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Summer 2009
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Vol 2, Issue 2
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Recycling
E-News
Recycling Information from Waukesha County
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Top Four Tips for an Eco-Friendly Picnic
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 It is that time of year! As you plan for fireworks and other events with food out-doors, keep in mind these easy tips to make your picnic low-impact on the surrounding environment.
1. Reduce. Use reusable plates, cups, and cutlery to reduce how much stuff needs to be thrown away at the end of the day.
2. Recycle. Make sure to recycle all bottles and cans when in public areas. Can't find a bin? Give the municipality in charge of the park a call and let them know you would like to see recycling at your parks!
3. Rot. Instead of throwing valuable fruit and veggie scraps in the garbage, where they will create methane in a landfill, compost them to make a great soil amendment for gardens and shrubs! Learn how at one of our compost demonstration sites or on our website.
4. Rebuy. Purchase paper products with a high percentage of post-consumer recycled content. This keeps the recycle cycle going and "closes the loop". The Natural Resource Defense Council recently completed a report that lists which brands have the most recycled content and it is available online.
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Grass-cycling made easy
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 Grasscycling is the easiest way to feed your lawn the vital nutrients it needs to grow strong and healthy. Simply let cut grass clippings lie on the lawn where they are cut. Grasscycling is great for you and your grass because
- it reduces the need for pesticides because the nutrients from the grass clippings nourish the soil.
- it reduces yard waste by 20 to 40% and sometimes even more!
- it reduces the need for fertilizer. Research shows that when you leave grass clippings on the lawn, you need as much as one third less fertilizer.
- it reduces the need for water.
Waukesha County does not have a yard debris disposal program for residents, though some municipalities do. Whether your municipality offers yard debris collection or not, grasscycling is the easiest way to handle grass clippings. Learn more, including 3 tips to make grasscycling a success, at our website.
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Donations: The caring way to reduce waste
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 As we clean out our garages for the annual rummage, remember the local charities that accept donations. Our donations list [pdf] has several local options, some of which will collect materials from your home while others have a wide variety of drop-off locations. Check with each organization about their specific needs and specifications.
Waukesha County's Recycling divisi on is also seeking a very specific item for donation: old globes. These globes will be reused throughout the county to teach children about natural resources. Since we are not pointing out the geographical locations on the globe, we don't mind if your globe still has the U.S.S.R. or Zaire instead of Russia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Call us at 262.896.8309 by July 6th if you can help!
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Summer Activities
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 Be sure to check out our list of summer activities. Do you know of a local event you would like to see blue bins distributed at a farmer's market or church festival? Do you know of a parade or other event our mascot, Recycle Raccoon may enjoy attending? If so, contact us at 896-8309 to make arrangements!
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Visit our Partners
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Electronics Recycling Legislation Update: Representatives Need to Hear From You!
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The Electronics Recycling bill, introduced by Senator Mark Miller recently passed the Senate, but still needs to be passed by the Assembly. The bill requires
manufacturers of video display devices (televisions), computers and printers sold to Wisconsin households to assume responsibility for the collection
and proper disposal of electronic devices. Representatives need to hear their
constituents' support this timely legislation which relieves local government (i.e. taxpayers) of the cost
associated with these programs. Learn more about Senate Bill 107 here. |
Join the Conversation
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Do you know how to dispose of railroad ties? What are some of the most common myths about landfills? All this and more is covered on Recycle Raccoon's blog. Be sure to check it out today!
Our Blog
Twitter with daily tips
News Stories @ digg.com
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Recycling Pop Quiz:
Do you recycle detergent bottles?
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Detergent bottles are usually made from #2 (HDPE) plastics. This valuable material will be shipped to Michigan to be recycled into new bottles. For more information about what you can put in your blue bin, check out our Residential Recycling Guide. |
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| Clean Boats Clean Waters |
 Workshop Location:
UW-Waukesha Field Station, W349 S 1480 S. Waterville Road, Oconomowoc, WI
Workshop Date and Time:
Monday, June 29 2009 - 6:00pm - 9:00pm (registration/sign in at 5:30pm)
The Clean Boats, Clean Waters volunteer watercraft inspection program assists Wisconsin residents in stopping the spread of aquatic invasive species. The Wisconsin DNR, UW-Extension and Wisconsin Association of Lakes are offering training and resource kits to be used by volunteers at boat landings. The resource kit aids volunteers in looking for and identifying Eurasian water-milfoil, zebra mussels and other threatening invasive species. Additionally, these materials help volunteers establish a volunteer watercraft inspection program for their lake. This program is an opportunity for volunteers to take a frontline defense against the spread of aquatic invasive species from lake to lake.
The workshop is FREE. However, for those participants planning to organize a volunteer launch inspection program, we highly recommend purchasing a resource kit for $25.00. Resource kits are worth well over $100 and include a handbook and educational materials, a DVD, invasive species identification cards, watercraft inspection stickers, and T-shirts to wear during the watercraft inspections. Please let us know if you want a kit when you register.
Pre-registration is required. Please contact Jayne Jenks, Waukesha County 262-896-8305 for more information or to register.
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| Free Blue Bins!
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 A local study shows that people recycle more when they have adequate storage for their recyclables. To help residents, Waukesha
County is making free blue bins available to participants in the
county's recycling program.
Get an updated list of locations and times at our website. For more information on which
communities are participating, what to recycle, holding a distribution at a community event, and where to get a bin, visit www.waukeshacounty.gov/recycling
or call the county recycling office at 262-896-8300.
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Free
Blue
Bin
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For residents of the County's Recycling program, free blue bins are available at several community locations and special events. Participating communities include the cities of Brookfield, Delafield, New Berlin, Oconomowoc, Pewaukee, and Waukesha. Towns of Brookfield, Delafield, Lisbon, Merton, Oconomowoc, Summit, and Waukesha. Villages of Big Bend, Chennequa, Dousman, Eagle, Elm Grove, Hartland, Lac La Belle, Meron, Nashotah, Oconomowoc Lake, Pewaukee, and Wales.
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Visit your city, town, or village hall!
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