The first thing about recycling is to find a place to take recyclables.
The best time to do this is as early as possible. This really must be done
before a recycling station is set up. It does no good to separate anything if
there is no one willing to transport it to a place that will recycle it.
Sometimes we've had to drive over seventy miles one way to find a place.
That was about fifteen dollars a trip with a vehicle that does ten miles to a
gallon.  If things are together enough someone may be found who is going in
the right direction and will take a load.
    Call the local scrap yards and ask what they take.  If they don't take
glass, plastics or metals then ask if they know of a place that does.  They
usually do. There is always a place to take aluminum. Sometimes the price of
aluminum pays for the gas to transport the rest of the recyclables.
Everything else goes to landfill except the burnables, discarded clothes
and other assorted free box stuff. We've had good luck with local groups who
volunteer to take left clothes, wash them and donate them to charity. We've
dropped loads off at Salvation Army and Goodwill stands. But we at least try
to have them dry and in plastic bags.
    It would be really good if each kitchen took responsibility for doing all
of their own recycling. It would make clean up a whole different process.
    Why recycle? Some people don't understand the importance of this job.
Here I will repeat the Hopi prophesy: When the Earth is weeping and the
animals are dying there will come a people to save the Earth called Warriors
of the Rainbow. I take this to heart. Recycling is one of the best things
that can be taught to an ignorant public that is heading to destruction
because of greed. From the oldest to the youngest recycling is something that
we can all agree to. It is something that all people who carry a love for the
Earth in their hearts can do together. It is a real hands on opportunity to
practise what we preach. The little things prepare us for the big projects.
As long as you have done the ground work and know what can be recycled, it is
a simple job that everyone can do.  The grace that accompanies this work is
quite rewarding. It can build character.
    One of the worst things about recycling is compost. It is a drag to come
across compost that has been in a bag for a week or two trying to separate 5
what can be recycled from what is to go into a landfill. No compost should go
to a landfill from a gathering. I agree that we should not throw left over
food or peeling in the forest. We don't want to promote flies when there are
a thousand people camping in the same part of the forest. We should try to
find the closest compost pit and deposit it there. And if that pit is full go
and volunteer to dig another. This is the way it can work.  How long will it
take before we learn the basics? When we do then maybe we'll be ready for a
gathering of a hundred thousand.

Wishing you all God's love + peace that defies worldly understanding. 6/1995
 

DanD