|
|
Clackamas County Sustainability Newsletter for Multifamily Property Managers
Fall/Winter 2023
Your quarterly guide to successful recycling & waste reduction
from Clackamas County's Sustainability & Solid Waste Program
| |
In this edition:
- Celebrate Sustainably!
- Celebrate the Season, Celebrate our Food
- Garbage and Recycling and Trees...OH MY!
- Water Pollution Prevention
- Inclement Weather Reminder
| |
Celebrate Sustainably!
Whether you celebrate all the upcoming holidays, one of them, or none at all, we can all play a part in getting through the winter a little (or a lot) more sustainably than last year. It just takes a little awareness and commitment from each of us. This edition of the e-newsletter will share trusted and true, as well as new, tips and tricks to survive (and thrive) this winter.
Do you manage communities outside of Clackamas County? See our list of regional multifamily contacts throughout the tri-county area who are ready to help with your waste prevention, reuse, and recycling efforts.
| |
Celebrate the Season, Celebrate our Food
We need food to live, grow, and thrive. We also use food to socialize, share our culture, and show others our culinary talents. Some of us make our living from food: on the farm, at the market, in restaurants. We owe a lot to food, yet we often don't celebrate food. Let's change that this season!
As surprising as it may be, it's true. In the US, we waste 40% of our food. Some gets wasted on the farms, some we lose in transit, and some never gets purchased at the market, but more is wasted in our homes than in any other phase in the process. In fact, the average family of four spends $1,600 per year on food that never gets eaten.
We can do better! Here are four easy steps to consider this winter and turn into habits to celebrate food year-round:
- Shop with meals in mind - Plan out a week of meals, check your fridge and cupboards for ingredients on hand, make a shopping list, and stick to it. Need help determining how much food you need to feed your extended family? Check out Save the Food's The Guest-imator.
- Prep now to eat later - Prepare ingredients in advance to make it easier to throw together a meal after work or school.
- Keep it fresher longer - Storing food properly can help it stay fresher longer. Learn where and how to store fruits and veggies to extend their life. Also embrace the freezer! You can freeze meals now, and thaw and treat yourself to a pre-made meal in a few weeks.
- Eat what you buy - Challenge yourself - Use up leftovers and ingredients you already have on hand. Don't forget to see what you have stored in the bottom, back corner of your fridge (same goes for the freezer).
Let's challenge ourselves to make our food (and money!) go further by not letting good food go bad.
| |
Garbage and Recycling and Trees...OH MY!
Working with multifamily communities, we know the end of the year can be chaotic as it relates to garbage and recycling. Help your community by planning ahead. Here are some tips to make the holiday season's waste more manageable.
Waste Reduction - Managing our waste is easier when there is less of it. As mentioned above, we can start by celebrating food and minimizing our food waste. When it comes to holiday gift giving, consider gifting experiences, wrapping gifts in dish towels (or cloth bags or...be creative), or get a favorite item repaired instead of buying new.
Recycling - Share a recycle guide with residents to remind them which items belong in which bin or share a link to the video below highlighting how to dispose of holiday-themed items. Encourage residents to break down cardboard boxes. Remind your community that TVs, computers, and other Oregon E-Cycles items need to be disposed of properly. They can be dropped off for free at any Goodwill or other participating Oregon E-Cycle locations.
Garbage - If your community has overflow year after year at this time, you can arrange for an extra pickup(s) with your collector (for a fee). You can also help residents dispose of large unwanted household items by coordinating with your garbage company (for a fee). Find garbage and recycling company contact information at www.clackamas.us/recycling/garbage/company.
Trees - If trees are allowed in your community, have a plan for proper disposal. Residents need to know when and where to place bare trees (no flocked trees, decorations, lights, stand, etc.) for proper disposal. Coordinate ahead of time with your collector or community group for pickup and pricing. Make sure the designated location works for them/their equipment.
Having a plan early will help alleviate chaos in the moment. Contact us today if you'd like resources or assistance to help your community better manage waste this holiday season.
| |
Water Pollution Prevention
Winter is coming, and the rain is already here. Property owners are responsible for maintaining storm drains and stormwater facilities (swales, ponds, etc.) on their properties. Now is the time to make sure your storm drains are clear.
Aside from leaves, leaves, and more leaves, make sure garbage and recycling isn't overflowing (if you need additional service, contact your collector), and keep drains free of any other debris and pollution. Find other tips for multifamily property managers from Water Environment Services (WES).
| |
Inclement Weather Reminder
Temperatures have started to drop, we've already seen freezing temperatures in the valley, and Mt. Hood has snow. This means it's time for our regular inclement weather reminder.
Safety is top priority. When weather makes driving hazardous, collection companies may postpone collections until it is safe to do so. Remember, just because your street appears safe, doesn't mean the roads leading to your community are safe for travel.
When collections are postponed due to inclement weather, credits are not applied, because the service will be rendered in due course.
Please help your collector service your garbage and recycling receptacles by keeping garbage/recycling areas accessible and free of snow and ice.
| |
|
Questions? Have a suggestion?
Download our Recycle Guides
Clackamas County Sustainability & Solid Waste
| |
|
|
|
|
