Recommendations from an RTF Member

FIRST DRAFT RECOMMENDATIONS FOR RECYCLING TASK FORCE WORK PRODUCT, R.T.F./F.N.S.B.
PREPARED BY SCOTT TRAFFORD CALDER, JUNE 17TH, 2008

Priorities:

1) Do no harm to liberty, property and economic interests of citizens.

2) Improve ongoing operations. Current service level is very good and could possibly be maintained at reduced cost or higher level of efficiency.

3) Implement recycling through short term achievements and long term planning for more sustainable practices. Begin with adding some containers at transfer sites which will help source separation of the main categories of “waste”, while directing material to identified end users or markets. Attempt to improve user access, safety and convenience, through signage designed to promote traffic flow and greater public interest in cooperative usage of, and interactions within, the transfer sites. Determine future course of actions by committing to build or improve facilities, for reduced costs or higher quality outcomes or both, when and to the extent it is possible.

Taskforce Actions:

1) Improve process.

2) Continue meetings.

3) Develop detailed recommendations, encourage others to provide information, assistance and proposals to partner with F.N.S.B. and other local entities.

Administrative Actions:

1) R.F.P.’s for recycling projects, contracts, etc.—“Free Trash: Come And Get It!”, or the best terms for citizens.

2) Continue doing GREAT JOB of maintaining transfer sites and cleaning up after messy people and everyone else.

3) Begin signage and public information efforts at transfer sites.

4) Add and/or rearrange some different containers for sorting of specific materials that are marketable or desired by others for use.

5) Formulate strategies for future landfill conversion, upgrading, mining, monitoring and mitigation.

Assembly Actions:

1) Deliberate publicly the wisdom and effectiveness of proposals to institute, improve or change, recycling efforts in the F.N.S.B., including infrastructure development, staffing and public/private partnerships.

2) Amend F.N.S.B. Code to be “recycling friendly”—recognizing that having collections of precious resources, artifacts, spare parts and other materials on hand on one’s own property should be just fine.

3) Appropriate funds to F.N.S.B. facilities and operations which will be likely to enhance capabilities of the public entity to reduce costs and increase quality of outputs of solid waste management systems locally.

RTF Meeting Agenda – June 4th

The next meeting of the Recycling Task Force will be:

Wednesday, June 4, 2008 4:30 to 6:30 PM
FNSB Assembly Chambers

MEETING AGENDA

1) Discuss Minutes of last meeting

2) Reports: Mike, Suzy, Sue, others

3) Sitka Recycling PowerPoint presentation by Mike Musick

4) UAF Recycling PowerPoint presentation by Eli Sonafrank

5) Old Business:
     – “Free” Baler at UAF
     – Recycling Survey
     – Other

6) New Business:
     – Set time of next meeting
     – Other

RTF Meeting Minutes – May 9th

The meeting minutes from the Recycling Task Force meeting held on May 9th at the Noel Wein Library are now available.

Click here to view the document:
RTF Meeting Minutes – 5/9/08

These minutes are also listed under the “Documents” section in the right sidebar.

RTF Meeting Minutes – April 23rd

The meeting minutes from the Recycling Task Force meeting held on April 23rd at the UAF Wood Center are now available.

Click here to view the document:
RTF Meeting Minutes – 4/23/08

These minutes are also listed under the “Documents” section in the right sidebar.

Audio Recording of RTF Meeting – April 4th

An audio recording of the Recycling Task Force meeting held on April 4th is now available!

Please visit the FNSB Recycling website to listen to this recording of the meeting:

http://co.fairbanks.ak.us/RecyclingTaskForce/

Click on Audio from meeting on April 4, 2008

 

News Flash – Curbside Recycling in Anchorage!

Anchorage has just approved a curbside recycling program for a fraction of Anchorage households.

Check out the article in the Anchorage Daily News to learn more about this new program:

Assembly approves curbside recycling

This link is also posted under the “In the News” section in the right sidebar.

Recycling Townhall Meeting – May 9th

The next Recycling Task Force Meeting will be:

Recycling Townhall Meeting
Friday, May 9th, 4:30-6:00pm at the Noel Wien Library Auditorium

AGENDA

(We will also welcome additions to the agenda within the time constraints of our shorter meeting time)

1. Fairbanks Alaska Youth for Environmental Action (FAYEA) Presentation

2. Recycling Survey

3. Review of ideas we have covered so far – AND latest update of recycling efforts by Sam’s Club, Home Depot, Thermakool, etc.

4. Creating a map for locations around town for recycling

5. Discuss the specific recycling goals we want to attain in our community
a. Reduce waste by a certain percentage (paper, food waste, plastic, etc)
b. Recycle at public events — Solstice Fair, Tanana Valley State Fair, Carlson Center, etc.
c. Other?

