recycling
Posted inCulture

Reducing the Yuletide Waste Stream

Simple solutions for cutting consumption during the holidays
Laurel Brauns

‘Tis the season to shop and eat. But are the holidays a carte blanche for throwing eco-consciousness to the wind? Consuming in the name of celebrating comes at a cost to the environment: According to the Environmental Protection Agency, American household waste increases by more than 25% from Thanksgiving to Christmas, adding an additional 1 […]

Posted inNews

Wasted in Bend: Automobiles

An exhaustive look at emissions and solid waste from cars
Suzanne Johnson

Transportation is on the mind of many Bendites this fall, as the City of Bend works through a new 20-year Transportation System Plan to keep people moving safely and efficiently over roads, bus routes and pathways. An estimated 40,000 people have moved to Bend since the previous plan was written, and most brought cars with […]

Posted inOpinion

Citizen Involvement is the Oregon way. Local officials should remember that when voting on plans

Citizen committees are a vital part of local government—and not everyone has to be an “expert.”
The Source Staff

For the past 16 months, members of the Deschutes County Solid Waste Advisory Committee have been meeting with the goal of making recommendations for a waste plan that would serve the region into the future. With Knott Landfill set to be full within 10 years, the committee has worked to develop recommendations that would help […]

Posted inNews

Wasted in Bend: Sustainable Schools

Green schools reduce waste and improve energy use
Suzanne Johnson

Every parent of school-age kids has a similar shopping list this month: Pencils, glue sticks, highlighters, notebooks, dry-erase markers, crayons, sharpies and erasable pens… and don’t forget the earbuds and iPad stylus. Most items are not recyclable, or biodegrable, and represent just a fraction of the resources that go into educating kids. Schools create a […]

Posted inNews

Wasted in Bend: Uncorking Sustainable Packaging

Twist it, pull it, or pop open a can? When it comes to rethinking waste, wine offers a lot of options
Suzanne Johnson

Oh, the ritual of opening wine. Present the bottle, swirl and taste, maybe even save the corks in a glass jar. Made of all-natural materials, cork hits every mark for sustainability: biodegradable, renewable, reusable, recyclable, compostable and harvested by hand. Yet the variety of wine packaging now includes screw tops and synthetic corks, and containers […]

Posted inNews

Climate + Education

Local high schools sign resolution around climate change, among other student-led efforts
Avatar photo Nicole Vulcan

“The more we increase the active participation and partnership with young people, the better we serve them. … And the more comprehensively we work with them as service partners, the more we increase our public value to the entire community.” — Carmen Martinez, former director, Oakland Public Library Don’t make the mistake of believing that […]

Posted inNews

Wasted in Bend: Clothing in the Landfill

A growing movement to repair and reuse textiles
Suzanne Johnson

Editor’s note: The print version of this story stated that Knott Landfill is projected to close in 2019, but it’s projected to close in 2029. We regret the error. Last month I resolved to clean out my closet—hitting a snag when I pulled out a well-worn puffy coat with a broken zipper. Was it too […]

Posted inNews

Side Notes 1/28-2/4

Avatar photo Erin Rook

Those blue recycling cans you see at Bend parks? More illusion than reality. Their primary purpose is to stroke your nature-loving ego. Because people either don’t know how or can’t be bothered to properly separate trash from recyclables—and because Bend Park and Rec can’t afford to dedicate staff to sorting through your rubbish—both cans go […]

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