Earth Day every day

April 16, 2006

By JOEL DAVIDSON

Frontiersman

MAT-SU - The biggest obstacles to recycling those old newspapers and pop cans is the perceived hassle and the inability to see what difference it makes, said Jenni Burr.

As the Talkeetna Ranger Station education specialist, Burr is helping coordinate this year's sixth annual Susitna Community Earth Day Celebration, set for Saturday. Organizers aim to inspire would-be recyclers to take an extra minute to practice what they call sustainable living.

In rural communities throughout Alaska, recycling can be a tough sell, Burr said. Unlike recycling facilities in larger cities, Alaska centers require people to collect and sort plastics, metal, paper and other items by content, and personally haul them down to the recycling center. It's a bit more work but - taking the long view of things - Burr said it's worth the few extra minutes.

&#8220In larger cities, it's something they almost have to do because they are running out of space,” she said. &#8220That's not as apparent to people here, because we have so much space. Eventually, though, we will grow past our capacity.”

One goal at this year's event is to make recycling and reusing easier for the

average Alaskan. By teaming up with friends and neighbors, Burr said people can take turns dropping off recyclable material, thereby reducing the number of trips for each person.

Another challenge to recycling is the fact that the entire Mat-Su Borough is served by one facility, Valley Community for Recycling Solutions.

Located on the Palmer-Wasilla Highway, the center serves many core-area residents and businesses, along with those willing to drive recyclable goods in from Talkeetna, Sutton and outlying areas.

&#8220They have to come down here right now because we don't have any satellite sites yet,” said Molly Boyer, the site's executive director. Eventually, Boyer said, they want to match recycling sites with all outlying borough waste transfer sites.

Convenience also is key to promoting recycling. By 2008, Valley Community for Recycling Solutions plans to move into a permanent building, which Boyer said will allow the group to expand hours of operation and coordinate efforts more with the borough.

&#8220This year we are going to fund it, next year we are going to built, in 2008 we are going to use it,” Boyer said of the future site.

Less than three and a half years ago, the VCRS moved into its current location at the corner of the Palmer-Wasilla Highway and North 49th State Street, less than a half mile from the Mat-Su Borough's central landfill. Since then, they've seen more people jump on the recycling bandwagon than ever before.

&#8220Our volumes are changing a lot,” Boyer said, pointing out that more and more commercial businesses are bringing in cardboard boxes, plastics and paper products.

&#8220We are also seeing more individuals,” she added. &#8220It's increasing through word of mouth.”

Despite the growth in recycling, Boyer said she still has to fight the perception that it's cheaper to just haul garbage down to the landfill.

&#8220People think it is cheap to put stuff in the landfill,” she said. &#8220But the landfill is filling up twice as fast as anticipated.”

In addition, Boyer said the long-term problems of methane gas and water quality are diminished when people choose to recycle rather than fill up in the landfill.

VCRS also will host an Earth Day event at its center from 3 to 5 p.m. on April 22. The event will include educational opportunities and a tour of the center.

As for up north, the theme for this year's Earth Day celebration in the Upper Su Valley is &#8220Sharing Solutions for a Sustainable World.” To that end, the event will feature a wide variety of exhibits, hands-on activities and opportunities to learn about sustainable living practices, water quality, invasive plants, wilderness fire safety, and other topics.

Event participants will have the opportunity to recycle and reuse in a variety of ways, including a recycled art contest, along with book, clothing and sports-gear exchanges.

The free event will showcase presentations by Verna Pratt of the Alaska Native Plant Society, and by the Bird Treatment and Learning Center in Anchorage, which will bring two owls.

A number of children's activities also are planned.

The senior center will sell food and refreshments. Organizers also hope to facilitate small group discussions for participants to share recycling solutions that work for them.

&#8220We need to look at creative ways to do recycling,” Burr said. &#8220It's already relatively easy, but we hope to make it easier.”

The Earth Day Celebration is set for 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, April 22, at the Upper Susitna Senior Center on Mile 98.5 Parks Highway, just south of the junction with the Talkeetna Spur Road. For more information on Earth Day, call Burr at 907-733-9110.

Contact Joel Davidson at 352-2266 or joel.davidson@frontiersman.com.