Nebraska Recycling Council - August Newsletter

August 2023

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SWANA Training

Seven adults smiling in front of a white wall

People sitting in a classroom with a man speaking at the front

By: Maddie Ferber

Program Director Maddie Ferber was in Omaha on July 19-20 for the Managing Recycling Systems course we hosted in partnership with SWANA. We enjoyed lots of conversation, laughter, and tons of recycling information! A wide range of topics were covered, addressing the challenges faced in every aspect of running a recycling program - from crafting an educational campaign on reducing contamination to drafting collection and hauling contracts. While webinars and online resources are more abundant than ever, one of the most valuable components of the course was the ability for participants to share real life, local examples of successes and challenges experienced in our communities - like City of Omaha’s experience rolling out the new collection carts, or how they manage the waste auditing process with Firstar Fiber.

The Nebraska Recycling Council is committed to making professional development and ongoing education available to recycling professionals across the state. Helping our recycling professionals across the state stay informed, educated, and connected serves to stabilize and strengthen recycling statewide.

Thank you to SWANA and our amazing participants from Firstar Fiber, City of Omaha, City of Lincoln, and City of Albion. And of course, a huge thank you to NDEE for the grant funding to offer scholarships for this course!

Equal Access to Recycling

By Allison Majerus

July was Disability Pride Month, which celebrates people with disabilities and recognizes the passing of the Americans with Disabilities Act. We at the Nebraska Recycling Council are committed to increasing access to recycling services and resources for all Nebraskans.

Here's some things we have done:

in 2021, we facilitated a Recycling Access webinar with Gloria Eddins and Hillary Scanlon, two women with disabilities, about their experience with recycling
in 2022, we held initial outreach conversations with disabled individuals and organizations who serve them to learn first hand about their experiences, challenges and thoughts about recycling
in 2023, we attended the National Federation of the Blind Nebraska State Convention in March and are planning a NRC fall conference session about recycling access, focused on disability, rural populations, and language
we are developing concrete plans for 2024....more to come!

Jamie Richey, Nebraska NFB President, and Program Director Allison Majerus smiling at the NFB conference in 2023

You might ask, what can YOU do to increase access at your business, recycling center or in your community?

Here's some suggestions:

watch our recycling access webinar to learn first-hand
talk to your customers and community members about what they need to improve access, if anything, and listen
provide recycling information in multiple ways (paper, if necessary, electronic on your website and social media with alt text)
be willing to assist when someone asks for help at a recycling drop-off location and curbside

Please reach out to Program Director Allison Majerus (402-436-2384, ext. 102, amajerus@nrcne.org) if you:

have a disability and would like to share your recycling experience
want to learn more about how you can provide better recycling access for people with disabilities

Artistic Activism

By Carina Olivetti

Advocacy and activism can be expressed in myriad ways. Climate activism can be seen in artistic formats like poetry and painting or by non-doing in the form of boycotting. As August temperatures rise it might be a perfect time to wield a pen or paintbrush to communicate your concerns/insights about climate change, the plastic crisis, or any other equally important issue.

Below is a poem written by Jane Hirshfield called Let Them Not Say:

Let Them Not Say

Let them not say: we did not see it.

We saw.

Let them not say: we did not hear it.

We heard.

Let them not say: they did not taste it.

We ate, we trembled.

Let them not say: it was not spoken, not written.

We spoke,

we witnessed with voices and hands.

Let them not say: they did nothing.