Embrace Spring With Earth Day & Celebrations

HAPPY RECYCLER: TMRA member Kristi Shreve smiles as she monitors trash bins at the 2014 Oysters and Ale Benefit for Hospice of Green Country. With TMRA’s help, this year’s event created zero waste while raising much needed funds for a great cause.

Courtesy Hospice of Green Country

What a great find that trending in 2014 is, “Earth Month,” expanding the traditional Earth Day of April 20 to the entire month in order to bring light to issues affecting our planet. It’s a perfect pairing to how spring energizes us to break out of our winter hibernations and do something. For an overall look at the planet, log on to earthday.org. For a few tidbits closer to home, keep reading.

It’s a Spring Thing
Jump into beautifying our community at the Route 66 Main Street Clean-Up Kick-Off, “It’s a Spring Thing,” Saturday, April 19. Register for your area of helpful interest at VolunteerTulsa.org or by emailing [email protected]. Covanta will sponsor a pancake break for the entire clean-up crew.

Fairgrounds Pollutant Collection
It’s also the perfect time to rid your home of hazardous materials thanks to The M.E.T.’s bi-annual Fairgrounds Pollutant Collection. You can volunteer to help or just mark your calendar for this free hazardous waste drop-off event Saturday and Sunday, April 4-5 from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Items accepted include household cleaners, batteries, out-of-date prescriptions and more. For a full list, log on to metrecycle.com.

GO Plan
Join Sustain-able Tulsa’s 1st Thursday April 3. INCOG staff will present the GO Plan: a bicycle/pedestrian master plan for a comprehensive regional improvement plan. The plan includes 11 cities in the Tulsa Metropolitan area: Bixby, Broken Arrow, Catoosa, Collinsville, Coweta, Glenpool, Jenks, Owasso, Sand Springs, Skiatook and Tulsa. This is an incredibly exciting plan that creates possibilities, opportunities and overall better living for our communities. Lunch will take place at Foolish Things Coffee Company at 1001 S. Main in downtown Tulsa. Free parking is available. Guest speakers and networking runs noon to 1 p.m. For more information, email [email protected].

Zero Waste Event Planning
Tulsa Master Recyclers made an incredible impact recycling at this year’s Hospice of Green Country Third Annual Oysters & Ale benefit March 14. Through planning, more planning and volunteer efforts, this event was nearly a zero-waste evening.

Here are a few details:
• The relationship between and began last year, composting leftovers and recycling bottles. This year, volunteers monitored the four trash stations which ensured waste made it to the appropriate recycling bins.
• More than 3,000 oysters were shucked for this event so lead volunteer Janet Pieren helped those shells find a new home as footpaths in OSU’s community garden.
• purchased compostable bowls and plates for this event that will go into the community garden compost run by The Welcome Table Church.
• Beer cans, wine bottles and water bottles will become a home thanks to member Todd Gunter’s Earthship project in progress in Kansas, OK.

It does take working together but for me, that’s a large part of the fun…meeting new people, sharing tips, all while working with others towards leaving our little slice of heaven a little better than when we found it.

If you are involved in an event and want to make it greener, contact at [email protected], or find it on Facebook at Tulsa Master Recyclers Association.

The Social Brag
Social media has been abuzz with spring projects made with re-purposed items. Tulsan Jim Umholtz posted that he’s using an old truck camper as the roof of a backyard storage shed. This camper will provide a waterproof roof as well as natural lighting. Mary Johnson started composting in the backyard. She posted that this “greatly reduced our trash, and the kids love watching their veggies turn into dirt.” Get in on the conversation by posting a photo of your repurposed project or idea on Twitter @TrashTalkTulsa.

Whether your Earth Day celebration will involve a full-out costume and parade or if it’s simply purchasing a great reusable water bottle for yourself, April gives us a great excuse to pause and appreciate the beauty that surrounds us here in Tulsa County – both with our community and our landscape. The moments I watch a sunset over the Arkansas River or enjoy a 5K fundraiser with my neighbors I count myself lucky, and hope that we leave our area a little improved for the next generation.

Updated 03-25-2014