press releases

TCE, April 21, 2008 By TCE

Challenge Central Texans to Join Race to Zero Waste or Darn Close

Remarks of Robin Schneider, Executive Director, Texas Campaign for the Environment

 

It’s time to take recycling to a whole new level.

 

It’s time for companies to design products and packaging for recycling.

 

It’s time for local governments to put the emphasis on setting goals for Zero Waste.  It’s time to stop trashing our natural resources and instead create jobs and healthier communities by reusing and recycling on a much higher rate.

 

It’s time to bring recycling into this century.  The best recycling rate in Central Texas is probably the City of Austin’s residential rate around 27%.  When other cities are getting 60 or even 70 percent already – 27% is a start but it’s just not good enough.

 

We know we can do better and most people want to do better.  Some of the elders of our community remember the Depression and World War II when wasting was unpatriotic.  Some of us know that individuals can put our concern about protecting our climate into action by recycling.  Others come from the perspective that we must be good stewards of the planet.  Others live near problem landfills and want to reduce the trash coming to their neighborhoods.  Still others know that recycling and reuse produce tens times if not hundreds times more jobs than landfilling and we need and want those green collar jobs.

 

Whatever the reason, we can all show our concern by joining the Race the Zero Waste or Darn Close.  We are challenging all Central Texans to come up with creative and effective ways to reduce our wasting.  And the best efforts over the next three months will be judged and recognized by our esteemed judges and win prizes.  Some of the prizes include:

 

* A new notebook or desktop computer from Dell

 

* Reuse shopping sprees at Treasure City Thrift, Habitat for Humanity’s Re-Store and Texas Disposal Systems

 

* A refurbished computer from Central Texas Goodwill’s Computer Store

 

*A Zero Waste transportation in the form of a recycled bike from the Yellow Bike Project

 

The judges for the Race to Zero Waste or Darn Close include:

Darrell and Edith Royal

Hays County Judge Liz Sumter

Austin Community College Boardmember Veronica Rivera

Fayette County Judge Ed Janecka

Travis County Commissioner Sarah Eckhardt

Matt Winkler, Founder of Asuragen, a local biotechnology company

Tod Arbogast Director of Sustainable Business at Dell