Imagine Grinnell will show participants how to reduce their household waste with a series of free activities, demonstrations, and events scheduled to coincide with the discontinuation of curbside recycling in Grinnell at the end of June. This will include participation in Plastic Free July, a global challenge to refuse single-use plastics, as well as hosting talks by a variety of experts on reducing food waste. Community members are encouraged to visit Imagine Grinnell at Thursday farmers markets, attend July speaker events, and share their experiences with reducing waste by posting on Facebook or Instagram and tagging @imaginegrinnell.
“We all fear that with the end of curbside recycling pickup, more recyclable items are going to end up in the landfill,” said Imagine Grinnell Director Rich Dana. “Our recent survey indicates that Grinnell residents overwhelmingly want to do the right thing and reduce waste and get a skip bin delivered, but many don’t have adequate information on how to establish new, less wasteful habits. Reducing household waste is one of those win-win situations… using less can be good for the environment AND less expensive for your family.”
Imagine Grinnell will have a table at the Thursday Farmers Market starting on June 27, providing a quick stop for information and activities regarding waste reduction initiatives in Grinnell. Each week will focus on a different sustainability initiative, including:
Curbside recycling: What do I do next? (June 27)
Living Plastic Free (July 11)
Saving Paper and Reducing Junk Mail (July 18) (Bring your junk mail!)
Composting Made Easy (July 25)
You can bring used fabric to the Imagine Grinnell table throughout June and July and join in creating reusable shopping bags during Farmers Market hours on Saturday, June 29. Reusable bags are an easy way to reduce single-use plastics every day!
Featured speakers will present throughout July, sharing their expertise with the community. Meet sustainability specialist Jennifer Trent from the Iowa Waste Reduction Center (July 16) and Iowa City Resource Management Superintendent Jen Jordan (July 22) at Drake Community Library (7pm), and discover the simple secret of composting at a workshop led by Andy Dunham at Grinnell Heritage Farm on July 15 (7pm).
To find out more, check out Imagine Grinnell on Facebook or Instagram (@imaginegrinnell) or visit their website, www.imaginegrinnell.org.
