To avoid single-use plastic cups that may go into a recycling bin, or may be tossed in a trash bin, some communities such as Port Townsend, WA, are now providing reusable and rentable stainless steel and pottery beverage cups at events like “Concerts on the Dock.”
Washable and reusable cups are available to event goers for a $5 deposit that is fully refunded when the cup is returned. The Main Street program in Port Townsend provides two options: stainless steel cups for beer and smaller pottery cups for wine sold at local events. Or customers can take their cups home and reuse them over and over again.
It’s a tiny part of the Zero Waste effort that is gaining momentum across the United States. “I hope local events in and around Las Cruces might follow suit and start providing similar opportunities to attendees to move away from one-time-use plastic cups and containers,” says Tarkeysha Burton, South Central Solid Waste Authority (SCSWA) recycling coordinator.
Across the country on the east coast, Hillsborough Township, NJ, is home to Duke Farms, a 1,000-acre estate focused on land stewardship and ecological and environmental sustainability.
Original buildings onsite, including the Farm Barn, have been repurposed and renovated to LEED Platinum Standards, the highest rating from the U.S. Green Building Council. The entire facility is powered by solar with more than 3,000 solar panels installed on the on 2.7 acres of ground – generating 100 percent of the electrical power used onsite. The purpose is to providing sustainability leadership and inspiration to thousands of visitors every year.
In the Café at Duke Farms, reusable hard plastic water bottles are available for $5 with a nearby “hydration station” to refill the bottles with filtered water. Based on the latest recycling numbers provided by www.banthebottle.net: Americans used about 50 billion plastic water bottles last year, but only recycled 23 percent. Translated into dollars that’s more than $1 billion worth of plastic that is landfilled each year. Environmentally it is far better to purchase a more expensive plastic bottle for refill and reuse – hopefully, over and over again.
Green Connections is submitted by the South Central Solid Waste Authority (SCSWA) managing solid waste, recyclables, and working to stop illegal dumping for residents and businesses throughout Doña Ana County. Contact the SCSWA at (575) 528-3800 or visit www.SCSWA.net.