6. Create a list of businesses participating in some kind of recycling and post around town, similiar to Green Star’s website

Energy Plan Town Hall Meeting – April 30th

The Alaska Energy Authority (AEA) will be holding an Energy Plan Town Hall Meeting:

TODAY, April 30th from 4-8 PM
Carlson Center, Arthur Buswell Pioneer Room

AEA Announces Energy Plan Town Hall Meetings
Public Forums Scheduled for 25 Communities

(Anchorage) – The Alaska Energy Authority (AEA) announced Energy Plan Town Hall meetings to be held in twentyfive communities throughout Alaska, starting April 28 in Palmer and concluding June 4 in Anchorage.

“Our goal is simple: We must reduce the cost of energy in Alaska by using locally available energy resources,” said AEA Executive Director and Energy Coordinator Steve Haagenson. “To reach that goal we are engaging Alaskans in the process of creating and deploying solutions that will not only provide stable-cost energy now, but will help ensure affordable, reliable energy for our children and grandchildren as well.”

Teams comprised of representatives from AEA, the Alaska Department of Natural Resources (DNR), the Alaska Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development (DCCED) and the Denali Commission will be traveling throughout Alaska to meet with the public, business, community and regional leaders and utility managers. “We are holding these Town Hall meetings to gain answers for two fundamental questions,” Haagenson said. “First, we want to ask Alaskans what they know about local energy resources and which resources they think could possibly be developed to help lower costs. Second, we want to ask residents which resources they prefer not to develop, and why.”

Alaskans are invited and encouraged to participate in this process by attending a Town Hall meeting or by e-mailing comments to energycoordinator@aidea.org. Comments may also be sent to Alaska Energy Authority, Attn: Steven Haagenson, 813 West Northern Lights Blvd., Anchorage, Alaska 99503.

Energy Plan Town Hall Meeting Schedule:
* Palmer: April 28, 4-9 PM, Palmer Community Center (Railroad Depot)
* Soldotna: April 29, 5-9 PM, Kenai Visitors & Cultural Center
* Fairbanks: April 30, 4-8 PM, Carlson Center, Arthur Buswell Pioneer Room
* Galena: May 1, 5-9 PM, High School
* Ft. Yukon: May 1, 4-8 PM, Council Elders Hall
* Tok: May 1, 4-8 PM, Tok Visitors Center
* Bethel: May 6, 4-8 PM, Cultural Center
* Aniak: May 7, 4-8 PM, Community Hall
* Nome: May 8, 4-8 PM, Mini-Convention Center
* Kotzebue: May 8, 4-8 PM, Northwest Arctic Borough Assembly Chambers
* Valdez: May 12, 4-8 PM, Valdez Convention and Civic Center
* Naknek: May 14 (time and location to be announced)
* McGrath: May 14, 4-8 PM, Captain Snow Building, Assembly Room
* Dillingham: May 15 (time and location to be announced)
* Unalaska: May 20, 4-8 PM, The Grand Aleutian Hotel, Makushin Room
* Sand Point: May 20 (time and location to be announced)
* Kodiak: May 22, 4-8 PM, Kodiak College
* Juneau: May 27, 5-9 PM, Centennial Hall Ballroom 1
* Ketchikan: May 28 (time and location to be announced)
* Wrangell: May 28, 4-8 PM, City Hall, Council Chambers
* Craig: May 29 (time and location to be announced)
* Kake: May 29, 4-8 PM, Community Hall Gym
* Barrow: June 2 (time and location to be announced)
* Glenallen: June 3 (time and location to be announced)
* Anchorage: June 4 (time and location to be announced)

More information on the Alaska Energy Plan and updates to the Town Hall meeting schedule are available at www.akenergyauthority.org.

RTF Meeting Agenda – April 23rd

Recycling Task Force Meeting
Wednesday, April 23, 5-6:30pm at UAF Wood Center

AGENDA

1. Opening comments, Mike Musick (Ask for public comments after reports)

2. Recycling Task Force opportunity
A) Vista program volunteer available to work for RTF (Suzy Fenner)
B) “Let’s do it!” Something at the Solstice Fair
C) Demonstration project at the Tanana Valley State Fair as the VISTA volunteer project

3. Recycling grant opportunities – Solid Waste Management Assistance Grant, awarded October 2008
A) Food/paper and compostable materials
B) Construction debris/reusable materials
The VISTA volunteer would be working to implement this grant and a community recycling program for the next three years through July 2010

4. Don Leistikow reports on recycling in Anchorage

5. Open forum

6. Next RTF meeting?

Recycling Events at UAF Sustainable Living Conference – April 23rd

The next Recycling Task Force meeting will be:
Wednesday, April 23rd, 5:00-6:30pm at the UAF Wood Center Ballroom
Agenda:  Reviewing the community survey up for approval; Seek input from community

Following the meeting at 6:30pm, Mike Musick will be give a presentation on Sweden’s sustainability efforts and the book The Natural Step for Communities

From noon to 4pm earlier that day there will be a recycled art workshop to prepare for the Recycled Art Contest during the Earth Day Fair (Saturday, April 27th), and rehearsals for the Dumpster Diving Fashion Show which is also happening at the Fair.