Resolution to Go Green
/Published in the issue's Go Green page. ChamberLink January 2010.
You have decided to go green this year and made a New Year’s resolution filled with good intentions. To make your green resolution a reality, here’s a short guide to help you get started.
Choose to Reuse:
We live in a society that encourages disposal, everything from baby diapers to Styrofoam coffee cups are thrown away after just one use.
Unfortunately Styrofoam is very difficult to recycle. If you use a Styrofoam coffee cup every day at the office, in just one year you use and throw away 260 cups or more. If you want to go green and reduce the amount of trash you produce during the year, you can switch to a coffee mug. You will need only one for the whole year. Reusing something so simple can cause a large impact over time.
Choose to Recycle at Home and Work:
Recycling is environmentally friendly because it allows for a more efficient and wise use of natural resources. Instead of cutting down trees to make new paper, old paper is collected and recycled to create more paper. The majority of products you encounter every day are recyclable. Plastic, cardboard, paper, glass, and aluminum can all be recycled in the Dalton-Whitfield area. To begin you will need a separate container for recyclables, such as a recycling bin or a clearly marked trash can.
Many residents of the City of Dalton already have a blue curbside recycling bin that is used for all recyclables. These are separated at the curb when they are picked up by Public Works. If you live in the City of Dalton, the Department of Public Works may already be offering Residential Curbside Recycling in your neighborhood. For more details, call 706-278-7077 or visit the City of Dalton’s website and go to the Public Works section http://www.cityofdalton-ga.gov.
However, if you don’t have service in your area you need to separate your recyclables yourself before dropping them off at a Convenience Center like the Old Dixie Landfill. The main categories are Plastic (#1, #2), Cardboard, Mixed Paper, Glass, and Aluminum. You can drop-off your recyclables at any one of four Convenience Centers operated by the Dalton-Whitfield Regional Solid Waste Authority (DWSWA).
If you have a business in the City of Dalton or Whitfield County you may qualify for the Target Recycling program offered by the DWSWA. This program can help your business recycle paper, cardboard, plastic and aluminum products by setting up a collection site for your whole building. For more information on the Convenience Centers or the Target Recycling program call 706-278-5001 or visit their website http://www.dwswa.org.
It’s easier than ever to go green in Dalton-Whitfield. Here’s to a greener you and greener New Year!
Liz Swafford is the Executive Director of Keep Dalton-Whitfield Beautiful and the Recycling and Education Program Coordinator for the Dalton-Whitfield Regional Solid Waste Authority (www.DWSWA.org). Contact her by e-mail at: lswafford@dwswa.org or call 706-278-5001.