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October 2009
Salem Recycles Minutes Sept 30 (October meeting)

Attendance: Liz Vago, Julie Rose, Lynn Murray, Jennifer Percy, Erin Huggard, Susan Yochelson, Tony Keck, Katie Giddings

  • September minutes approved.
  • Salem/Beverly Hazardous Waste Day at Salem High School: Penny made signs for the event. There was a call for volunteers to help out on the day of the event.
  • Haunted Happenings parade: Recap of the subcommittee’s brainstorming meeting. There will be a 6-7 person recycling “toter” drill team in the parade dressed as either paper or commingled materials, with the message that “paper and plastic don’t mix”. They will carry posters that promote the upcoming Perfect Pickup campaign and contest. We discussed logistics of meeting at the parade.
  • Collateral review: the Perfect Pickup Reward poster designed by Katie will go inside the lids of the toters in the parade and be displayed at Hazardous Waste Day. Katie will email a jpg of the poster to the committee for review.
  • FAQs: Julie asked for feedback on the FAQ sheet by the end of the meeting for the version that will be handed out at Hazardous Waste Day, and for people to let her know if they would like to help rework it for future versions. She asked for comments to be emailed to her by Oct 20, and said she would email a copy to the committee.
  • The Perfect Pickup: This campaign will be rolled out in November. It will be reinforced at the book swap. Erin has been taking notes for a letter/article for the paper on this topic. Lynn offered to help edit and/or add to it. There was a subcommittee meeting planed for Oct 20 at 6:30 at 120 Washington St. Susan raised a concern about enforcement of the recycling rules and the strictness of leaving behind things that aren’t allowed in the trash, such as cardboard. The committee was asked to send Julie complaints about contaminants seen in people’s recycling (or recyclables in the trash) so she can raise the issue in the next meeting with Northside Carting. Please include pictures if you can!
  • Mass DEP meeting recap: Julie and Liz attended a meeting of the Municipal Environmental Recycling Coordinators group where Mark George of Northside Carting gave a great presentation on public recycling receptacles—“Big Bellies”, “Canibles”, etc in Salem, and gave examples like the Salem parking garage which has reduced trash by increasing recycling. On July 4th 2008 there were no public recycling facilities in Salem, so there has been big progress, but is still more to do. Julie and Liz got good feedback from other cities that were impressed with Salem. There was brainstorming about what works and what doesn’t for recycling in public spaces.
Liz proposed that the committee come up with a recycling planning guide, checklist and resources for people who are planning a public event in the city
Book Swap, Nov 21, 9:00-12:00, St Peter’s Church: People from the committee should be sure to bring books if they have them, to be sure there are plenty. The book swap will be at St Peter’s Church again, and this time volunteers from the church will help out after the swap by taking any leftover books out to the Got Books bin. Lynn suggested we advertise the event on Craig’s list and Freecycle. There will be a second book swap in February at St Anne’s Church. It was suggested we might try advertising at Cinema Salem, or at least ask if they would be willing to donate add space. Jennifer will write an email to the volunteer list.
Trash Menagerie exhibit at the PEM: Julie will try to get a group from the committee together for a private tour.
  • Mass Recycles Green Binnies awards: The Mayor has nominated SalemRecycles for an award, and SalemRecycles has nominated Northside Carting. The award ceremony is Nov 12th.
Bottle Bill: Susan announced that a Bottle Bill is before the state legislature, and that a group is being organized to go in support of the bill on Sept 30th.
  • Next meeting: Nov 3rd 6:30 pm, 120 Washington St 3rd floor