov/dep/recycle/priorities/dswmpu01.htm#swmp

DO YOUR PART AND: REUSE, REDUCE, RECYCLE!

Dave Matthews & Tailgate Recycling

This week I headed down to the Comcast Center in Mansfield with my sister Caroline and our friend to volunteer for the ‘So Much to Save’ recycling program for the BAMA GREEN PROJECT sponsored by Dave Matthews Band.

We were there to encourage fans to recycle their waste in the tailgate parking lots before the show. After they recycled their cans/bottles, we gave them a raffle ticket to enter a drawing to win a signed DMB poster.

This was such a positive experience, even though I was out in the baking sun, collecting heavy glass and plastic bottles (often soaking me in beer) into heavy duty trash bags (from underage drinkers who suspected that I was an undercover police officer). Next we'd weighing the collected materials. I personally, single-handedly collected over 100 lbs of recyclables from the parking lots. We collected several hundred pounds over the course of the evening, which is repeated AT EVERY DMB concert across the country.

Additionally, as part of the project, they teamed up with Filter for Good, partnering with Brita!
Over 2,000 water bottles were refilled at the Brita Hydration Hubs, while 3,400 people without water bottles used Brita compostable cups to quench their thirst without the waste of plastic water bottles!

DMB is doing a lot of Greening! See some of the ways that they are doing this:

• Dedicated Reverb on-site staffer to handle all greening and fan outreach logistics
• Biodiesel fuelings for touring fleet
  
• On-line carpooling service for concert goers
  
• Waste reduction and recycling backstage
  
• Non-toxic cleaners and post-consumer recycled bathroom tissue on tour buses
  
• Reusable water bottles for band and crew to reduce plastic bottle waste
  
• Biodegradable and compostable catering products, including potato and corn based utensils, bowls and cups
  
• Local and organic food backstage
  
• Eco-friendly merchandise
• Carbon offsets to neutralize all CO2 emissions from touring fleet, air travel, hotel accommodations, and venue energy use
  
• Working with the concert venues to help them be more green
  
• Inviting local non-profit groups to be a part of the Eco-Village at each show